martinh40 Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 Seventh night now since I got my new scope and still no first light. I'm dying to get outside and see what it can do but the weather seems to have other ideas So, how long have you waited before being able to get out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 If it is a new scope then the affliction may last up to two weeks and then just drop down to normal (awful) seeing conditions Hope that I am wrong Regards Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 If you factor in other commitments. I've waited months between imaging sessions. Actually right now I'm up to month 6 The last time that I was out was the Mercury transit, which I believe was in March. In fairness to the weather - thats more my fault than the weather Ant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightfisher Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I was lucky when my ED80 arrived i got first light a couple of days later, it was then i found the focuser has a bent shaft, but its being sorted out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sirius Starwatcher Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 Can I recommend that any member with a new telescope who gets clear skies the day the scope arrives should not set the scope up for observing. You need to leg it to the nearest outlet that sells lottery tickets. ! my last outing was also the Mercury transit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brantuk Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 Same here - mercury transit was the last real session - spent the best part of the day watching it in the solar scope. Since then - just a couple of demos for one: a new member in our local club who was considering buying his first scope and, two: chap who bought a mount from me - literally two sessions - and both less than two hours. Very looking forward to Kelling though in just over a weeks time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben the Ignorant Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I often observe through a window even if it's heresy; when clouds clear I just move the scope a few meters. Field is too small, air is too wavy, but setup time is in seconds. When it's too cold heresy turns into blasphemy: I watch through the glass. Better than nothing for now, will deal with Armageddon in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Shepherd Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I think I would have given up by now if I hadn't been out since March! Must require great patience to maintain enthusiasm for so long. After a fairly nice April this year, we had two solid months of cloud and rain. That seemed like a very long time. Six months? <shudders> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davesellars Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Amazingly my new 12" dob received Thursday (sorry for the big storms in Oxfordshire BTW Thursday night!) received its first light the following night viewing the Moon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Spock Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 To be an astronomer with our weather you have to have extreme patience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 6 minutes ago, Davesellars said: Amazingly my new 12" dob received Thursday (sorry for the big storms in Oxfordshire BTW Thursday night!) received its first light the following night viewing the Moon. Oh, it was your fault was it? I measured 41mm of rain (1.6"). You just missed the clear observing night on Wednesday!! On Friday I took delivery of an Amazon Basics tripod with pistol grip mount for my bins. Was it clear Friday night? Was it heck! Managed first light last night with some nice views of the Moon. I'm very pleased with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHEB Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Last winter here I had to endure 7 weeks overcast skies in a row. Not a single clear night between November and January. Summer as usual was much much better, plenty of clear skies, but then of course the sky does not get dark during over two months. We can't do anything in this hobby without patience and perseverance. Use those unsuitable times for learning and planning. We are here for the long haul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Challen Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 It was the same here (SE UK). Luckily (in a sense) I was waiting for my Skylight to be finished, that happened 1st week in January and I got to use it the very next night. I've used it twice since! Not always the weather's fault, but still... Thank God for being able to travel and for binoculars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHEB Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 29 minutes ago, Roy Challen said: It was the same here (SE UK). Luckily (in a sense) I was waiting for my Skylight to be finished, that happened 1st week in January and I got to use it the very next night. I've used it twice since! Not always the weather's fault, but still... Thank God for being able to travel and for binoculars Ease of setup is definitely an advantage, so to be able to exploit any opportunity allowed by the clouds. Binoculars are great for this, mine are always ready next to the door (also for birding!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triton1 Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Mine also was the mercury transit and then after buying a new neq6 I set it up once in the living room to get a feel for it waited a couple of weeks for the weather to clear as you do then decided to take a header off the pushbike and broke my arm so nothing since the transit,when was that I've forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkVIIIMarc Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 My weather was pretty decent when my Z10 arrived. Mid summer sucked though. The long muggy mosquito season wasn't much fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveNickolls Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 You know it's been too long when you catch yourself window shopping for new gear as a way of compensating for the conditions. And no seven days is not long at all. :-) Keep in there. Cheers, Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8-Nite Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 On 18/09/2016 at 04:55, Joel Shepherd said: I think I would have given up by now if I hadn't been out since March! Must require great patience to maintain enthusiasm for so long. After a fairly nice April this year, we had two solid months of cloud and rain. That seemed like a very long time. Six months? <shudders> I've got a ranch on the market in California I'll sell you. Unlike your neck of the woods, or here in the UK, its bone dry there, dark, and ohhhhh how I miss the clear nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.