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Am I a lightweight?


West End Wendy

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Some clear skies predicted second half of this week but also some extremely cold temperatures - minus 6 where I live, and that's in the balmy South East.

Do I lose my amateur astronomer's badge if I consider that too cold?

There are occasionally posts on this forum from people in the middle of Canada, who would consider -6° a sign that Spring is on the way.

Tim

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I was out for 4 hours last night, and the temperature was -5C when I went out, and dropped from there :D (Southern Sweden)

1 t-shirt, 2 jumpers, insulated jacket, rain jacket, scarf, woolly hat, gloves, longjohns, jeans, heavy socks, good shoes, and a cuppa-soup :(

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Some clear skies predicted second half of this week but also some extremely cold temperatures - minus 6 where I live, and that's in the balmy South East.

Do I lose my amateur astronomer's badge if I consider that too cold?

Yes!:D

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No, not really. I won't observe for more than a few minuets when its below about 40f - my bones are old and tired at 64 as well as my tolerance for cold. We all do our own thing but how we do it...that's another story!

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Lined boots, thick long socks, long johns, lined trousers, ski trousers, thermal vest, fleece top with collar, buff necker, fleece, mountain equipment down jacket, thick hat, fleece gloves - who said it was cold!!

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It rather depends on how long do you wish to stay outside and on how warm you clothing is.

Generally speaking, no, it is not laziness. Staying out in cold for prolonged period of time, in my experience, can cause much more than just chills or getting common cold - migraine for example can be such concern.

Tonight where I live, the weather is more or less clear albeit very misty (which in itself would not be much of a problem) but temperatures here are expected to drop as low as -19°C in my local area and that, in my opinion, is too much of a price to pay, considering that the half moon is also impeding and one can generally just make out Orion's belt with the naked eye.

I have observed once for 4-5 hours in -6°C and it was a limit for what my rather young and reasonably healthy body can endure without damage :)

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Staying out in cold for prolonged period of time, in my experience, can cause much more than just chills or getting common cold - migraine for example can be such concern.

Yes, after my macho post early in this thread, I have spent the last two days feeling pretty *bleurch*, and I think it is a direct result of letting my body temperature fall so low :)

But I did get some good videos of Jupiter, so it was worth it :):rolleyes:

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Get yourself off to a fishing store and get a pocket warmer, there great for the hands at this time of year.

If I'm out in the cold I wear thermal wooly hat, jacket, denims, T-shirt with a water proof jacket and trousers (they act as a great wind break), again bought from a fishing store.

All the best,

Mark

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And it is also worth mentioning that cold has some mental effects as well, apart from physical ones.

From my experience, I know that when I am cold and observing, I lose patience and the ability to concentrate very quickly. I tend to spend way less time at the eyepiece to tease out details, and I am generally impatient, irritated and inattentive. Furthermore, I am also less focused and less orderly and can get frustrated very easily.

I haven't got as far as to get disoriented or lose ability to count to ten, but come to think of it, boy! I am a mess!

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Right!

first things first, your comfort especially warmth needs to be addressed. bottom up - good pair of water proof boots, these dont need to be gortex but thinsulate would help. a nice thin pair of socks and over that a nice thick pair of quality socks, nice thick pair of tights - chat to your missis, thermal underwear - the sort your grandad wears, pair of winter fishing salopets, t-shirt, windproof thermal zipup top, winter fishermans jacket, dearstorker hat thermal type not traditional, all tops and trousers need to be zippable so you can regulate your temperature.

believe me when i say thermals work - i'm a squaddie and spent a night in just a pair of thermal underwear with just a candle. it works.

The candle were used to inform me that the oxygen had run out in my snowhole - not for warmth. It was -45 in Norway on a survival exersize.

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we all have our creature cumforts now - hand warmers, there are even battery powerd sock warmers. Just wrap up warm before you go out, take a flask and make sure someone knows where you are and what time to expect you back.

Most of all enjoy your nights viewing.

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