Autumn blues

[BGazing]

It's either very windy, the skies clear but bitterly cold and not good for observing, or no wind but humid beyond belief, so damp that the vapour scatters any point of light into background light.

Just bring on the winter proper, this is terrible.

[Lorne]

I know the feeling, over here we seem to get so few observing nights we put up with less than perfect conditions just to get out under the stars.

[Mr Spock]

It's just the way our weather is. Astronomers here are only ever part time and something else to keep them occupied in those long gaps.

[alan potts]

I have had a run of 10 nights clear and a full array of conditions from superb to lets watch the football instead.

Alan

[BGazing]

I have had a run of 10 nights clear and a full array of conditions from superb to lets watch the football instead.

Alan

Lol

[dick_dangerous]

Autumn is pants for observing. Most targets in the southern quadrant are very faint too. Plus my local patch is prone to epic fogs!

Spring all the way for me! Closely followed by the late summer!

Paul

[employee2-4601]

We've just endured a long period of heavy rain and flooding (and I finally know how deep is too deep when driving my car through floods - the car and I narrowly avoided getting swept into a river) accompanied by high winds. Now we've had a tonne of snow dumped on us and the sky is thick with fog. I think I can be forgiven for wondering if there's a some bizarre conspiracy to prevent me from enjoying my new hobby... ;-)

[BGazing]

Belgrade weather is baddddd for over a month. No glimpse of the winter sky, fog more often than not. Just yucky.

[timwetherell]

I think I can be forgiven for wondering if there's a some bizarre conspiracy to prevent me from enjoying my new hobby... ;-)

 I was living in Yorkshire when I got my first decent scope for Christmas (1976 or 77). The whole region was blanketed in a thick fog for the following month so I couldn't even test it on a street lamp or use it terrestrially! When I was living in Australia I completed a big refractor during the drought and the moment it was done the great Australian drought broke and it rained for a month. I was tempted to send the Australian government a bill for services to the nation's agriculture

I think it's just the way things are fro astronomers. Even if we moved to the Moon the window would fog up!

[spaceboy]

This weather is depressing for anyone who has any kind of outdoor interest. Other than sat on a sofa watching the box trying to escape the reality that is the UK weather there really isn't much we can do other than try to remain positive.

It is easier said than done when you consider how expensive this hobby is and all the ££££ that sits idle for the best part of the year, but when the skies do clear and you get a look at those fuzzy blobs again and your minds eye starts comprehending the fact you are looking at a massive galaxy billions of miles away it makes it all worth it I feel.

Sure to some who lack the deep thought process (along with a little imagination )to what that almost invisible haze patch is, then the hobby may be considered a total waste of time when you contemplate the nightmare it can be finding that tiny blob on the 1 night in 30 you actually did get out under clear skies. To those I recommend fishing and see if they enjoy sitting on a banks edge in the rain starring at a tiny orange stick for 7 hrs at a time catching nothing.

All hobby's require some patience but I totally agree that this weather is wearing my patience thin. Then again early 2013 (if my memory serves me) we had a long run of clear nights. That was hard work and I remember actually feeling relieved when we had a cloudy night so I could get a good nights sleep.

[Beulah]

12 dry days and 64 rain days over the last 74 days, according to my weather station.

[scarp15]

I am sure that the astro drought will improve and make way for a settled period of clear cold and dark skies through January (stubbornly optimistic).

[employee2-4601]

I spent New Year's Eve playing a gig at a local pub. We had the countdown and wished everyone a Happy New Year at midnight. Then we went outside where one of the bar staff let off some fireworks. Were the fireworks any good? I've no idea as I was preoccupied with looking at the perfectly clear sky (and Jupiter in conjunction with the moon which looked rather beautiful) and wishing myself back home with my scope set up... oh well... :-)

[BGazing]

Here in Serbia we have all the bells and perks (i.e. weather) of England in the autumn and winter minus the living standard. How convenient.

Anyway, heading to Dolomites for ten days...I absolutely have to have one decent night there. Hopefully.