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Trees


Sammyb

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I was wondering if anyone knew whether trees give off thermals so it is not advisable to observe objects directly above large trees in your garden (in a similar way to what people say about observing directly over roof tops).

I have a large conifer tree in one corner of the garden - I get the impression its impacting on the seeing directly above it. Or is it just me being stupid?

I might use this as an excuse to chop it down. The collared doves will have to find somewhere else.

Sam

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Sam,

In short everything that can be heated by the sun will give off heat. However a tree is not a good conducter as it is wood ( sorry to stating the obvious ). It will give off some heat but I have never seen any around me. I have some massive walnut trees on my land and I can never see anything when I observe above them and through them sometimes. Imaging though could be diiferent and is of course recording over a period minutes our eyes may not see slight air ripples but a CCD may.

I have an apartment in town here and I have used a scope from a balcony, the school near by to it really messes with the views through the scope. Now I don't have the problem.

Alan

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I imagine living things 'give off heat' as part of their metabolism of burning up carbon based molecules but that phrase of heat needs to be qualified a little. I imagine trees mainly 'give off heat' in the form of evaporation (I'm sure a trunk would also emit - like we do - heat in infrared) and although I have no idea of the amount, I imagine in a dampish, island country surrounded by sea water, imbedded with canals and gorgeous lakes and covered a good number of weeks each year by heavy cloud, this relative extra quantity of moisture from a single tree will be insignificant to that already in existence. On these terms, I cannot imagine a conifer perversely affecting stargazing.

On a more normative front, I personally don't think it is a good idea to cut down trees unless we must absolutely do so.

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I've heard it said that the seeing above trees is actually very good.

Certainly where I am, the line of sight over trees is very good, whereas anything over the house to the S of me is like looking through a thin film of shimmering water.

Chris

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