Bloomin Cloud

[M4lcs67]

Just as my spangly new scope arrives the blasted cloud decends . I have only had the chance to get out into the garden a handful of times which is frustrating to say the least. Here's me, keen as mustard and desparate to get outside and get to grips with my new telescope, but left kicking my heels indoors as the cloud and rain have been pretty much constant for the past 7-10 days.

It must be frustrating for everyone when a hobby is outside and dependent on there being no cloudcover.

What does everyone else do when they cannot get outside due to there being rain/cloud????????

[chemtom24]

its so annoying i hate it. sold my old scope and brought 2nd hand sw150p eq5 mount, only been able to use it twice

just been fiddling with it tonight, the focusser needed some serious fabrication lol. as yours is brand new tho i doubt theres much for you to fiddle with that needs attention.

that and ebaying , buying all sorts for my planned future night camping with the scope lol. these clouds have been expensive

[Astro Imp]

Hi Malc,

Yes it is really frustrating.

I seem to spend far too much time on this forum and looking at suppliers web sites spending all the money I haven't got

[stringbean]

What does everyone else do when they cannot get outside due to there being rain/cloud????????

Well I do love my computer and the Internet so I'll happily browse for hours on astronomy web sites and forums but normally I'll go onto the NASA and ESA websites to follow up on present or upcoming missions and Spacey stuff. I'm also fortunate enough to own an iPad and the amount of astronomy apps for this device is incredible so that also keeps me very occupied when I need a fix and can't get outside with the telescope. It's been about ten days since I last went out with the scope. It's been cloudy/overcast every night since then.

[Odd Dob]

If it's not cloudy, then there's a full moon so bright I can read unaided and DSOs are nowhere to be seen. I swear it's a conspiracy.

[dephelis]

You have my sympathies. Wife bought me tracking motors and a polarscope for my birthday on the 25th. Same day the clouds rolled in over London!

[Domis]

I spend the time reading tutorials and how to's as much as possible.Just short of my head exploding I stop and try to catch up on the wife's list of how to's so I won't be bothered when the clouds clear.Never seems to work 100% though.You could always mod something besides the scope.Camera,laptop screen,make a bahtinav mask,dew sheild,dew heater,mod a flashight,build an observing chair,do your wifes nails,get familiar with different astronomy software,give your wife a massage,as soon as you get back to the scope you'll remember every thing you should have done.Like read a poem to your wife.All these things can make your veiwing sessions more comfortable.

[chemtom24]

bahtinav mask - knew there was a reason i saved some cardboard on my desk, saw it earlier and wondered ytf i had it, yet had a strange feeling inside to keep it!

thanks domis!!

[Domis]

chemtom; my pleasure,there is always something to do to make your life easier.

[Sparrow]

I'm still searching for a "Cloud Filter" without success I Agree with Alan - it's a conspiracy - clear skies usually return just in time for the moon to light the sky up. Yet when I was imaging the moon it was the other way round!!!!

When I need an astronomy fix I spend my time going over my images and old data to see if I can improve on them. I also check the star charts to see what beautiful deep sky objects I can fail to image cos of cloud. When things get really desperate I go and sit with my wife to watch her garbage on TV - but that's usually after I've pulled my finger nails out one by one with pliers:) - Have you ever watched "America's next top model" or "19 Kids and Counting" - One could lose the will to live when that's on.

[glowjet]

Grumble like most everyone else cos there is nowt you can do about it