Will I ever see the sky again?

[GrahamNW]

Apologies to anyone living in the north west of England.  It's my fault.

I took delivery of my first 'proper scope' mid January and so far I have managed to use it twice. Apart from  those 2 occasions we seem to have had unbroken cloud, drizzle and hailstones for a month, with no forecast of any glimpse of the sky to come! I've seen more of the moon in books than I have in the sky.

Do you think if I put my scope back in its original packaging the stars may reappear?

[Linda]

Maybe you could take a holiday to a better place?

[xtreemchaos]

its worth a try, but maybe if you buy more stuff it might overload the cloud curse and thay will go away..charl.

[GrahamNW]

I am trying option 2 with great enthusiasm, but so far that has just meant more and more new kit yet to be used!

The one and only weather window we have had coincided with a business trip last week so I could only gaze out of a train window at Jupiter and the moon in gloriously close proximity 

[Astro Imp]

It has been pretty dire of late.

I'm dithering about upgrading my gear, I've got the boss's OK, but with the skies we've had of late can't decide if it's worth the outlay.

[Linda]

That is very typical. I was separated from my scope for a month or so and saw stars and planets all the time.

 

Maybe  you should just plan or book a trip and then on last minute not leave. See if you can trick the weather gods.

[JamesF]

2 minutes ago, Astro Imp said:

It has been pretty dire of late.

It certainly has.  It's got to the stage here where "good weather" means it didn't rain.  Much.

James

[scarp15]

Its grim, its been very grim, but hang on in there, put the box in the loft, perhaps wait for the moon to emerge close to a full phase, its guaranteed always clear then.

[Roy Challen]

Might as well get used to it. I've had just one proper session since mid October

[Purplehayze104]

cant remember the last time I actually used scope in anger sometime last summer I think, got to the point if its really worth carrying on.

[Carbon Brush]

Maybe we need another forum. Something along the lines of 'alternative uses for astronomy kit'.

I'm thinking of going out in next next month or two (first dry night with the odd gap in the clouds and less than 30mph wind) to try to remember how all the kit goes together and how the electronics works.

[Purplehayze104]

im like that but with processing, finally get some data then have to remember how I did it an software I used.

[groberts]

I am almost, but not quite, pleased to hear its not just me - I was beginning to think there was a very large cloud located just over the top of my house in Surrey.  I can count the number of times on one hand I have had a good night imaging since last September and it there's a decent seeing night, it's been full moon - can't win! I remember reading last November (I think) that the period October / November was the dullest on record i.e. cloudy by a 50% less than the worst previously recorded. Looking at the Met Office records bears this out, so it's not just my imagination.     

[xtreemchaos]

 i think the clouds are there just to show us how lucky we are when we get clear skys, or there just being spitefull.charl.

[Deano666]

Nope that large cloud is looming over lincs and yep i have a new scope too!! And only used twice before the weather decided id had enough fun for the evening

[laudropb]

I sympathise with you. Here I am in sunny Tenerife sitting in 26 C temperatures, drinking a cold beer  and planning tonight's session. Unfortunately it will all end on Tuesday and I will be back to Glasgows cloudy skies.

[xtreemchaos]

laudropb-rub it in why dont you you have earned it mate with all the bad weather you have had to put up with. charl

[Beulah]

1 hour ago, GrahamNW said:

Apologies to anyone living in the north west of England.  It's my fault.

I took delivery of my first 'proper scope' mid January and so far I have managed to use it twice. Apart from  those 2 occasions we seem to have had unbroken cloud, drizzle and hailstones for a month, with no forecast of any glimpse of the sky to come! I've seen more of the moon in books than I have in the sky.

Do you think if I put my scope back in its original packaging the stars may reappear?

You ought to try living in the Western part of the UK. In some areas, we've had duff weather since November 2015...

I can count the clear skies we have had here with one hand...

Frankly, it's been total pants.

[Daniel-K]

Saturday from 10 looks good here in Halewood (out skirts of Liverpool )

[scarp15]

Monitoring the weather forecast for here on Saturday, looks vaguely promising, particularly from 2am Sunday (erm great), wind cloud and a threat of rain tonight, so quite normal.

[Physopto]

I used to do a lot of photography. Tried religiously to carry my camera everywhere I went just for that one photo! Never happened

Every time I forgot it there was a photo to be had.......... debilitating to say the least.

Astronomy is just a bad. Get new toys and it rains or it blows a storm.  OR BOTH  Grrrrrrr!

Derek

[LukeSkywatcher]

I actually do feel better now that i know its not just me suffering (least i'm in good company). Mainly due to weather, i havent looked through a scope since June 2015 (and that was a solar observing session). Last week i came within a dog's breath of selling most of my gear. This week ive started my own collection of meteorites and the likes. The balance of the universe has been restored. Maybe i'm observing the universe through rose tinted glasses (no pun intended), but i remember as a kid (into early adulthood and up until about 2007), the sky being clear most nights. I could sit outside observing from the moment i ate dinner til the Sun came up the next day.

Just cant seem to do that any more (mainly due to weather). Of late........now i'm older (and probably none the wiser), i like to moan about the weather and be in bed most nights by 11pm.

I'm sure there is a moral to my story but i cant think of it.

 

 

[Mr Spock]

Just had 15 days straight rain. We are in for a real pounding tomorrow too

[GrahamNW]

I feel slightly better that it's not just me then! I had 2 good sessions in a week when I started and thought I  could expect that every week..! Ha

I am now regretting packing in  and going to bed on those occasions when the sky was clear. It feels like profligacy to waste all those hours of good seeing! 

[Gina]

I need to construct a raised walkway to my observatory then I might be able to make use of the odd half hour of clear sky once a month.  ATM it's just not worth the risk of broken bones crossing the mire