amazing how sound appears to increase in the middle of the night

[asset189]

Carted the 8" dob out into the back garden around 4am this morning and despite trying to be quiet as a mouse, every noise I made seemed deafening particularly when screwing in the two carry handles that secure the tube to the base, eeeeeeek, eeeeeeeek, Eeeeeeeek every turn of the handle ,think ill have to get a silencer before the neighbours call the cops he he

[baggywrinkle]

I cringe when the mount starts slewing....I even wave my hands at it to be quieter.

However I have been to Wicken Fen near Ely at 3 a.m. and the night noises are very loud, foxes barking, owls hooting, geese and swans honking. I got a fright when I heard heavy breathing, I quickly turned and flashed my red light in the general direction of the breathing...it was a calf in the next field just checking what I was doing.

[Pete Presland]

Even the simple task of open the obsy door sounds deafening at 3am! one thing i have learnt is to keep the laptop on silent, to avoid the annoying windows welcome tune.

[asset189]

Baggywrinkle, been there done that with the cows, terrifying , scared the wits out of me in the dark of the galloway hills one night, tend to take better half for protection now a days ha ha

[Beulah]

Yup, I have learnt that a metal shed is not the ideal place to store a telescope, epecially when trying to slide the doors shut in the wee hours of the morning...

[RichM63]

I find I make more noise trying to be quiet, rather than just getting on with things. Although I only have 1 neighbour 1/2 a km away.

Cows snorting and humphing doesn't bother me, but.....

Standing at the EP one starry silent night around 4am, not a sound to be heard, when something started rubbing against my calves, caused me to emit a very loud sound!

Torch on, turned out to be one of the biggest cats I have ever seen. The odd thing is that it is neither mine nor my neighbour's.

The total lack of any human made sound can be upsetting to some visitors.

[ronin]

You know there is this stuff called "grease" that works fairly well on old squeeky metal hinges?

Costs less then a single eyepiece as well. :grin: :grin:

Sell an eyepiece! :eek:

Where I go at times there can be a couple of horses in the field behind me, they wander over to see give advice (likely have a better idea then I do). The silent ones are the deer, you get a side glimpse of something moving.

At least hedgehogs are sleeping at present

[coulthamst]

This apparent hearing improvement is still noticeable even in city centres. It.s surprising how much background noise is there, but unheard except as an undifferenttiated "blanket" during the day, that reduces substantially late at night.

[Beulah]

You know there is this stuff called "grease" that works fairly well on old squeeky metal hinges?

Costs less then a single eyepiece as well. :grin: :grin:

Sell an eyepiece! :eek:

The hinges were not the problem...  There were no hinges and no amount of grease can stop the shed amplifying the slightest sound you make. For example, try manoevering a 16" dob in a metal shed and you'll understand the issue.

Wooden sheds for the win! 

[Astro Imp]

The hinges were not the problem...  There were no hinges and no amount of grease can stop the shed amplifying the slightest sound you make. For example, try manoevering a 16" dob in a metal shed and you'll understand the issue.

Wooden sheds for the win! 

You need a smaller Dob

[Beulah]

You need a smaller Dob

Aperture fever is a one way street.

[Pig]

I get spooked very easily, which isn't the best of attributes for this hobby. The slightest noise and I start thinking of ghosts or maybe there is a psychopath on the loose, and remember we are in a perfect position to get decapitated, or even worse, whilst looking through the eyepiece 

Even in my own back garden I have pegged it back into the house several times  I have even fell over as I was in such a hurry to make it to the back door and to safety

Shaggy & Scooby spring to mind

[kev]

Even the simple task of open the obsy door sounds deafening at 3am! one thing i have learnt is to keep the laptop on silent, to avoid the annoying windows welcome tune.

Windows, control panel, sounds, start up -set to none.

Done on all mine.

Sent from my iPhone so excuse the typos!

[kev]

Ps next doors rabbit is loud, really loud.

Sent from my iPhone so excuse the typos!

[Stu]

Hedgehogs are normally the noisy ones, they sound like a large creature is coming to get you [emoji6]

A pony once scared the life out of me when observing in the new forest, sneaked up on me then made a loud noise!

Totally agree that everything seems louder. The screeching noise of screwing the cap back into my 85 is excruciating!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[baggywrinkle]

It was not a noise thing that spooked me the most when I was living in north of Perth in WA.

The AGWA astro group had a nice observing site up in the hills near a place called Chittering, that was OK but about an hours drive. So when I wanted a darker sky than could be had in my back yard I would drive up just past a place called Two Rocks. I found two sites, but only ever used one. I do not know why by on the one site I only visited once I had the most uncomfortable feeling I was being watched. Weird. In the day it looked fine, but at night......

[LukeSkywatcher]

My neighbours dog sleeps outside and when my scope starts slewing the dog goes crazy. The dog goes crazy at any noise which is a good and a bad thing. might have to start observing earlier and then as it gets late, switch to the Heritage 130P.

[cotterless45]

There's a guy a few doors up who could snore for Britain. It's worthy of a medal, really ground shaking. Really dramatic in summer with the windows open.

About midnight two doors down, the guy comes out to smoke some very pungent gear ! Not advisable to inhale too deeply , enough stars already,

Nick.

[coulthamst]

Ps next doors rabbit is loud, really loud.

Sent from my iPhone so excuse the typos!

Good job there is only one of them!