Depressing Weather......

[laser_jock99]

......well that's yet another 'new moon' weekend lost to gales, clouds and rain. I just checked my records- the roof of the observatory has been closed since November, the longest inactive period since 2010 when it was built! I got some imaging done with my outside widefield rig but I'm reluctant to open the main observatory with the threat of showers of if it's very windy.I feel like I'm rapidly turning into an armchair astronomer!

You can tell thing's are not good when there are almost no new posts in the Deep Sky Imaging section. When we have a good clear spell it's hard to keep up with new posts!

Winter's long dark nights are already getting shorter, I feel like the Winter 2013/14 season is slipping away from us! Then it will be another long summer wait till the darkness returns once again.

The forecast for the week ahead doesn't look good either.....ho hum.

[Daniel-K]

ive joined the gym to keep busy ans spending

[PaulB]

It's been the same here for weeks and weeks. I blame the "New Kit" brigade. My imaging colleague and good friend, Chris has been buying kit. He warned me the weather would turn bad.

The last occasion I was able to image anything was three weekends ago, when, for once we had a lovely clear window, on a Sunday night.

I was able to image Messier 1 through a new 7nm Ha filter and my newish MX916 CCD. Since then we've had rain/gales and more rain.

I hope the conditions improve over the next 27 day's. 

[floppygoose]

I am used to this. Every night I get my hopes up, and every night just lately is the same disappointment. Last night we decided to go visit our daughter, about 25 miles away, and when we got there the sky had cleared, first time in ages - still windy but clear. By the time we got back home the clouds and rain had returned. The wife wonders why I am getting ratty just lately.

Phil

[Roberto Coleschi]

The same things happen in Italy. We have the worst rainy winter, and no one clear and starry winter night. Another new moon and rain again.

[red dwalf]

i feel your pain,

this is the first winter where i`ve had the obsy fully operational, had a few grasps at imaging but trying to do lrgb imaging in this weather is not easy, most of the time i just sit in the warm room cleaning and putting up shelfs, must get out more L.O.L.

[Robbo AR]

Had the same experience last night, it was fairly clear but really windy, I toyed with the idea of setting up but went for a G&T instead. Boy was I glad I went for the alcohol as a little while later the heavens opened again.

I started moaning about the weather and wanting to get outside and play to my girlfriend, and she replied that if I couldn't learn patience then astronomy might be the wrong hobby for me.

That woman is wise beyond her years - now learning to be patient.....

[swag72]

It has been utter pants here in Spain as well. I've not managed a single image in January, last year I managed 4 and the year before 3. If it's been clear there's been masses of wind. I am starting to appreciate how you guys in the UK feel - It's driving me nuts

[Zakalwe]

The same here (NW England). I had 2 very poor sessions in January (misty, moisture laden air) and then 30 minutes on M82 on Friday night.

I'm beginning to wonder why I've spent so much money on equipment that has netted me a single crummy image in the last 3 months :mad: :mad:

[astro mick]

Same here in East Yorkshire.

I,m sick of the sight at rubbish weather forecasts.

Mick.

[Pete Presland]

yep pretty poor winter astro-wise so far, it even makes last year seem good!

i was up at 4:30 this morning to image the trio of planets on offer. even when it looked clearish, the seeing coditions were pretty poor. 5 degrees this morning, very mild, but poor imaging conditions. the long range forecast has very little high pressure around.

might have to dig out last years data and see if my processing has improved.

[DaveS]

This winter has been pants so far, not got one single image, and only a couple of "going through the motions" visual sessions.

It's sunny here ATM and the forecast is reasonable for tonight, so maybe....

OTH the weather gods may read this post and decide to pee on my parade.

Having bellyached about this, I must remember that a heck of a lot of folks in the West Country are suffering a lot more than mere inconvenience.

[PhotoGav]

Central South is just one band of rain cloud after another. Feels like I can't remember the last time I was even tempted to set the kit up... Driving back from Esher yesterday evening, the thinnest slice of moon was laughing at me, seemed to be saying "ha, and you and your plans for while I was the other side of your little planet.....". So, as the moon gets brighter and brighter, no doubt the skies will clear. It's odds on for clear skies by the 14th - full moon.......

Aaaaarrrgggghhhhhhhhh! I don't even want to look at websites and drool over all their lovely pieces of kit - what's the point!?!

[DaveS]

Well, it's clear ATM and the forecast is looking good so I've put the 'scope out, and run the power lead for my rudimentary imaging rig.

Hopefully, by the time it's fully dark and Orion is well placed the moon should be out of the way. I may even try for the Sn in M82.

[PhotoGav]

Hooray! I'm also set up and exposing subs. Thought I'd have a second go at M45 this evening. The moon is starting to exit the scene and the sky is darkening nicely... Fingers crossed for a couple of hours joy!

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[kev]

Good new: Clear here in Scarborough. And Im off work (Sun, mon is my weekend).

Bad news: Gut ache, cold

Can we move Uk a bit nearer the equator please  so its dark still when its warm?

[DaveS]

Frustration!

After setting up and getting cold EQMOD can't find the mount, CdC won't connect, have had to restart the computer twice finally used the mark-one eyeball to find M42 (Not hard, even through London skies and using the camera viewfinder). So I start taking subs and cloud comes over Argh.

Re-started and I'll let APT run for 32 2 min subs. Problem is, I'm un-guided and without EQMOD I cannot jog the mount between subs which means I'm likely to get the horrid FPN I've seen before.

Tell, me, why do I bother     

[laser_jock99]

This weather is taunting me now was clear all day (Warks) an hour after sunset 90% cloud cover! Going to re-process some old data now to relieve the boredom.

[DaveS]

Oh, and I should add that it's not even very transparent either.

Last Saturday (I think) I was nearly hitting Bortle 6 from here, almost unheard of), Now it's more like 7 or 8. Bother (Or very naughty words to that effect) 

[PhotoGav]

Do you ever get the feeling that you have wasted an evening...?! I have been tempted by the 'clear' sky, only to hear PHD ding at me more than ever before as another cloud messes everything up. The subs that did work aren't that great anyway, there seems to have been a layer of thin high cloud up there. Aaargh, sometimes it would be better if it just rained anyway! I'm going to look for another hobby.... :-(((((

[DaveS]

Knocked it on the head for the evening, as I've got to be up at 6.30 for work tomorrow.

Got 32 x 120 sec subs and 18 x 30 sec subs for the Trapezium region.

Stellarium agrees with me, Bortle 6 last time I was out, with most of Orion's bow visible,  Bortle 8 tonight.

Why didn't I get the kit out last time? Probably because the ground was saturated and I didn't want to go over with the mound on top of me.

[astro mick]

Do you ever get the feeling that you have wasted an evening...?! I have been tempted by the 'clear' sky, only to hear PHD ding at me more than ever before as another cloud messes everything up. The subs that did work aren't that great anyway, there seems to have been a layer of thin high cloud up there. Aaargh, sometimes it would be better if it just rained anyway! I'm going to look for another hobby.... :-(((((

I had exactly the same this evening.Set up at 17.00,had something to eat,went back out,total cloud,after a lovely sunny afternoon. 

Put everything away,then it cleared around 20.00,set up again,and managed 1 10min sub.Clouded up again.

Packed up,took the dog out,and its partially clear now.

Well it can go get stuffed.

Mick.

[fondofchips]

The same here as well, it cleared up a bit last night, then cloudy, then cleared again but conditions were poor.

Rainfall figures back up the poor weather: -

January 2014 3.88 inches.

January 2011 1.27 inches.

January 2012 2.02 inches.

January 2013 1.41 inches.

Just have to wait it out like we always do.

[DaveS]

There *may* be one or two windows of opertunity this week, but I'm not holding out for it. Then the Moon will be in the way

I'll be bringing the mount back in tonight or tomorrow, as I want to find out why CdC / EQMOD wasn't connecting. Finding M42 by eye through the camera was easy, but finding M82 when I can't even see the two "pointer" stars will be something else.

Hoping the clarity will be a bit better if it *does* clear.

[PhotoGav]

I have a feeling that that is it until after the full moon for this month...

Perhaps the best strategy is to buy all the new kit now, that way the compulsory bad weather period can be sat out knowingly!!!

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