WADAS forum 3

[Mark62]

My BBC weather has this and rain later 

[rockystar]

@Mark62 think he was suggesting tomorrow night. Met office has it pretty clear

 

[Mark62]

1 hour ago, rockystar said:

@Mark62 think he was suggesting tomorrow night. Met office has it pretty clear

 

I thought he was talking about to night also

[mapstar]

2 hours ago, mapstar said:

BBC has the forecast as clear all night Wednesday up at Winscar (dunford bridge). The DLB will be at 46% and was just wondering whether it would be worth trying to get a bit of scope time even if only until the moon does make it's presence felt (about 1 am). Astronomical darkness around 6pm so could get some nice targets  

Calm it down guys, I said the forecast was wrong for this aft but tomorrow does look o.k. at present

[Mark62]

lol I am calm. In fact I'm falling asleep I'm that calm 

[rockystar]

I was hopeful that I might be able to come out tomorrow, but turns out my wife has other plans

on separate note, does anyone want any back issues of sky at night magazine, before I dispose of them?

[mapstar]

9 minutes ago, rockystar said:

I was hopeful that I might be able to come out tomorrow, but turns out my wife has other plans

on separate note, does anyone want any back issues of sky at night magazine, before I dispose of them?

Gutted for you, hopefully it will be a clear evening 

[rockystar]

I'll be in the garden if It's clear here

 

[astrotyke]

Garden here too if it's clear

[mapstar]

Winscarr for me. I expect to be there for around 5pm if not sooner 

[Soupy]

Sorry Damian I'll be in Kielder getting ready for storm Babbs! 

[Mark62]

I will not be there Damian I have hospital appointment at 6:20 in Leeds 

[mapstar]

Just rechecked the weather and all is looking good.

Windspeed of 11mph but saying clear all night

[Mark62]

Hope you get out. Winds picking up here. Hope it stays calm and clear for you. Good luck 

[MattGoo]

Had a brief rain shower here, and it's supposed to clear up by 5pm for me. Might be able to get out in the garden tonight once baby is asleep.

[2STAR]

3 hours ago, mapstar said:

Just rechecked the weather and all is looking good.

Windspeed of 11mph but saying clear all night

I may join you Damian, will keep an eye on weather

[2STAR]

Met Office and local BBC have it clear, Clear outside has it 2%, looks ok, if you are going Damian let me know for sure and I will join you there

Eric 

[mapstar]

5 minutes ago, 2STAR said:

Met Office and local BBC have it clear, Clear outside has it 2%, looks ok, if you are going Damian let me know for sure and I will join you there

Eric 

Eric I'm just loading the car up and going to have a bit of tea then head up. Should be there for half 5 latest 

[astrotyke]

Clear here in Wakefield, im at work till 6 so tonight i think ill just setup at home seen as i havnt been out for 2 months and maybe give the dslr a go

[rich6626]

 Yeah my first time for yonks!! Looking good tonight, just had my first 'proper' view of Venus!! 

[2STAR]

1 hour ago, mapstar said:

Eric I'm just loading the car up and going to have a bit of tea then head up. Should be there for half 5 latest 

Loaded up just having a cuppa then off

[Soupy]

Good luck at Windscar chaps. Forecast for Kielder wasn't great for the next few days So left kit at home to make space in the car.  Lo and behold it's crystal clear and the seeing looks great too!

[astrotyke]

It was cloudy here a bit ago

[mapstar]

I arrived at Winscar at half 5 and got set up. Darkness had already fallen so half an hour later I was ready.

Eric arrived about 7pm and started to set up but after the initial power ups he found the windows update had caused problems with his camera software. So it would be a visual night for him.

Cloud around 9pm caused a break in proceedings and due to problems Eric had already had he decided to pack away and just steal a few views through my scope.

The temperature had dropped from 2°C to 0°C and everthing was beginning to develop a thick layer of frost on it.

I gave Eric a view of the Orion neb and he was able to pick out the E and F stars. 

Whilst checking some galaxy observations on stellarium Uranus popped up as a good target.

Using Eric's phone stellarium and the staf chart we successfully tracked it down in the constellation of pisces near to NGC488 and 524.  It looked a pale blue colour although we couldn't be certain that the small points of light around it were the moons.

Eric left around 11pm and I stayed on mopping up the targets till more cloud or fog rolled in at half past midnight.

The scope was by that time thick with Ice and I quickly found the primary was fogging over explaining a lot about the struggle I had for the last half hour.

I packed up and got in at half 1.had a cuppa before hitting the eider. 

[rockystar]

nice one Damian, that frost looks nasty.

I'd decided to go out after some dinner, but it was raining I thought that was it for the night, but looked out the window an hour later and it was beaut. So got the gear all set up, picked out a few targets, and then wife came home lighting up the house and wanting to watch something.

eventually out at 10:20, managed nearly 2 hours and the scope was dripping.

it was good to get out - It's been far too long!