Lighter Nights...........weekends only ?

[Horus]

As this is my first serious year in Astronomy and having started in the depth of winter , do people say out longer now and longer the night ?

It was great over the winter as I could set up after tea time and stay out till 11-12 ish. Now it gets dark around 9.30 ish so it means staying out longer which will start to restrict my observing to weekends only because of work.

I would be interested to hear the views from more experienced Astromomers as to their viewing habbits in summer.

[NickK]

If the mount is accurate on an automated setup - you could just schedule an imaging run and then at the end the scope parks and observatory roof closes

[Moonshane]

hi Rich

Yes, like you I will be doing most observing over the weekend in the summer although summer is a great time for planets, lunar, double star and some brighter cluster observing too. e.g. Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune will be visible later in the year. There's always something to do.

Summer is also a good time for a project. I will shortly be commencing work on a 16" dob, ready for the Autumn but hopefully before.

[earth titan]

I'm going to send my mirrors away for recoating, cos the summer nights are lighter and shorter - thus making observing / work / family life more difficult.

[brianb]

Summer is awful ... doesn't get dark at all. Already down to a couple of hours of proper darkness ... 14 hour sessions are possible in December. And with higher temperatures you get bitten to death by midges. Hate, hate, hate.

[WayBig]

Yup, it's getting to that time of year again. I's not dark enough to start observing until 10pm now, and will be 11pm soon. So it's a Friday and Saturday night thing.

I'm going to try to catch the ISS in my scope (only seen it with binos so far), that tends to happen earlier in the evening...and then spend a few months doing the popular summer pursuit of buying more gear!!

[callisto]

With the lighter nights at the mo I'm modding my dob, Lazy susan bearing, adjustable legs, Bobs Knobs, and primary mirror springs to start with

[Luke]

As it gets later and later until it's dark enough, I'm going to try and grab some sleep first before going out! I managed to get a quick hour's kip in last night before popping out, to help compensate for the later start!

[PeterM]

As this is my first serious year in Astronomy and having started in the depth of winter , do people say out longer now and longer the night ?

It was great over the winter as I could set up after tea time and stay out till 11-12 ish. Now it gets dark around 9.30 ish so it means staying out longer which will start to restrict my observing to weekends only because of work.

I would be interested to hear the views from more experienced Astromomers as to their viewing habbits in summer.

If I could I'd probably stay out a bit later but as it doesn't get properly dark here in the summer I tend to stick to the moon and planets, and where those aren't available do other non-astronomy stuff.

[inksmithy]

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Buy some Baader AstroSolar film, make a sun filter and do some solar observation.

Sun is coming out of a minimum, and predictions are that this upcoming solar maximum will be did short duration, but very active.

Alan

[jamespels]

DIY season for me. House extension means remodelling the garden means opportunity for pier and possibly a mini obs (or at least something close to the pier where I can leave the scope outside). Already got an armoured cable for power going to about the right place; now to work out how best to set the scope up for automated control from indoors - it's only got single axis drive but better than nothing.

Also getting some solar film - Inksmithy is spot on.

(and there's the small matter of Peak Star Party to take care of).

[DarkSky71]

Bought a solar filter so i can use my scope during the day over the summer. Have you thought of maybe doing a short course with the OU . I have just signed up for S194 starting 14th May , it will keep my insterest up for the next few months whilst not observing much.

[Horus]

Thanks guys...............some interesting thoughts !

[Viv]

I was out Tuesday night, went to bed at 2am - really not good for work the following day (as the alarms went off at 05:30am).

Solar filter bought already & starting to use.

[chris connolly]

It works in my favour the latter I go out means the neighbours are in bed so there lights are out. Being retired does help I can lay in.

[swamp thing]

Lighter warmer evenings means I can get on with converting my army ambulance to a mobile observatory for me and my Dobs.

So I can get them to some truly remote dark skies.

Regards Steve

[Beulah]

I was out Tuesday night, went to bed at 2am - really not good for work the following day (as the alarms went off at 05:30am).

Solar filter bought already & starting to use.

Ouch, been there, done that...

I just usually go to work with a smile on my face......

[Macavity]

These days, I welcome warmth! Whereas I cannot FULLY recommend poor health and early retirement, I sincerely commend those who live "normal" lives and *still* practice astronomy. LOL. Merely commissioning a (bought) RoRo observatory takes most of my bloomin' time/energy. It will be "nice when it's finished" though?

[spaceboy]

Sod observing I'm gona work on me tan

[inksmithy]

Lighter warmer evenings means I can get on with converting my army ambulance to a mobile observatory for me and my Dobs.

So I can get them to some truly remote dark skies.

Regards Steve

Aaargh, no wonder you laugh at my scope trolley lol, you are doing a much bigger job!

Tell you what though, ex ambulance would be amazing! I'm seriously going to get my drivers licence, I shouldn't have let it lapse.

You know the drill, post pictures!

Alan

[nicnac]

i dont get the TAL out much in the summer, usually stick with the bins

[swamp thing]

Aaargh, no wonder you laugh at my scope trolley lol, you are doing a much bigger job!

Not laughing Alan. I might well copy it, as could be handy for getting my next scope (22") in and out of the back via a ramp

Specially if it's powered.

Regards Steve

[inksmithy]

Ahh, yeah, that's a point.

I just sent the sellers a little bit of a nudging email, been seven days since I ordered it, they haven't shipped it yet.

Soon as I get it, I'll start proper plans.

Alan

[chemtom24]

Bought a solar filter so i can use my scope during the day over the summer. Have you thought of maybe doing a short course with the OU . I have just signed up for S194 starting 14th May , it will keep my insterest up for the next few months whilst not observing much.

s194 - is that 'how the universe works'? by any chance, it rings a bell!!

[Chris16373]

And imagine living in Holland, where it's twilight/dark even an hour later