Who has got clear skies predicted for tonight ?

[ianaiken]

shirt and blistered my back

Ouch! Nasty, hope it's not too bad.

[Naemeth]

Looked ok for a bit of solar after work. Set everything up, then when to move the power pack (still plugged in) and it sparked - burnt through my jumper, shirt and blistered my back

Ouch, that must've hurt. Hope you've put it on ice...

[David JM]

Looked ok for a bit of solar after work. Set everything up, then when to move the power pack (still plugged in) and it sparked - burnt through my jumper, shirt and blistered my back

What was it plugged into, the national grid? Did it stop you observing? I was just typing in this reply and we had a power cut [0040 hrs], not you again?

Ticked off a couple more doubles, 88 Leo and 24 Com. 24 Com is as 'wow' as Saturn, especially when you spend an hour looking for it. Lovely blue/yellow contrast.

http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=190024

[DazC]

Looks like it's going to be a clear night over Nottingham tonight.

Think i might set up at midnight and stay out for 3 hours or so.

D.C

[Grotemobile]

I live in Peacehaven, which is on the south coast.

It shows clear skies for the next few nights.So im

setting up the C11 scope to try & some Saturn pics.

If any body is around this way about midnight !!!

Nowing my luck the forecast will be bl**dy Naff.

Steve.

[Naemeth]

The weirdest thing happened today, my solar film from FLO arrived today for the transit, and there isn't a cloud in the sky.

[steelyglint]

looks good from west london! scopes out already...been looking at the sun and doing sketchs

[Spoon]

supposed to be clear all week. get in!!!

[knobby]

The weirdest thing happened today, my solar film from FLO arrived today for the transit, and there isn't a cloud in the sky.

Thats because the packaging Pixies know you wont need it yet, they will have scheduled the clouds for the relevant time slot in their little pixie fluffy calendar book things ( must lay off the whacky bakky)

[JimFR]

And a camera and some other items :)

Damn. and here's me about to order some astrosolar film ! hope this gorgeous weather turns soon, or everyone'll blame me !

@sanmatt, yeah, I thought so today - thought I'd test solar projection with a newt. all went well, but I decided the 8" image on some A4 was a bit dim, so I removed the outer endcap (I'd only got the middle bit open to protect the 2ndary) as well. looked luvverly, until I saw smoke coming out of the tube !

I panicked, then quickly slewed the scope away from the sun. mirrors ok - but it seems I've ziffed the plastic light stop on the 10 mil kit eyepiece that came with the scope. doesnt look completely lunched, but the light stop has definitely seen better days !

hope the blisters clear up...

[jonathan]

Actually, forecast is for some cloud here coming in at around 10pm, which will stay through Wednesday and Thursday morning, then clear through the weekend.

Might just wait another couple of nights.

[Naemeth]

Looks very clear outside, so scope is out, but the forecast from the BBC says cloudy at 10pm, I don't know who to believe.

[nckjsmitj]

Very clear all day until my colleague pointed out a lump of fluffy cloud heading northwest towards Oxford. Got home to find it hot with wispy cloud which is now forming into the same murky horrid stuff I had last night.

But agree the forecast for Friday is looking better.... We'll have to wait and see.

[jonathan]

It seems to be coming in from the East, anyone near the East coast may have cloud by 10pm... I just don't want to be out there all geared up for when it really starts getting dark only to be cloud-blocked.

[Jon Sales]

Nice and clear here.

Just viewed Venus and a very thin crescent moon.

Jon

[chownsie]

Fab here, clear warm and still. Cheeky half an hour with Saturn sat out in shorts and t-shirt! Wanna stay out all night but early start

[redneon]

It's really clear here too. There's not a cloud in the sky but visibility seems quite poor. Any idea why this would be?

Actually, I've just checked this and it's confirming the bad visibility: http://www.wunderground.com/global/Region/i_UK/2xVisibility.html

[Psychobilly]

Cloud out to the west but clear towards the east which is where I am planning to image tonight...

FWHM values a lot steadier tonight...

Couple of smeared contrails around going to crash out on the fishing chair outside tonight while the cameras doing it's stuff...

Peter...

[Naemeth]

Brilliantly clear, bagged a quick Venus, lovely Saturn and a small but clear Mars (no ice cap, but that's not surprising), spent about 30 minutes looking for some Messiers, but no luck.

[Qualia]

Beautiful peaceful evening. Warm and cloudless. If Stellarium is on the ball, by 1am city skies tonight were down to 'light pollution 2'. Spent a good time observing M94 & M3, sketched what I saw. Split Polaris (or so I imagine I did - one very bright beast with a super-dim partner to its side) and finished off floating the scope around Mizar & Alkaid, taking in the groupings of stars that seemed like wide open clusters.

[sanmatt]

Thanks for your good wishes folks. Silly isnt it, the sun is supposed to burn you not the blimming motor! Apparently it tripped but burnt me at the same time. Cor it didnt half smart! The wires need resoldering now too.

Gutted, it's a glorious day - Im not at work today, my toddler is toddling about the garden and I cant get me scope out

[David JM]

Im not at work today, my toddler is toddling about the garden and I cant get me scope out

If you hammer a tent peg into the ground and tie said offspring's leg to it, followed by a broom handle up their sleeves so they have their arms locked you can secure your 'scope to them with cable ties and bingo, a quick 'n' dirty eq mount. Encourage them to say 'guten tag' and you have a German mount.

For other uses of small children see www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C-Bxifv2Pk

This has been a public service broadcast.

[faulksy]

If you hammer a tent peg into the ground and tie said offspring's leg to it, followed by a broom handle up their sleeves so they have their arms locked you can secure your 'scope to them with cable ties and bingo, a quick 'n' dirty eq mount. Encourage them to say 'guten tag' and you have a German mount.

For other uses of small children see

This has been a public service broadcast.

[sanmatt]

If you hammer a tent peg into the ground and tie said offspring's leg to it, followed by a broom handle up their sleeves so they have their arms locked you can secure your 'scope to them with cable ties and bingo, a quick 'n' dirty eq mount. Encourage them to say 'guten tag' and you have a German mount.

For other uses of small children see

This has been a public service broadcast.

haha bad un!

[Naemeth]

For the second night running, I may be having the scope out again, this is truly shocking .