wakefield area

[mapstar]

I'll keep my fingers crossed, have a watch of the astronomy shed mount set up really informative if not quite to our mount.

[mapstar]

I'm shattered so giving tonight a miss and pinning my hopes on tomorrow night.Is it me or does it look much darker tonight?

[crashtestdummy]

well tomorrow night it looks like im going to galloway with clear skies forcast ALL NIGHT!!!!!!!

[mapstar]

Hope your right crash I've offered to work on sat morning worst luck so probably be out while 1 then retire to bed to be up at 5 again!

[crashtestdummy]

if the forcast changes for haltwistle(forcast clear but only too abvout midnight) i will go there as galloway is 3 1/2 hours vs 2 1/2 for haltwistle

[mapstar]

I'd like to tag along one night and try the heated insoles on a different patch if you don't mind

[mapstar]

It definitely looks darkest out tonight?

[crashtestdummy]

yeah we will arrange a darker sky meet after i get back from my hols 13th-20th april

[mapstar]

Good stuff bit of travelling but more contrast for those hard to find fuzzies

[crashtestdummy]

its a different world completely when you get out somewhere really dark,infact your first time can be a bit dissapointing because there are so many visible stars its harder to find the constellations!!!!

[stevemuir]

I'd be up for another trip out in a week or two - last night was excellent. M81 & 82 were highlights along with Panstarrs for me. Couldn't believe that the same scope that struggles with Andromeda in my back garden was picking out those and more!! Am definitely asking for some of those heated insoles for my birthday :-)

Didn't find a bag I'm afraid, though haven't completely unpacked everything so will check through my stuff in the morning.

[Nephalem]

just got back in after a mixed hour. Good news I now know my polarscope reticule is spot on. I managed to get polaris in the polarscope....I knew it was polaris as a plane flew right next to it and I checked it in the polarscope....thanks easyjet :-) I got polaris bang on the polaris circle and aligned it to polarfinder. I rotated the mount and polaris stayed on the polaris circle....did not move a bit....very pleased!

I tried a 2 star alignment but wasnt sure which stars to align to and there is much LP here...so I aksed the mount to find Jupiter and it went in total opposite direction. I would have thought even without star alignment it would get near there ?! So something is not right or I am making a newb mistake somewhere.

[Nephalem]

forgot to mention I showed the wife Jupiter and its moons.....it was a slight wow moment for her....but then the cold got to her. Where are mapstars heated insoles when you need them :-)

[mapstar]

Thought I'd posted this earlier but can't seem to see it?

Maplins heated insoles are now £3.99 hurry while stocks last!

[Nephalem]

I took my mount back to lee at green witch and he tested it and it started pointing in random area's. We then got mcb errors on the handset. .so the mount is going to have its mcb replaced. ...so glad it wasn't me causing the alignment problems :-)

[Soupy]

Cloudy at the minute, but forecast says clear after 10, i do karate until 9 so if its clearing then i might nip to winscarr again. Anybody free?

[mapstar]

I'd be good for winscarr soupy although looking at these clouds I'm sure the weather men delayed the April fools day forecast for today!

Thought the mount was playing up Paul as it kept cutting out and not moving when the slew buttons were pressed.As with all things electronic its actually getting it to show its faults!

[Soupy]

Just on way to karate Damian, I'll go back on here as soon after 9 as I can and 9.30 latest to see if we can still make a clear night.

[mapstar]

O.k. hope you charged your power tank ;-)

[Nephalem]

I'd be good for winscarr soupy although looking at these clouds I'm sure the weather men delayed the April fools day forecast for today!

Thought the mount was playing up Paul as it kept cutting out and not moving when the slew buttons were pressed.As with all things electronic its actually getting it to show its faults!

Yeah glad we found the fault....just means I'm without a mount until Tuesday at least :-(

[Soupy]

Looking like its clearing up. I'll get scope in car and get there between 10 and 10.30 if you are up for it Damian.

Paul glad they found fault shame you don't have scope till Tuesday, hope skies are clear next week so you can get out!

[mapstar]

Soupy I'm nearly there and yes the clouds are clearing.Just stopped to check the net as I can't get a signal but I'll see you up there here's to a few hours clear looking good though

[Soupy]

Managed two hours at winscarr, but unfortunately clouds were to unpredictable for me to get scope out. Was just glad Damian had already set up when I got there. We managed a few galaxies and Saturn, so was not a totally wasted journey, hooked up camera to Damian's scope and captured M81 and M82 in same shot so was pleased. Cheers for a good night despite clouds Damian and fingers crossed for clear skies next week.

[mapstar]

I was at winscarr for around 9:30 and managed a good alignment straight away so all set up for what was looking a promising night.

Had a good night although due to the clouds (I'm not sure if they had been hiding in soupies car boot?) wasn't a good viewing night so a shame as me and soupy were well up for some darker views.We managed M1,M51,M81,M82,M95,M96, M105,NGC3384,NGC3389,NGC5195 as well as Saturn between us so not a dead loss.

Glad you didn't have a totally wasted trip soupy the shots looked great can't wait to see it first shot through my scope. I've got my fingers crossed for tonight and for the next time and thanks for a good evening soupy.

[mapstar]

Just on a side note, I was up for work at 5am and not a cloud in the sky typical!