Planning a Session - Forecasted Poor Seeing

[Qualia]

I was wondering if anyone could help.

This evening and tomorrow it looks like we're going to get some clear, cloudless nights (one of the few since over 50 days ago!), so I was thinking about lugging my gear to the desert-scrub lands for a little session.

As you can appreciate this isn't entirely an easy mission. It requires transporting my gear on a public bus, a jolly 20 minute hike across the desert-land, setting up and and so on. To get an idea of what is involved, if I leave my house at 9pm, I'm set up and ready to go about 10.30 - 11pm. I can usually enjoy reasonablly good skies until about 1.30am when I have to pack up again and catch the next bus running through the village. I usually don't arrive home until at least 3am. Putting this into perspective, a six hour trip for about 2 to 3 hours viewing.

I usually do not consider this activity a sacrifice, but tonight, although it will probably be a cloudless night, the forecast suggests that seeing will be poor, very poor with quite a bit of turbulence in the atmosphere. The question, then, is twofold.

• in your experience, do you think it's worth me heading out tonight? (bearing in mind that within a week or so, certainly by May through to October, Spain should start having a lot better weather)
  

• if your answer is to the affirmative, what in your opinion do you think I should try observing this evening with the 10" f/5?
  

Thank you for your help.

[Marki]

Hi Rob,

If you lived here in the UK I'd say go for it, since you never know when the weather will be favourable again. As you live in southern Spain with a realistic prospect of a clear night or two in the next few weeks (and the months that follow!), maybe give yourself a break and enjoy some home time with your partner. The last thing you want is to feel guilty about missing a possibly marginal session so that the whole rigmarole of travelling and setting-up becomes a chore rather than part of the fun.

If you do decide to go out (and I admire your enthusiasm and resolve!) then maybe some nice doubles? I've been enjoying some of the nice sights in Bootes recently.

Have fun, whatever

All the best

Mark

[Qualia]

Thank you for your help, Mark. You have been very generous with your time and my ‘burden’ of trying to make the right decision this evening was lightened by your thoughtful advice.

[nightfisher]

Here is my take on this,

I travel to a dark site, and im fortunate to own a small motor car, but i only travel to this spot when conditions are good, if conditions are average or poor i stay at home

[foundaplanet]

I would be thinking is there anyway I could find somewhere in the area where I may be able to make an arrangement with a local landowner/farmer where there may be an unused outbuilding or something similar. Would it be something to consider? Maybe you already have. Could this be a possible solution? Maybe somewhere secure enough to leave the scope sometimes or somewhere sheltered where you could kip the odd time to ease the rush. e.g. a camp bed in an old cow shed or something similar. Maybe it's a bit of a bonkers thought but heck, would it make it all a little easier. Get the bus back in the morning.

On the actual question, what Marki says..

For the amount of effort you put in to your forays I'd be reserving them for the best nights and hit the roof instead with a bottle of red and an easier night..

[Stargazer_00]

I'd go out but stay more local Is there nothing closer that is OK without getting on a bus? You could carry and AZ4 and Tal 100Rs over your shoulder quite easily and walk somewhere close to your house.

[Qualia]

These are excellent suggestions, and thank you.

The problem I have in the city is that I can head out to a local park, but the Spanish generally don't sleep. I mean, dinner is around 9pm to 10pm here and then many folk head out for the evening, so whatever time I'm out there is inevitably some nut (usually beered up) who wants to play around with my telescope and ruin a night's concentration. It is even worse when proper Spring and Summer kick in and students are on holiday, the night's are too hot to sleep etc. It was for this reason that the neighbour's loaned me the roof.

I don't think it is a crazy idea to ask the local farmers! In fact it is an outstanding idea. I did chat to one a good month or so ago and he told me that the only problem would be no guarantee of the safefty of my gear and I just didn't want to risk leaving stuff miles away from home. There was no suggestion that I'd be able to sleep with it, but perhaps that is another option.

Over the summer I will make a couple of more serious trips out to really, really dark desert lands and here I think I will camp. But that would be impossible in winter.

Ay, the troubles and torments of astronomy. Each, in our way, have our own cross to bear

Thanks for the help!