WADAS forum 3

[2STAR]

24 minutes ago, mapstar said:

Looks like the clouds are clearing but I'm not sure about the 2 hour journey back from the dales and a few hours before work.

so heading to Winscar I'll be up there for 8 or just before lets hope the high hazy stuff isn't there 

See you there, fingers crossed haha

[Vicky050373]

Is it forecast clear that way tonight? Tempted to pop down for a couple of hours as we haven't been out for ages but the early shifts this week are putting me off. See how I feel in an hour. Might just bring my Equinox 80 and Porta Mount to do a bit of visual for a change

[mapstar]

Just home and glad I didn't venture to the dales.

The sky initially was very transparent but as darkness fell the high hazy cloud moved in from the west and created a milky washed out sky not helped by the waxing DLB. 

Managed a few targets but they were underwhelming to be fair. I will probably write a report but sleep first  

[mapstar]

Myself, Vicky and Eric made it to winscar last night although the conditions weren't great.

I will put a report in the appropriate section 

[Vicky050373]

8 hours ago, mapstar said:

Myself, Vicky and Eric made it to winscar last night although the conditions weren't great.

I will put a report in the appropriate section 

What time did you and Eric call it a night? I got home around midnight. I enjoyed it even though the sky wasn't great and we both struggled achieving focus due to the conditions. Thank you for sharing the views through your amazing scope. Can't believe we couldn't nail comet 41P. Demonstrates how poor the sky really was! Got a few nice observations in, including Europa moving into occultation behind Jupiter during the course of the evening, and viewed a couple of nice galaxies including NGC 4560 The Needle Galaxy and M64 The Black-Eyed Galaxy which is another Messier ticked off my list

[UKJay1971]

Any of you imagers who go to Winscar? I'm just getting into my hobby but am more interested in imaging rather than observing. It'd be good to hook up with some fellow imagers for company / tips. Also, are there often astronomers at Windscar on clear nights? UK remote car parks often attract other, erm, 'visitors' and I'd rather not interrupt, especially with a car full of imaging equipment

[Vicky050373]

Hi there, yes, a couple of us image (including myself) who go to Winscar. When we meet up we enjoy doing our own thing. Viewing or imaging we'll each be on with our own thing, but keep bobbing to each others scopes to see what everyone is up to, and what they are imaging or viewing. Pop along to one of the upcoming meetings for a chat and to meet us. We have a meeting this Thursday at Horbury Academy, starting at 7.30pm. We have a speaker although we'd have time after the meeting for a chat. We do get people driving into the car park whilst we are there, but they soon turn around and drive away again when they realise we are not looking for the same sort of entertainment LOL. I've not been involved with any trouble whilst there, however I wouldn't want to be there on my own. Skies have worsened at Winscar due to increased LP and sky glow and it has been a bit disappointing recently, however we always seem to make a good night of it when we meet up. Sometimes the company and sharing the hobby with your astro mates is just as important as the quality of the view

[Vicky050373]

My quickly jotted viewing report from last night. Not worth going into too much detail as the sky was not very good to really submerge yourself into the views on offer. However, I bagged a couple of new Messiers (M65 & M66 visually rather than when imaging, M64 and M105) bringing my total to 37/110

[UKJay1971]

Thanks for a great reply Vicky. I was thinking of coming along on Thursday - but skies might be clear then too so it depends on how that shapes up. I will be coming along sometime though - be good to meet up with others

[Vicky050373]

It'll be good to finally meet you as I know you've dropped into the thread a few times in recent months. We are back to one meeting a month now until the summer "break" so check on here, Facebook or the website for dates of the upcoming meetings. After this Thursday's meeting there will be meetings on 15th June and 13th July as we are meeting early in July due to the school closing for the summer. Unfortunately, the season is almost over but we still endeavor to meet up whenever we can for shared viewing/imaging sessions

[2STAR]

1 hour ago, Vicky050373 said:

My quickly jotted viewing report from last night. Not worth going into too much detail as the sky was not very good to really submerge yourself into the views on offer. However, I bagged a couple of new Messiers (M65 & M66 visually rather than when imaging, M64 and M105) bringing my total to 37/110

Well thanks to Vicky for noticing that my first alignment problem was not adjusting the HC for daylight saving !!!, the sky looked good early but turned a bit washy with some high cloud, so didn't do any video imaging due to this, but decided to spend a while on alignment, repeated the process no less than 8 times, all targets in the eyepiece , so very worthwhile practice for me anyway, got there about 8ish, Damian already there, Vicky turned up about an hour later, I stayed untill around 00:45 , Damian decided to stay a bit longer. I would think Sutton Bank would be worth a visit as it's not too far, or the Dales elsewhere, can't afford to let the light evenings get in the way, we don't get out enough as it is !!! better to travel later and a bit further. ps: my Telrad Finder is just the job also.

Eric

[Mark62]

Glad you managed to get out last night  I would have come out my self but had only just got back from my weekend in Scotland. Good report Vicky and glad you got the scope sorted Eric 

[rockystar]

I was eyeing up your night out too, but was recovering from a migraine earlier in the day

[Vicky050373]

The Moon 04.04.2017

Canon 100D and Skywatcher Equinox 80 ED refractor

Single 1/400 second exposure at ISO 400

[MattGoo]

Had a quick bash this afternoon at processing some data I collected on a rare clear night a couple of weeks ago.

This is 17x300s L subs, so 1hr25mins worth of exposure, on M101 Pinwheel Galaxy.

See you all tonight anyway!

[mapstar]

Good meeting tonight and an excellent talk by G. Followed by the usual top curry with lots of laughs.

Thanks to all that tirned up and a warm welcome to our new members Mike and Ben.

Damian 

[Soupy]

lovely images, Matt and Vicky.

 

great meeting tonight indeed Damian, was a very good turnout and curry and company were excellent as usual. Need more great nights like this, helps make up for the constant cloud!

[Mark62]

Really enjoyed the talk Gain. Good to see so many there. Glad you all enjoyed your curry also

[Dec]

Great night last night.

Excellent talk Gain. Really enjoyed it. I'm one of those guilty of chasing messiers and nothing else. Certainly puts a different perspective on things.

Cant wait to get out now. Roll on some clear skies!!

[Bengrant76]

Thanks all for a great night, a very thought provoking talk from Gain, makes you think just how much stuff is out there, and how much of it can be seen with modest equipment. Also thoroughly enjoyed a good curry with good company, you really are a very welcoming and friendly bunch in Wakey! hope everyone managed to make it to work today  after such a late night!

Ben

[Mark62]

4 minutes ago, Bengrant76 said:

Thanks all for a great night, a very thought provoking talk from Gain, makes you think just how much stuff is out there, and how much of it can be seen with modest equipment. Also thoroughly enjoyed a good curry with good company, you really are a very welcoming and friendly bunch in Wakey! hope everyone managed to make it to work today  after such a late night!

Ben

Glad you enjoyed the night Ben hope to see you out viewing with us one night also 

[Bengrant76]

1 minute ago, Mark62 said:

Glad you enjoyed the night Ben hope to see you out viewing with us one night also 

Defo. Can't wait! 

[notaclue]

It was an interesting talk from Gain.  Some of those images were quite  spectacle to see.

[Dec]

Hi all,

I'm going to do a bit of stargazing tonight at either Sutton bank or into dales, possibly malham if anyone fancies it.

DLB is up so conditions won't be ideal but fancy getting out anyway. Have a bit of testing/faffing to do with scope so be good to get that done.

[Vicky050373]

Cracking image Matt! Great to see you getting out and getting some data.

Dec, not sure what I'm doing tonight yet. The bright moon is putting me off heading out very far to be honest. Contemplating just going to the cricket club, although if anyone was going to Winscar I might pop down there. Adam fancies getting out, and he suggested the cricket club as it is local for a few of us. Some of the Huddersfield lot are meeting at their observatory later, although I'm not sure it's worth me trailing over there with the DLB out in force. Keep in touch this afternoon and I'll see what I fancy later. It's good to get out but the sky isn't going to be great for fainter stuff wherever we go. It's just nice to get out sometimes though