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Joe_L

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First clear sky since September (and back then I was busy and didn't get to see anything!). Put the scope out, faffed about as its so long since I last setup. By the time the scope had cooled it had clouded over. Some gaps but everytime I aligned and focussed the gap was closing again. 

Stay put and wait for the next gap or move to another clear area?

Things getting fuzzy, even the clear patches are 50% thin high cloud. The garden is very bright in reflected light.  Give up and go indoors.....

Oh well, at least I got to see M77 and a nice view of Uranus for a few minutes, and old friend Jupiter with a lovely lineup of moons.

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SO what's the best tactic? Point at your intended target and wait for the clear patch to reach it (strange, the clouds keep moving but the clear patch never arrives), or keep darting about to the clear patches and by the time you've located the target the patch has shifted?

Joe

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SO what's the best tactic? Point at your intended target and wait for the clear patch to reach it (strange, the clouds keep moving but the clear patch never arrives), or keep darting about to the clear patches and by the time you've located the target the patch has shifted?Joe

God I have so been there before....you can bet that whichever tactic you take, the other will work better!

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SO what's the best tactic? Point at your intended target and wait for the clear patch to reach it (strange, the clouds keep moving but the clear patch never arrives), or keep darting about to the clear patches and by the time you've located the target the patch has shifted?Joe

I normally go and have a brew. Sucker holes will drive you insane. Chill out, use ya bins and have a cuppa or two and wait for it to clear. If it doesn't quit for the night.
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Don't be down hearted, Joe. Stargazing is certainly a frustrating pursuit but at least you gave it a shot and for that you should be proud of yourself. You didn't give in. The weather down here is also starting to take a turn for the worse and just as the moon is drifting from the night sky :BangHead: Typical. Looks like it won't be clear again for at least a week now :clouds1:

For myself, when I arrive home during the week, if I see it's overcast I just won't bother. Even if it starts to clear sometime later, I refuse to drop everything and be a mere slave to the dictates of clouds. Even if I have to wait a fortnight or two, I will do so, saving up for that one special evening rather than flirting with half a dozen chronic ones.

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I've had my imaging 'scope in store while my house was re-wired (The dust was unbelievable). During that time there were 2-3 usably dark nights when I could have been filling in data on The Pacman. I got them back yesterday, so what are the chances of a clear, dark night now?

Yeah, just two :mad:

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Don't be down hearted, Joe. Stargazing is certainly a frustrating pursuit but at least you gave it a shot and for that you should be proud of yourself. You didn't give in. The weather down here is also starting to take a turn for the worse and just as the moon is drifting from the night sky :BangHead: Typical. Looks like it won't be clear again for at least a week now :clouds1:

For myself, when I arrive home during the week, if I see it's overcast I just won't bother. Even if it starts to clear sometime later, I refuse to drop everything and be a mere slave to the dictates of clouds. Even if I have to wait a fortnight or two, I will do so, saving up for that one special evening rather than flirting with half a dozen chronic ones.

yeah I usually wont go out if the clouds are kicking around now. However went out Monday I think, supposedly near clear skies but there were patches of cloud everywhere. I was trying out iphone app and making comparisons of accuracy but gave up after 20 minutes as the "light cloud" became impenetrable.

Steve 

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Don't be down hearted, Joe. Stargazing is certainly a frustrating pursuit but at least you gave it a shot and for that you should be proud of yourself. You didn't give in. The weather down here is also starting to take a turn for the worse and just as the moon is drifting from the night sky :BangHead: Typical. Looks like it won't be clear again for at least a week now :clouds1:

For myself, when I arrive home during the week, if I see it's overcast I just won't bother. Even if it starts to clear sometime later, I refuse to drop everything and be a mere slave to the dictates of clouds. Even if I have to wait a fortnight or two, I will do so, saving up for that one special evening rather than flirting with half a dozen chronic ones.

I think I will have to start using your strategy, I think it is more dispiriting to set up, start observing for a short period and then get clouded out.

At present it is just getting dark enough to start observing and I then go in for dinner. Recently on a few occasions I've set up, had a quick peek, gone in for dinner leaving a wonderful clear sky and returned to the scope and seen nothing but cloud. This really is a downer, as I get all enthusiastic and roughly plan what I'm going to point the scope at and end up spending the rest of the evening reading through the forum.

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At present it is just getting dark enough to start observing and I then go in for dinner.

This may suffice, Alan and if it's cloudy after dinner, at least you can say you've had a little session :grin:

In my own case, I'm not finishing work until around 10pm and not home until an hour or so later. That means I'm not having my dinner until around 11.30pm/midnight. Obviously, I don't have to get up early but by the time I've eaten, chatted to my girlfriend and have said goodnight, it's already around 1am. In this fashion, and mainly for that reason, if it's not clear when I get home, I don't bother setting up, preferring to catch up on this forum, or do a little swotting of something or other. If I had to hang about skipping between clouds, I not only get irritated with nature - which is absurd - but also feel I could have done something better with my late night/early morning.  

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I think I will have to start using your strategy, I think it is more dispiriting to set up, start observing for a short period and then get clouded out.

At present it is just getting dark enough to start observing and I then go in for dinner. Recently on a few occasions I've set up, had a quick peek, gone in for dinner leaving a wonderful clear sky and returned to the scope and seen nothing but cloud. This really is a downer, as I get all enthusiastic and roughly plan what I'm going to point the scope at and end up spending the rest of the evening reading through the forum.

i know what you mean , fortunately I am in the position where I quite enjoy the forum as I don't have to read any of my posts

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