Losing your astro mojo in this weather?

[scarp15]

Hopefully it will be all systems go at the turn of the month, lots of catching up to do.

[barkis]

My daughter and partner are  recently back from 2 weeks in Rhodes. Loved it, and what a tan, but she did it carefully, that sun was really blistering she said.
 

[Tzitzis]

Of course it is mate! Sun is a killer! You need to be careful. But only a few of us are interested in the sun. We love dark nights. So come down to Greece, it will be an observing holiday/trip to remember. We will eat A LOT so brace yourselves!

[ChrisLX200]

Yep. Even when it's clear (like now) how are you supposed to image anything with these plane farts all over the sky!

ChrisH

[John]

I was getting a little frustrated having 2 new scopes and few opportunities to use either over the past month or so. It's been clearish this evening though and a couple of hours with the Takahashi on Mars, Saturn and some nice double stars has reminded me why I do the hobby

 

[Gina]

I captured a video overnight from my all sky cam hoping to see the Milky way but only a small part of it was visible and maybe a few hundred stars.  I think the problem was thin, high cloud.  The only really clear constellation was Ursa Major.  We're getting slightly clearer night skies lately but way off perfect!  I guess it's not really the time-of-year for really clear night skies - at least that's what I'm telling myself as I still hope do be able to do some real astronomy in the coming months

[Roy Challen]

The only cure for Bad Weather Depression Syndrome is to buy more gear. I have just treated myself to a new-to-me Tak mount so I definitely have something to look forward to on the next clear night- whenever that may be!

[Stub Mandrel]

12 hours ago, Tzitzis said:

Guys come to Greece! What bad weather? Lol! 35 Celsius degrees, no clouds. MY problem is LP and photochemical pollution though. We can go to some nice mountains around Athens and camp though

Oraganise the next SGL star party to Greece. It will be 4 weeks not just one! Come guys!

130P-DS arriving Friday, and I've found a 2nd hand CC. Now what can I disguise the scope as...

[baggywrinkle]

It is frustrating, even more so since in the time I had my obsy completed it has been used a handful of time properly. The roof has been ideal for filling rain barrels...

I am in Spain now and was in Portugal earlier this week for work....no scope and crystal clear skies...

[Tzitzis]

It is so weird. Up there, you have rains and clouds all year long (haze and fog too)... In Greece we enjoy sun at its best (well most people with walks and sunbathing), dark skies, no clouds... Here no one is up to astronomy and there in UK there are so many who like astronomy, have telescopes, are club members in astronoy clubs etc.  Does anyone get the irony?

[xyz]

Went out last night for the first time in ages, squinted at Saturn and Mars - oh so low on the horizon, Mars too low for the Dob to see (houses block it)  so used bins on that. Otherwise the half moon through a swirling mass of turbulence. Oh well, was something at least.

[Davesellars]

From the 1st until the 5th of this month I observed 4 nights out the 5.  Apart from a couple of time shooting between clouds last month and I think one reasonable session for a couple of hours when I received my 120ST, June was pretty much a write-off which was difficult to get through.  I try to take most of the opportunities though even if it means observing at weird times like from midnight until 2am (at the moment there's not much other option...)

[LukeSkywatcher]

Why bother worrying about something that is beyond our control. 

[xtreemchaos]

if we had clear skys all year round it would be too easy, we all like a challange, and plus we can all blame the weather when we get bad images or seeing, if we wasnt doing skywatching we would be having to watch big brother or something else as dementing. hope ya all have clear skys. charl & smegul.

[DaveS]

Can't think when I last did any imaging. I know it was when I was faffing around with my 80mm astrograph.

Despite that I have an ASA DDM60 Pro incoming next week. Will I ever learn? 

 

[matt-c]

17 hours ago, ChrisLX200 said:

Yep. Even when it's clear (like now) how are you supposed to image anything with these plane farts all over the sky!

ChrisH

 actually never heard this terminology used before haha, I will definitely be using it from now on.

I was checking out my picture folder and the last successful imaging was October  granted it was mainly mount problems.

This weather has massively influenced my decision to sell my ccd, buy a 200mm canon lens and go back to simple dslr wide field, the throw it in the car and get somewhere dark type.

 

[Space_Ranger]

22 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Go south...

lly

Yep, it's just too much to take in the UK.

Next year I'm going to organise some free to attend trips out to a dark sky site in southern Spain around the new moons :-) I'll keep you all posted for those who want to join in! 

http://www.calendar-12.com/moon_phases/2017

Space Ranger

[DRT]

This afternoon I looked at the weather forecast. Clear skies predicted from 5pm until 3am

I put out the brand new OO UK VX12 F4 at 5pm and armed it with an Ethos 21mm waiting on the evening Moon to rise above my neighbour's roof so that I could test the focus for the first time.

The scope coat is now on - it's raining

 

[spaceboy]

I have never been all that keen on astronomy during the summer months as it just doesn't get all that dark and any observing you do get to do is quite demanding when you have to set up near to midnight and pack up again by 4am when the birds start singing.

I did though spend a small fortune getting kitted out for solar observing during the summer but hey ho guess that didn't pan out either as what little sun does peak through the clouds is ruined by pee poor seeing. I have been caught out twice by showers because lately the skies are never completely clear of dark clouds.

As a spin off from a failed attempt at astrophotography I did end up with a DSLR which has led to photography becoming a second hobby helping to keep me sane during astronomy down time.

[LukeSkywatcher]

1 hour ago, spaceboy said:

I have never been all that keen on astronomy during the summer months as it just doesn't get all that dark and any observing you do get to do is quite demanding when you have to set up near to midnight and pack up again by 4am when the birds start singing.

I did though spend a small fortune getting kitted out for solar observing during the summer but hey ho guess that didn't pan out either as what little sun does peak through the clouds is ruined by pee poor seeing. I have been caught out twice by showers because lately the skies are never completely clear of dark clouds.

As a spin off from a failed attempt at astrophotography I did end up with a DSLR which has led to photography becoming a second hobby helping to keep me sane during astronomy down time.

I'm in the same boat (so move over please). Ive never been a summer observer for the reasons you said. I also took up solar observing last year, but am not having much luck with the weather. A few months ago i bought a microscope. Thats very interesting to have a look at pretty much anything under.

[Bart]

Same here. Not much of a summer observer. I like galaxies especially so for me, looking at something looking relatively poor during the summer doesn't do it for me. The planets are low currently so have essentially put the scopes away.  I'm going to the Skellig star party in late August in Kerry with great skies so will essentially wait till then. Did some diy on scope recently (moved primary -16", up into the tube to achieve enough infocus for the ES coma corrector) so looking forward to using that this autumn and winter. 

[Stub Mandrel]

I really expected a clear night tonight, loaded up car to head for a dark site ---- and its solid cloud, IR Satellite shows a huge wedge coming in to cover all the areas I can easily reach until past 1:00am. Cloud is centred on Stoke on Trent, and I'm on the downwind edge so it will equally cover all directions from me by midnight.

[LukeSkywatcher]

7 minutes ago, Bart said:

Same here. Not much of a summer observer. I like galaxies especially so for me, looking at something looking relatively poor during the summer doesn't do it for me. The planets are low currently so have essentially put the scopes away.  I'm going to the Skellig star party in late August in Kerry with great skies so will essentially wait till then. Did some diy on scope recently (moved primary -16", up into the tube to achieve enough infocus for the ES coma corrector) so looking forward to using that this autumn and winter. 

I was hoping to get to Skellig myself but the work on my house hasnt even started yet,so i see that running into late Aug-early Sept.

[uhb1966]

Looks like a lot of guys and girls are using the bad weather for getting new gear. And I am doing the same... good idea because the weather cannot get much worse. I just received a focus motor, shoestring usb adapter, 70mm 420 fl quadruplet... and i got an used ccd incoming!!! Enough toys to keep me happy for a year

[uhb1966]

btw has anybody knowledge about dedicated stargazing vacations, ie vacations in exceptionally good weather / sky conditions?