Helen

I had a little time with the comet tonight, from my front drive, before the clouds won!  Here's a quick timelapse (no processing individual shots, justrun through startrails software).  Sony 6500 with a 90mm lens, 2s shots

And a startrail too

Helen

Friday night was special.  Here's my noctilucent clouds - with a phone 😉

Now home and find I can see it from my doorstep 😎😎😎

Not quite the scenic backdrops used by others, but a lot less hassle!! (And safer for a lone female 😉)

Helen

I was about to message you Steve - I'm in the field by Cascade community centre and have got it too 🙂. I just came for a wander through the estate to see what might be possible.  Heading home to get my camera and a small scope now... Enjoy 😎

5 hours ago, stevetynant said:

Fantastic Helen - I did stay up until the early hours on the weekend but to no avail though i didn't travel further than the bedroom for elevation I must admit - hopefully with the weather forecast as is it is I haven't missed my chance though I will be on the coast in the next two weeks - I'm wondering whether the Cross in Gelligaer might just give me enough of a vantage point if I get an unexpected chance before then - anyhows lovely to hear from you and fab photos :0)

Funnily enough Steve I was coming back from Nelson yesterday early evening and noted that from the Cross the horizon might be good - so said to Mike it might be worth a try from their car park!!  We would have tried Gelligaer common last weekend, but the road was closed..  If the forecast looks good and I'm heading up I'll ping you a message...

Helen

Hi Steve 😊

Yes, I've managed to see it.  These are from the mountain road between Aberbargoed and Tredegar (Cefn Golau).  We parked by the wind turbine and the comet could be seen above the glow of Tredegar.

I've also seen it in our street - with binos though as the streetlights are problematic for naked eye.

Helen 

I'll get my fan on to it for you James 🤣

... and the noctilucient clouds have just put on a display here too!  What a night 😎

Helen

And we got it again tonight - went back to the common from earlier in the week but Mikle came too (not just as protection , he brought his camera too!).  It didn't feel like summer though!!  Duvet jacket with hood up, a scarf and gloves to cope with the blustery and cold conditions.  The Moon and Mars looked great, as did Jupiter and Saturn.  But main attraction floating on the horizon easily naked eye...

14 minutes ago, wormix said:

Great image! What time was that?  Heading out tonight again as it’s forecast clear all night long. 

That was about 2:30 am - it would have been higher later... but then dawn would have started interfering (and I needed to get up this morning 🥺)

Got it last night!!  (got up for a drink, noticed clear sky so hastily grabbed camera and binos - sadly tripod in car so decided not to wake everyone....)

First one phone camera, and second one DSLR balanced on my car.  It was fantastic with binos - real wow and big grin moment.  Hopefully going try again tonight with a tripod!!

Helen

This looks fun 😎

https://www.esa.int/Education/Get_pictures_from_the_ISS_and_learn_about_radio_communication

Helen

19 minutes ago, wormix said:

I also finished around 4:30 - unfortunately I now have to look after a 4year old who thought that a 5:30 wake up time was appropriate.

So far it’s been a struggle!

I feel for you!!

I'm not sure what the quality of drafting of my first research paper is going to be this afternoon. 

It is relevant though -it's about getting amateur astronomers involved in comet campaigns.  A couple of the arguments involve being able to observe close to the sun and low on the horizon (difficult with large scopes in domes), and being able to be mobile and flexible to take account of weather conditions.  We were the perfect case study last night😊

Helen

Helen is back, and has taken advantage of flexible working hours to have a lie in!

I gave it until 4:30 and then came home to bed.  The sky was a mixture of thick black cloud and small clear patches which got brighter and brighter ...  I generally could see capella so knew which part of horizon to scan, but clouds more persistent there.  Random camera shots showed nothing.  Got the binos out - and I might just convince myself that at one point I got a hint  (might have been something to convince myself my outing was worthwhile...🤔).  I'd started on top of local common at 3am, but it was blowing a Gale and really didn't look promising in the appropriate direction.  The views of the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars were lovely though - the passing dark clouds just added atmosphere!  I'd promised Mike I would be careful, so decided not to hang around there.

On the way home I noticed an improvement so ended up just parked on a pull  in off an urban road (safe!) for an hour hoping!  It was a bit of an adventure....

Glad others got to see it though - that gives us hope!!

Helen (in need of coffee!)

But I got Mars - because of course the other direction is clear 🙄

Currently sat in the car at the side of a road hoping (against hope!) that the Gusty wind will shift this cloud and I'll get to spot neowise....

Hmmmm

Having some internet issues 😣, everything keeps dropping out, so may have to do this one on catch up!  Enjoy everyone 🤗

Helen

PS I'm wondering whether there would be interest if I tried to get the people running the campaigns to do a Stargazine session 🤔

3 hours ago, Pete Presland said:

Thanks for the "heads up" what a great opportunity  to be involved in some science. 

Fascinating reading on this link as well http://pvol2.ehu.eus/bc/Venus/  

The great thing about these campaigns Pete is that every submission is potentially very useful, so it doesn't matter if you can only submit observations from one night as taken together we get great coverage.

Its time to get my filters dusted off...

Helen

16 hours ago, Ags said:

Berlebach Castor:

TS AZT6 for travel compared to the Castor:

AZ GTi with very cheap counterweights:

Hmmmmm... I have three mounts and only one tripod 😕

It's a very nice tripod though 😎

I love my report 😍

Helen

The answer will be whatever screw size you haven't got 🥺   Or you'll have the right thread but they will be too long, or too short, or the head is the wrong size for the countersink... or.... bitter, me??? 

Generally they are 1/4-20 UNC

Helen

Given Venus is much better placed for observing than the other planets at the moment here's your chance to help the professionals! 

Let us know if you take part!

Helen

Announcement:

CALLING AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS - PARTNER WITH NASA AND ESA AND OBSERVE VENUS 

The Parker Solar Probe (NASA) and BepiColombo (ESA) missions will flyby Venus on July 11th and October 15th 2020. Both missions will obtain observations of Venus coordinated with the Akatsuki mission (JAXA), currently in a long eliptic orbit around the planet.

Researchers on Venus atmosphere are using this opportunity to launch a large ground-based support campaign for these missions and the participation of amateur observers can be fundamental to provide enough data of the Venus atmosphere with context observations in July, August and October. They said:
'We have launched a campaign to provide amateur support to these flybys and we are actively requesting Venus observations.'

All Venus observations submitted to Planetary Virtual Observatory and Laboratory (PVOL) will be used for this campaign.  http://pvol2.ehu.eus/pvol2/

More details on how to participate and be part of these missions are available here http://pvol2.ehu.eus/bc/Venus/

Note: You can also apply for telescope time through the Europlanet Telescope Network https://www.europlanet-society.org/europlanet-2024-ri/networking-activities-na/europlanet-2024-ri-na-call-for-observations-at-the-europlanet-telescope-network/ #Europlanet2024RI

Clear Skies and Happy Venus Observing!

PS Don't forget if you are a planetary observer you can routinely help the professional planetary scientists by uploading your observations to PVOL http://pvol2.ehu.eus/pvol2/

They get posted here https://stargazerslounge.com/forum/295-stargazine/ but its a link to Youtube...

As an aside, I notice its a full Zoom screen recording, so its worth being careful what you do on camera in future as it gets recorded for the world to watch 👀

Helen

I see Peter's music talk is up @JamesF @merlin100😉

Its usually takes a few days for Grant to do the upload @Andy R so watch this space...