Booked a cabin at Galloway!

[Monki]

Me and some friends have booked a cabin at the edge of Galloway Forest, Scotland, for 4 days

My 60mm refractor is going to be overwhelmed with the crazy dark skies O_o hehe. My friend is bringing his scope too, i've never seen it, but i think it's only small like mine.

Another friend is bringing his Canon 7d too to document the trip, but we're also going to try some prime focus with it :S...My scope is on an motorised altaz mount so tracking will be ok, but obvs the exposures would be short but hopefully with such dark skies we'll be able to get some nice star filled images though. I wouldn't expect anything mind blowing with only 60mm, but maybe some good twinkles

I can't wait....i've stayed in galloway forest once before and i remember the amount of stars i could see was amazing!

Ohhh how i wish i could win the lottery and get a 10"+ to go with

For anyone interested, the cabin's webaite is http://www.cloudcuckoolodge.co.uk/

Sent from a Galaxy S 2 far away.

[acey]

Nice - lovely part of the world, and looks like a great place to stay. Hope you've checked the moon phase. And fingers crossed for clear skies.

[Nexus 6]

Looks a lovely place, can imagine how great the night sky would appear up there. I hope you have some decent weather for your visit.

[swamp thing]

Nice -Hope you've checked the moon phase. And fingers crossed for clear skies.

Indeed. Would hate for you to go somewhere like that, then only to be thwarted by a bright moon.

Have a great time

Regards Steve

[Grunthos]

Bonus: At this time of year there won't be any midgies

[nightfisher]

Im going next week to a place called caresthorn, very little light pollution, good luck with the weather

[SonicBOOM!]

I spent a week at Cloud Cuckoo Lodge back in June last year!

Lovely cabin, everything you'll ever need in there, plus the owners are really nice people, very welcoming and helpful.

Unfortunately the skies weren't very clear when I was there but you should have some better skies this time of year.

Have a great time and watch out for the cows!

[ollypenrice]

Have a good trip. You don't need big aperture for good images. One of the best bits of optical glass in the business is the Canon EF200L lens stopped down to around 57mm.

Olly

[SteveA]

That looks like a really nice place!

Don't forget to take a torch!

[Monki]

Thanks guys, I would have never thought of checking the moon phase!

It is going to be near full , buuut.... i put the Lat+Lon of the cabin into stellarium and checked the moon at the dates i'm going....It's only around during the day

The night sky will be moon free so all i can hope for is no clouds.

Should be great

Good luck at Caresthorn, nightfisher!

[acey]

Hmm, don't know how a nearly full moon can only be around during the daytime. Anyway, it looks like a lovely place to stay so I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time.

[Monki]

Edit: Maybe i didnt't say it right :S i didn't know the names, but i checked again and it's going to be 1st quarter to what looks like waxing gibbous. Each day i'm there the moon is rising in the day time and by night it's past the horizon.

Sent from a Galaxy S 2 far away.

[nightfisher]

Im just back from the galloway area and the night sky was amazing

[haitch]

Edit: Maybe i didnt't say it right :S i didn't know the names, but i checked again and it's going to be 1st quarter to what looks like waxing gibbous. Each day i'm there the moon is rising in the day time and by night it's past the horizon.

Sent from a Galaxy S 2 far away.

Surprising how quick it moves through the phases (new to full in a fortnight and the rise and times times shifting forward each day).

You'll soon find you live by the moon