Bad seeing but no cloud

[redneon]

I was planning on a good night of stargazing tonight as the Met Office website showed absolutely no cloud above Yorkshire. I've just gone outside though and there's definitely no cloud but I can barely make out the stars in the Plough.

What is it that's causing such bad seeing this evening? Is it just moisture in the atmosphere?

[redneon]

Apologies. I've just noticed a similar thread already exists here: http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/181983-me.html. Feel free to delete this thread, I'll post in the other one.

[Bizibilder]

Moisture probably - ie FOG!! Hasn't got as far as Norfolk yet.....

[Capricorn]

Just found this site:

Regional Map : Weather Underground

If it has any accuracy it would imply that the visibility would be relatively low for the UK

The assumption being that visibility is vertical as well as horizontal.

[redneon]

That's a superb website, cheers. Bookmarked. Visibility is shocking tonight, it seems.

[Marki]

Cool link! Interesting to see how extensive the zone of worst visibility is...I was beginning to take it personally... .

[ArmyAirForce]

While the thin veil of mist up here in Washington, blanked out all but 30 stars, it oddly improved my view of Mars, cutting the glare, and allowing me to see darker areas on the surface; and the pole for the first time.

[Zachariah]

Same here in the midlands, very few stars on view but good view of Mars! Plenty of surface marks. Also just looked at Saturn, very low down and so much lp but lovely view. Also got to see my first m,m3. Just a faint fuzzy patch but still pleased to see other than Orion and plaides.

[iwatkins]

Just for your info. Visibilities quoted in meteorological forecasts are for horizontal direction only.

Cheers

Ian

[Charon]

I use that weather site out here, it is very accurate.

[gooseholla]

LAst night was awful near Chelmsford in Essex. I could barely make out Orion, and Sirius was the only thing that I could see in the low south eastern/ south skies for most of the night. The plough, as you say, was hard to see. Could barely make out anything to the east either. However, still bagged 13 messier objects last night in the plough, coma and leo, so wasn't too bad I suppose!