Summer Stargazing

[Naemeth]

So, weather is clear tonight... but I'm inside, and I'll explain why.

Going out, I can see 5 stars... 5, one of which is Saturn. I would love to go and see Saturn, but it's at a point in the sky where it's not visible from the height of the scope anywhere in my garden... It's almost 11pm and it's nowhere near dark, and I doubt we're getting darkness anytime soon, roll on after the Summer Solstice so I can actually enjoy the nice stargazing weather!

[Polar Bear]

I concur with your sentiments. I managed to get some good visual in on Saturn last night but when scouting around the sky was shocked with the lack of stars. Ursa Major was just visible but when I looked to the South West I saw a huge bright light and pondered what it could be. It was Arcturus but it was the only star visible and in its isolation looked really bright. Thought we had one go super nova for a minute. Patience is needed at this time of year.

Paul

[Seafury]

inside as well just too knackered after work lol

gordon

[peteuplink]

To be honest, I despise this time of year.Usually I tend to pack my scope away until the nights start drawing in again.

[Naemeth]

It was bad but okay a few weeks ago, now it's awful.

[LukeSkywatcher]

To be honest, I despise this time of year.Usually I tend to pack my scope away until the nights start drawing in again.

All my gear is packed away til the end of August.

Really the only thing i observe in the summer months is the meteor showers.

[E621Keith]

The biggest problem is the short hours of total darkness. That said, tonight was a good night. Had a look at Saturn and Mars as well as M13 and M29. M13 is in a very nice position at the moment, right at the zenith at around midnight.

[cantab]

I've been observing of late, but realistically it's only decently dark from 12 until 2 am (daylight saving time of course making solar midnight about 1 am).

[8kids]

I've just come in, it was ok ish till about 2am, but it's really too bright outside. I still managed to bag a handful of clusters though.......(ooh er missus!)

[Monty]

I was looking at M3 on Tuesday night and was really impressed. Not just with M3 but the fact that it was 23:00 and my little 5" Newt with homemade light shield was doing the business. I'm going to use as many of these clear light nights as possible to fine tune and see how much more I can improve the images against LP.

[JamesF]

I was out from about 11:30pm until almost 2am. I wasn't going to miss the first clear sky in a month, and it was probably the best seeing in a long time, too. I estimated the naked eye limiting magnitude near the zenith to be about 5.7 based on which stars I could see in Ursa Minor, the Milky Way was clear and I had a fantastic time hunting down new Messier objects around Sagittarius, Scutum and Scorpius, so it certainly can be worth being out during the summer.

That said, the further north you are the harder it gets (I barely scrape over 51N) and a decent dark site really helps.

James

[jonathan]

I just ordered myself one of those Celestron C50 Maks from FLO as a summer time toy, should be good with my small tripod for a spot of birding or moon watching.

A Vixen dovetail finally is in my possession after I ordered the wrong one initially, IF the clouds part I shall be doing a spot of solar observing with my Lunt LS60. I really need a book to read on the subject though as a lot of the solar terminology is a mystery to me.

[Celtic Deacon]

Haven't been out for 3 weeks, too much cloud and far too late for this old codger.

[jeremy1]

Seems like a dead hobby this star gazing lark...... After weeks of cloud and rain and now if we get a break in the weather it is also too light as well. Never mind just enjoy the BBQ's until the dark skys return once more.

[Shibby]

As of today, the nights are drawing in again!

[JamesF]

As of today, the nights are drawing in again!

I only discovered fairly recently that this is kind of true, and kind of not

The days may now be getting shorter, but for a short while after the summer solstice sunset may actually get later. It's just that dawn gets later by more. If you like, the nights are drawing out, rather than drawing in

I never investigated why this should be at the time I found out. I just found it interesting because it was counter to my intuitive view of what was happening.

James

[Shibby]

Actually, "draw in" means to get shorter, doesn't it...

And you're right, it looks as though sunset tomorrow will be ~1 minute later than today; interesting!

Either way, the nights are getting longer!

[JamesF]

"draw in" can have the sense of "coming towards you", so looking from a daytime perspective I think it's fine.

James

[GeorgeB]

I've managed the perfect solution by wangling a 2 week business trip to Melbourne with my bins. It's winter here and gets dark around 6pm and has the added benefit of the weather being much like a UK summer (16 degrees and sunny spells/showery).

Omega Centauri is a peach.

[jabberwocky]

I had my best observing night ever on Tuesday, about 10 dso's in around scorpius, but I am in Cyprus so am taking advantage of clear skies and a lower latitude. It's amazing what you can see with a pair of bins and a dark sky. This whole area is either too low in the sky or blocked by trees back home, M6 and M7 are lovely especially appearing from behind the mountains, M8, 20 and 24 are all new to me, will have to come out here a bit later in the year next time.

[paul schofield]

Hear hear, roll on dark nights. Can still manage a few globular's and open clusters on these horrible nights though. Tell you the truth I am happy to get a clear sky these days.