Is a session really worth bothering with as we approach the longest day?

[Specman]

Hi all,

It's a beautiful night tonight, clear skies, no wind and sunshine! But as we approach the longest day at nearly 60 degrees North I wonder if its going to be worth trying an imaging session. I've not seen the stars now for nearly a month and I'm not sure if its even going to get dark!

I would appreciate some feedback. Is anybody bothering out there at the moment?

Anybody actually seeing any stars and at what time?

Many thanks.

Mark

[hayju01]

My rig is out there already to go at about 10.15 ish, if its no good for imaging I'll have a visual session.

My thinking is that if I dont try I'll regret it e.g. if you dont use the clear nights someone will take them away !!

[Bizibilder]

I get 31 minutes of "dark sky" tonight!! I was going to go out but it simply isn't worth it! I feel really sorry for those further north!!

I'm roughly at the latitude of Birmingham - Leicester - Norwich ie about 52° N

[Viv]

Yes - any opportunity taken & used.

Working from home tomorrow, so can have a late(ish) one, without too many problems.

[NGC 1502]

My scope is out cooling as I type. It will be 2300 hrs before I try for anything faint,

but before then I can observe double stars & Saturn.

However, I'm at 51.5 degrees N, so I can understand your problem at your Latitude.

But if it's clear, I just have to be 'out there' (maybe OCD ? !)

Regards, Ed.

[antimorris]

Yup - all set up and ready to go when its dark enough. I have to get what I can when I can to try to finish my mosaic project before the fall so even though they are short nights I image as best I can when its clear.

[Deneb]

its all low wispy cloud for tonight in N.London, no point today...

[antimorris]

At the moment I have high wispy clouds but 3 of the 5 weather places I check say clear skies for tonight so I am being optimistic. Though I have had 4 of 5 say it was raining out when it was actually clear so I don't know how much stock I put in the forecast anymore

[hayju01]

The only way to be sure is to be out there :-)

[Stephen]

Mount is in bits at the moment, but yes I'd be out there if possible

[antimorris]

Mount is in bits at the moment

That is NEVER a good thing to hear!

[hayju01]

Mount is in bits at the moment, but yes I'd be out there if possible

Oh no! feel your pain!

[Stephen]

That is NEVER a good thing to hear!

It's OK in this case, new S/H mount - bit sticky. Following astro babys guide and slowly cleaning / greasing

[Sparrow]

Yep I'll be out with a view to starting to get data about midnight for an hour (hopefully) - better than nothing. BTW I'm at 53.2° N

Not easy going at this time of year though - narrow window of opportunity, unmodded and uncooled camera in warm temperatures - I must be mad

[Deneb]

most reliable so far:

http://sat24.com/en/gb?ir=true

[Specman]

Thanks for that link Deneb, looks like a great lump of cloud out beyond Cape Wrath heading my way in the Orkney's, also its broad daylight here at 10:30 so I would say a good 2hrs still until even the slightest chance of darkness!

Hell I could always go out and sunbathe!

[msinclairinork]

Hi Mark,

I'm currently 61' North (NE of Shetland) on the boat, and I've been working the 12am-4am watch and unfortunately there has been no darkness/stars for the last two weeks.

I'm thinking it's time stick to imaging the planets and the Moon for a few month.

Hope there is something of interest for you see tonight.

Good luck!

Michael

[JamesF]

I'm fairly well south, but I went out at 11pm to put the chickens to bed and didn't need a torch. I could see some of the brighter stars as well as Saturn, but the sky was still bright enough to see aircraft contrails.

I reckon we're probably not getting much more than three hours of "proper" darkness at the moment.

James

[antimorris]

I just started my imaging run. Granted, I would have about 30 minutes ago but inevitably had a few issues (that's what I get for messing with the setup this afternoon - had to put everything back as apparently I didn't get everything right during the daytime adjustments) ... oh well - I am working on the next panel of the mosaic now so I am happy. Even if I only get one more panel tonight, at least its some progress.

[Specman]

Still light here at midnight. I can just make out Saturn in the twilight, but no stars. Haze has come in as well, its getting damp. if we get an hour of proper darkness it will be a miracle!

[johnrt]

I've also just started an imaging run - OIII on the crescent nebula. Is only dark until about 3.30am here in Kent so alarm is set for then and in the meantime I'm off for a nap!

[AndyUK]

I really feel for you guys up in the North - It must be really frustrating. Down in Bath, I started a nifty fifty guided imaging run at 23:45 around Cygnus, but I suspect that there may well be a bit of high cloud about so I'm not sure what the result will be like. With any luck I might be able to get about 3 hours subs before it starts getting light again....

(And of course, if that additional light saving bill goes through parliament, it'll be another hour later before it gets dark... )

[Vicky]

Saw M57 for the first time about an hour ago but its very light out there. M13 didn't seem to stick out of the black as much as last time. Also I think I need to get some sort of lubricant for my dob base it seemed very jerkish tonight in the azimuth direction.

My barlow +10mm lens seemed to really fuzz out M57 as it whizzed by. I think my steering could benefit from some practice.

I think I need to take up a summer hobby now to stop me wishing away these lovely summer evenings! The smell of cut grass with the peace and tranquillity was really lovely tonight.

Maybe I ought to learn the constellations- that could pass a night or two...

[Vicky]

OOpsie! Just realised this thread is sat in 'imaging'. Clearly I'm not imaging with my beautiful beastie...

[ollypenrice]

It's amazing how moving a little south makes a difference. Two years ago Tom O'D and I imaged through the shortest nights of the year here at Lat 44.19N. With two scopes running we were getting 8 hours data per night and had an incredibly good run. Plenty of time to do this HaO111RGB 2 panel Veil, for instance;

Olly