What's it like near Newquay?

[JamesF]

It being half term I have the indescribable thrill of spending a few days a couple of miles inland from Newquay starting tomorrow.

I see there's a suggestion of clear sky on at least one night, albeit a smidge on the bracing side, so can anyone tell me if the sky is a total disaster area that close to Newquay, or is it worth me "negotiating" with my wife over the inclusion of a telescope in the luggage even if it is at the expense of the kitchen sink?

James

[Digz]

I couldn't personally say. What I do have is a google earth plugin which shows LP for the uk. With that you can see you location, street names etc and get an idea of the likely level of LP.

Good luck, sorry I can't be more help.

[Mike73]

I think it depends on just how far out of Newquay your staying James but a couple miles out should give you similar skies at to what your used to at home with some good views to the south.

[kamikaze1100]

there are some dark skys down this way if it's ever clear:(.... if you head out of newquay toward st-columb you should be good! bring less cloud cover with you can ya??

[scoobee]

Living near newquay i often head that way for a quick session (on the way home from work), head no more then 5 miles out of town in the direction of perranporth and all is good. You may consider avoiding viewing in the north to east direction to avoid the newquay lighs if you want to view eastwards (Jupiter)then head the other side of newquay fror example st.mawgan. I hope this helps any questions please ask

[sologuitarist61]

If you are slightly to the north of Newquay there is a beauty spot called Bedruthan Steps. Our astro club had a meeting up there last weekend and the seeing was apparently brilliant. Also there is a National Trust car park set back some way from the minor road that gets you there and so there is good hard standing and plenty of room for setting up. Google map :-

http://maps.google.c...=15000&t=m&z=12

From what I can see of the forecast it should be good Friday and Saturday night. Good luck

[scoobee]

Forgot, if you willing to drive, colliford lake is very good, its about half an hour away from newquay by car, its the best dark site in cornwall!!!

[JamesF]

Apparently we're going to the Hendra holiday camp just to the east of Newquay. From google earth it looks very close to the town, but the views to the south and east appear to be fairly clear.

James

[scoobee]

Richard ( sologuitarist61) has given a very good site only 10 milea away from where you are staying

[JamesF]

I'm not sure it would go down at all well if I announced that I was off for the evening once it gets dark

James

[scoobee]

not an easy one to call, i guess!!!

[sologuitarist61]

I know Hendra Holiday park but cannot remember what the lighting is like on site. You are right in that you will have unobstructed countryside to the south and east and also to the south west if you can get a viewpoint. The main LP hazard will be Truro to the south and Camborne/Redruth to the south west, but they will be at least 12 - 15 miles as the crow flies.

[kamikaze1100]

best bet imo is head out of hendra toward quintrel downs and continue out on the bodmin rd for a little bit..... won't take long to find some darkness

[kamikaze1100]

looks like tomorrow night might be worth getting the scope out!

[scoobee]

yes looking good, just hope this will be the start of the clear skies.

[Seafury]

Still looks like thick cloud cloud here at the moment it was supposed to clear laterbut I can't see it happening

Gordon (Truro)

[scoobee]

just done a few weather searches looks like early morning for clear or clearer skies think saturday night will be ok

[JamesF]

Well, as it turned out it was a complete wash-out (almost literally). Total cloud cover on Friday night, a fair bit of cloud cover on Saturday, combined with near full moon and lots of light pollution from the caravans, then an absolutely biblical deluge last night.

James

[sologuitarist61]

Blimey James - that's good weather for Cornwall

[scoobee]

saturday i got about an hour of seeing during the night, only lunar but cracking on with the camera?!

[JamesF]

Blimey James - that's good weather for Cornwall

I'm starting to believe it

We visited Morwellham Quay on the way home, which is on the banks of the Tamar (where the "Edwardian Farm" television series was based). The tide in the Tamar looked fairly slack, but there were flood markers on some of the houses marking the highest point of a number of recent floods, one of which was at the top of the stairs! The amount it must have rained for the river to get that high over such a wide area defies imagination.

James