Arrrgh!

[greglloyd]

Is there anything worse than setting your 12" scope out to cool under a clear sky hoping for some nice views, go in to watch a programme with the missus, then pop out into the garden to do some quick observations on a work night before the moon gets too high - only to be met with a light shower and mostly cloudy skies??

Sometimes I hate this country! 

[oldpink]

same here, mostly cloudy, sporadic showers New NEQ6 all set up and nothing to see
though I did manage to catch the ISS by eye for about half its transit

[rowan46]

truthfully the answer to that question is yes

[Tieflyer]

I know how you feel. I'm a beginner and on Tuesday night I set up my Explorer 200P to get in a bit of practice lining up the scope with various targets and hoping to get some good views of the moon once it rose above the trees to the east of our garden. Just as the moon was rising above the tree line a big bank of cloud came in from the west and covered everything. I should have known there was cloud coming in because I spotted the ISS coming from the west a little earlier only for it to disappear without trace. The only consolation was that I got to see about 15 meteorites, 2 of which were good 'uns. Both were between 21.45 and 22.00 hrs and both left good trails.

[Peter Drew]

You have to take the opportunity to observe when it's clear, record the programme and watch it with the wife when it's raining. 

[Kropster]

A quick check of the satellite cloud cover movie before setting up will usually show any cloud coming your way over the horizon.

It can be depressing viewing, but saves a lot of wasted effort.

[Naemeth]

You have to take the opportunity to observe when it's clear, record the programme and watch it with the wife when it's raining. 

Agreed.

When it's clear you need to employ the 'drop everything' (apart from your scope!) tactic to get a decent chance of viewing. It can be several weeks between sessions, so you have to make the most of them while you can.

[greglloyd]

You have to take the opportunity to observe when it's clear, record the programme and watch it with the wife when it's raining. 

Ha Ha! I'm with you on that one and certainly do that when I can. But, when the wife is sitting on the sofa expecting some TV time it's a tricky negotiation to be had lol!  

[greglloyd]

A quick check of the satellite cloud cover movie before setting up will usually show any cloud coming your way over the horizon.

It can be depressing viewing, but saves a lot of wasted effort.

I always check the sat cloud cover animation on sat24 before setting up (as I am quite into the weather and storm chasing). This was showing as clear at the time (although at night you can only view the IR image which does not show as much cloud detail - e.g. hard to spot low level mist forming for example). Skies did clear fairly soon afterwards, but as I mentioned in my original post there was the moon to content with. I was only going for a short and well timed viewing session before the moon got too bright. So no room was available to sit the reasonably short period of cloud cover out unfortunately.

[Paul73]

Agreed, a soggy Dob is a sorry thing indeed......

Looking on the bright side. You would be a lot more upset if your gourmet mount & imaging paraphernalia got rained on.

Paul

[fatwoul]

As an imager and observatory owner, I'm fortunate that I can open the roof and set things going with very little notice, and try to do so every clear night. I do have one rule, however: if the dome hasn't opened by midnight, it doesn't open. That prevents me sitting up all night hoping a thin layer of cloud will clear.

[Sp@ce_d]

As an imager and observatory owner, I'm fortunate that I can open the roof and set things going with very little notice, and try to do so every clear night. I do have one rule, however: if the dome hasn't opened by midnight, it doesn't open. That prevents me sitting up all night hoping a thin layer of cloud will clear.

I got an AAG CloudWatcher at start of the year thinking I'd beat the weather. However, tuning it to respond to our weather patterns has proved "interesting" so far. Either the roof will be back n forward like a yo yo or you have to put up with detecting rain first & by then it's wet. I'm thinking of trying a SQM to see if I get a more accurate reading of cloud cover.

Before the obsy I used to setup & throw one of those garden furniture covers over the kit & wait it out.

[laser_jock99]

Is there anything worse than setting your 12" scope out to cool under a clear sky hoping for some nice views, go in to watch a programme with the missus, then pop out into the garden to do some quick observations on a work night before the moon gets too high - only to be met with a light shower and mostly cloudy skies??

Sometimes I hate this country! 

Yes- setting up for AP only for the same thing to happen. Somewhat more hassle than dragging out a dob...........