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Terrifying experiences while observing?

Spica

By Spica
in The Astro Lounge

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Spica

Spica

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Hi all. Been reading a bunch of different manuals and magazines lately, a major part of them urges the need to chose a safe site for observations... I find these notes both amusing and at the same time frightening - how weird the world has become.

Of course, it all depends on what part of the world you're in I guess, perhaps one wouldn't rig the brand new GOTO telescope within known troublesome areas - but on the dark countryside...?

I have experienced people popping up with car headlights and all ruining the best of Wow-observations, but it has never been a bad experience. All in all it mostly swung around to a positive experience. People are in general curious, wanting to have a peep as well and get idea of the whole thing.

So, how many of you ever had a bad experience while observing?

Anyone beeing bugged, or ever felt threatened while alone with the stars?

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Mr Q

Mr Q

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Some years back, I was observing from a dark site on a small hill in a state park. Though the park was closed at night, I usually drove into a secluded part about a mile from any paved roads using dirt roads used for fire fighting.

One night while observing at this peaceful and (I thought) safe spot, I heard high power rifle shots about a mile away. It was illegal hunters "jacking" deer out of season. Goes to show that there may not be any truly safe place to observe..at least in rural, dark sky areas. Possible bullets whizzing by...not my "cup of tea" for sure:mad:

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Spica

Spica

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Excuse my English, sometimes the grammar may not be what it should as I am not English nor American. Did I make a mistake in my typing? "Been" instead of "beeing" I guess? Bugged as in "bothered" intended! Does it have another meaning? Sorry if so!

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sunshine185

sunshine185

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I am lucky (or unlucky) as I don't have transport, the only place I observe from is my little back yard, and round here we have to put padlocks on the dustbins, would hate to be alone with the scope somewhere secluded and bump into someone who is up to no good.

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NigelCampbell

NigelCampbell

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My usual observing spot is Macclesfield Forest which is about 10 minutes drive from my cottage. It has dark skies and 360 degree views at 450 metres elevation.

One night while observing there was a rustle in the treeline followed by a terrifying grunting which scared the **** out if me. This continued for an hour. Each rustle and grunt came from a different point in the treeline until I felt I was surrounded.

Finally I cracked, and decided to destroy my night adapted vision by turning on the big lamp (1,000 candles) on my Skywatcher PowerTank and pan it around the trees.

I was surrounded by a herd of deer.

It's happened a couple of times since and it still makes me jump but at least I know what it is!

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Rustmonkey

Rustmonkey

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The worst part is your own imagination. Funny how those little thoughts just pop into your head. not astronomy related but similar situation.

I was just out of training in the British Army, many years ago and we were on exercise on Salisbury plains. I was in a 3 man section but being the new guy was left to dig a trench while my seniors got their heads down. It was about 01.00am on a full moon night and I'm digging away when suddenly "POP"........that little thought........."American werewolf in London". Now....over the space of a few minutes, that little thought turned into a big one and at the same time I noticed that a mist was descending. The situation was then made massively worse by my Bombadier who thought that it would be really funny to sneak up on me..........to say I S#%T myself was an understatement.

Just goes to show that the mind can be as big an enemy as anything in real life.

On the positive side....watching the annual Deer rut start in near darkness whilst waiting with my camera for first light was an experience. I think a lot is down to knowing your local area and how comfortable you are with being alone. Maybe for those that are a little unsure it would be better to have a bit of a meet up with like minded people. Safety in numbers and all that.

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Rustmonkey

Rustmonkey

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The worst part is your own imagination. Funny how those little thoughts just pop into your head. not astronomy related but similar situation.

I was just out of training in the British Army, many years ago and we were on exercise on Salisbury plains. I was in a 3 man section but being the new guy was left to dig a trench while my seniors got their heads down. It was about 01.00am on a full moon night and I'm digging away when suddenly "POP"........that little thought........."American werewolf in London". Now....over the space of a few minutes, that little thought turned into a big one and at the same time I noticed that a mist was descending. The situation was then made massively worse by my Bombadier who thought that it would be really funny to sneak up on me..........to say I S#%T myself was an understatement.

Just goes to show that the mind can be as big an enemy as anything in real life.

On the positive side....watching the annual Deer rut start in near darkness whilst waiting with my camera for first light was an experience. I think a lot is down to knowing your local area and how comfortable you are with being alone. Maybe for those that are a little unsure it would be better to have a bit of a meet up with like minded people. Safety in numbers and all that.

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petere001

petere001

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At the moment i only observe from my back garden so luckily the only thing i have to worry about so far is the security light when someone drives through the opening to get into the carpark. I know i will end up going further afield and prey that nothing happens.

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Gweedo

Gweedo

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We have a black cat, and so do our neighbours. When observing in the garden in the dark and concentrating at the eyepiece, one or the other comes along and rubs against your leg. Despite knowing its going to happen, it's always a shock when it does.

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JamesF

JamesF

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Hedgehogs and foxes..... Things that 'do' go bump in the night..

And badgers. One crept up on me one night last winter when I was concentrating intensely at the eyepiece. If it was more scared than me when we finally became aware of each others presence then I'm surprised it didn't have a heart attack on the spot.

James

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jonathan

jonathan

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Normally just the huge and terrifying hedgehog in my garden that scares me when it rustles in the leaves unexpectedly :icon_salut:

Stu

Oh yes, that one gets me too. It's the grumbling noise that got me - I didn't know what it was at first, thought it was the mount!

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vince 66

vince 66

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If I go out to local dark sky areas always end up with others (not astronomers) turning up. The local boy racers hell bent on ruining the peace and quiet. I don't mind standing any where alone in the middle of the night its not the noise from the animals that bother me but the sound of aproaching humans always makes me feel uneasy :icon_salut:. I am thinking of asking one of the local farmers for the loan of a corner of a field off the beaten track. All I want is to observe in peace and not feel threatend by people turning up. After all we spend alot of money on our equipment and don't want it broken by some mind less yobs :evil:.

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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usually it's my cat that scares me to death running up the fence, or my daughter creeping quietly behind me, not wanting to say anything to ask if I want a brew, as I am teasing detail out of something and really concentrating!

another couple of non-astro scares for fellow naturalists as follows:

a guy was 'sugaring' posts on a Norfolk beach to attract moths. this is a rich smelling alcoholic mixture of treacle and rum and really works for many species. it was a pebble beach and as he walked from post to post checking. he could hear loud footsteps back along the beach. he looked back with his torch - nothing. the footsteps stopped. so he carried on. the footsteps started again, he looked again and again nothing......quite spooked but he decided to walk back and investigate as it was really irritating. at one of the posts he found a hedgehog which had learned that moths get a bit tipsy on the mix and fall down making a nice snack for him! the calm sea and pebble beach (and pitch blackness) made the sounds much louder and more scary of course!

another happened in a wood in the NW where occasional military exercises were undertaken. it was early spring and the moth trapper had set up in a secluded woodland. there had been reports of possible terrorist activity in the area (it was the time of the IRA 'events' in the NW) and he was already a bit twitchy.

with the light on he was sitting quietly watching for moths coming in but not much happening. he looked up and was shocked to see a soldier with gun and full camouflage gear staring right at him out of the wood! the solder stepped forward and asked what he was up to. 'er, just catching moths' he said rather trepidly. 'I'll watch' the soldier said ominously and sat. luckily at that point a few moths came onto the light sheet and were potted up by the trapper. the soldier stood up, nodded and walked off into the wood and was never seen again - needless to say the trapper packed up and legged it!

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Macavity

Macavity

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Observing from (just behind) a cemetery seemed a good idea during daylight... but less so, beyond the "witching hour"? LOL. Also "protective" muddy paths are easily negotiable, during daylight, but become a distinct challenge after dark, loaded with equipment... :icon_salut:

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RikM

RikM

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The local paper is rife with big cat stories at the moment after a few munched deer carcases have turned up. They are running DNA tests on saliva from the bones and I am not expecting any great surprises...but night time sounds have gotten a lot louder in the last two weeks.

The cat jumping onto the fence normally has me jumping out of my skin.

Last weekend I was the last to pack up after a public observing session and a couple of police officers rolled up because they thought I might be launching fireworks unsafely... well I guess a 150P on an AZ4 could look a bit like a rocket launcher....

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