It's Not A Technical Question, But...

[Noseypixie]

We had a heavy snowfall last night where I live in Lancashire. Today has been a beautifully clear winter's day, so naturally I have been looking forward to a beautifully clear winter's night whereby I can get out my relatively new telescope and do a bit of observing. I even spent a short time this afternoon researching the best things to find/hope to find with my size of scope. The last time I looked at about 6pm it was crystal clear. Just took my scope out and hour and a half later only to find the sky is now covered in a blanket of cloud. It's not a technical question, but does this always happen?

[Spackbackle]

Hi.

Afraid you have two things going against you.

1. You have spent time planing your session and looking forward to it. ( sure way to bring in the cloud)

2. you have a realitively new scope. (also a sure way to bring in the cloud)

I try to plan well in advance to I can catch the skies off guard and jump out in the garden when they least expect it!

I'm still pretty new to all this so dont have much experience to go from, but i have read many a thread on here about those damm clouds!

stu

[MG1]

Ah yes...quite common!

I've found that quite often, if that's the case it disappears after midnight. Obviously this isn great if you have work in the morning though!

Try not to think of it as missing an observing opportunity, but rather good practice in getting setup. So when the perfect sky comes around you'll not be tied up in cable knots etc.

[cantab]

It doesn't always happen. Sometimes you'll look out at 6pm to see loads of cloud, settle down in front of the TV, then at 9pm you'll glance out the window to see crystal clear skies.

[Mr Q]

Let's see...how does that go...water and fire, drought and crops, clouds and telescopes...

Has anyone tried going out at night to observe some clouds? Think it..plan it...set up your scope and see what happens:D

[Double Kick Drum]

Yes, it is a scientifically proven fact that the cloud gangs up on us Astronomers.

Why can't Physicists and Mathematicians do something useful with their lives, like describe this phenomenon as a formula - one day leading to a solution, ending all our woes.

[Mr Q]

Yes, it is a scientifically proven fact that the cloud gangs up on us Astronomers.

Why can't Physicists and Mathematicians do something useful with their lives, like describe this phenomenon as a formula - one day leading to a solution, ending all our woes.

That would be tooo easy:) Well, in a way they have already done this - weather forecasters - so if you believe in their daytime predictions, you should be able to with their night predictions - Right..don't count on it:D

[Andy McK]

Hi.

Afraid you have two things going against you.

1. You have spent time planing your session and looking forward to it. ( sure way to bring in the cloud)

2. you have a realitively new scope. (also a sure way to bring in the cloud)

I try to plan well in advance to I can catch the skies off guard and jump out in the garden when they least expect it!

I'm still pretty new to all this so dont have much experience to go from, but i have read many a thread on here about those damm clouds!

stu

I use the reverse. plan nothing, get no practice, pop out the back when the skies are clear (suprise the clouds) trip over cables and can never find

a: Polaris

b: M32

c: how setting circles work

So I'm doing it wrong then?

[jamespels]

Is your neighbour a truck driver called Rob McKenna? If so, move.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I reckon that if its cloudy before sunset then it will remain cloudy all night long. No point in even thinking about going out that night.

[Psychobilly]

You need to check the Vis and IR satellite loops from somewhere like Sat24 and learn to project the cloud movements beyond the last images in the sequence..

The met offices latest beta site will do this for you and can be used in combination with the rainfall radar