When do you get to star gaze?

[chn]

Just curious how people fit in their star gazing during the summer months. Take tonight for example, got in from watching the footy, clear skies but I'm up at 05 30 so I'm off to bed right now with no gazing...

Do some of you get by on very little sleep or do you wait until your days off?

[Pingster]

Sometimes i just force the time and make sure i get up early for work. Work you get 5 to 7 days a week.... Clear decent skys only about 4 times s month if we are lucky. However the last two months have been pretty good.

[JamesF]

I'm fortunate in that I work for myself and largely set my own hours, so I'll go out as often as possible if I'm not too tired and don't have an early start the following day. Equally, I'm unfortunate in having two children who usually wake up around 6am. You can guess how I'm feeling this morning after the first clear sky in a month last night

James

[squashnut72]

I tend to stick to night time mostly.

[Keiran]

Im up at 5:15 so i struggle to fit an astro in in the summer. I will wait for the weekend, but most of them are dier.

[sologuitarist61]

That is the trouble with the summer. Last nigth down here in Cornwall there was still a great amount of glow from the sunset at midnight, so gave up and went to bed. I tend to view only when there is something very specific, so just do day time solar viewing during the summer months, and then hope for good weather when the longer nights set in.

[JamesF]

It was excellent here last night, sol I'd have thought Cornwall would be even better given a clear sky. You're almost a full degree further south It doesn't help that the darker skies are really after midnight at the moment though.

James

[Charon]

What governs my viewing is the condition of my back, if it is behaving itself and conditions are suitable then its hauling the kit onto the roof and I view until I drop.

[Bumfluff]

I generally stick to Friday or Saturday nights for observing in the summer, although I do sometimes take a day off for the day after if I get the itch during the week. Lie in then a few hours peace on the xbox while the other half is at work

Really can't wait for the Autumn this year

[NGC 1502]

The light evenings are a pain for many I know.

However, how about observing double stars.........they don't need full darkness to be well seen, and are not so much affected by light pollution.

This can mean you can get in a bit of astronomy in the summer, and still hit the sack and get a reasonable kip.

There's the moon & planets also of course.

Regards, Ed.

[paul schofield]

I am fortunate that I generally work 4 days on 4 days off, so that gives me 2 or 3 days to stay up late awaiting darkness. Also when I work night shifts I get plenty of bino time then. I just wish the sky would play ball more often.

[Mike73]

I'm in a very similar position as Paul except I work 2 weeks on 2 weeks off, I'm also very lucky that by law my company have to supply me with bins at my place of work.

[peteuplink]

I usually put my scope away during the summer and restrict my stargazing activities to stellarium and online resources.

[JamesF]

That ought to be a pub quiz question "Workers in what profession must be supplied with binoculars by their employer by law?"

I have no idea. My best guess is lighthouse keeper

James

[M4lcs67]

Am in the enviable position of being retired off at 41. Will be 45 on the 24th June, but don't work anymore. Some would love to be in my position, but in order to be here I suffered a stroke when I was 41 and after numerous operations and rehab I can move forward.

Believe me. You wouldn't want to have endured all I have in order to not have to go to work anymore.

In answer to the question though, it is a nightmare trying to get some stargazing in with the clouds and light nights playing their part. I'll usually take a look at the weather forecast in the morning and throughout the day I am constantly looking outside. If it is promising around 6-7 then i'll get the scope outside and set-up and wait for the dark to arrive.

Although I have even been scuppered a few times when I have set everything up and am ready to go, for the clouds to roll in and it start to rain.

If there is one thing that is predictable then it is the unpredictability of the great British weather.

[stevetynant]

I've decided for me that star gazing is a three season Activity - ends beginning of May - hopefully will kick off again Mid August perhaps. This is really my first season so will have to see what pans out and that's not to say I don't take the Bins out when I get the chance but the late hours and frustration are something I could do with out at the moment before I throw myself back into it in the Autumn.

[RikM]

I try and get out every clear night. There are so few of them that it seems silly to waste them. The only time I will wimp out is after that rare occurence of three or four good nights in a row. Last night was great midnight till 2am

[Mike73]

That ought to be a pub quiz question "Workers in what profession must be supplied with binoculars by their employer by law?"

I have no idea. My best guess is lighthouse keeper

James

Ah... I wondered if I would get a bite. Lighthouse keeper? Close but no cigar.

[NGC 1502]

Ah... I wondered if I would get a bite. Lighthouse keeper? Close but no cigar.

Gotta be Coastguards ?

Regards, Ed.

[Marki]

Its been a whole month now and I haven't had a chance to get out at all. The promised clearer skies for Sunday and Monday never materialised (at least not early enough to be any use to me). There was a bit of clear sky late on Monday, but by the time it came I had to go to bed for an early start. The promised clear skies last night never materialised either - clouded over as it got dark again and its drizzling now. Forecast is rubbish for the next four days (none of which I have to get up early for), so I'm betting we get some later night clear skies next week when I'm on early starts again.

I've forgotten what stargazing is....I do, however, a lot of Stellarium gazing to try and get my fix

[Qualia]

I'm quite 'lucky' in that respect. During the year I usually start work at 4pm and finish around 10pm, so it's quite easy for me to get a session in. During July is going to be a tad tricky, because for that month I usually have to start work about 10.30/11am which means my evenings will be a lot shorter.

[phillc]

I usually view from September to May and in those months any clear nights that turn up, even if only for an hour or two. Clear nights are so scarce in this county you have to grab them when you can. In the Summer months i study the Moon, and hope to try and start sketching it this year.

phillc

[Carbon]

Even though I live under light polluted skies I use my backyard obs every chance I get, even if it's just for a few short minutes, which could mean almost nightly under clear conditions.

[L8-Nite]

Been very dissapointed in the weather here in the UK. If its a dry day, I hurry to get as much work done on my house rebuild as possible, then I'm too tired to observe in the evening. If its raining, I can't get anything accomplished on the house, and its just about guaranteed to be cloudy at night; it's kind of a "Catch 22" situation for me. I am optimistic though, and when the rare clear night presents itself, I do "try" to get a little observing in.

EDIT: Hopefully things will change for the better soon, got to think good thoughts!

[Andy_E]

Depends how good the skies are. If its crystal clear (like it was last night!) then I'll drop everything... I'd rather be tired in the morning than frustrated in the evening! like has been said though, if there's a long spell of clear skies( more than 3 days by UK standards) i'll grab what I can then go for the convenient times.