What is it with the waning gibbous moon?

[johnfosteruk]

 For me, the waning gibbous moon has been a problem, it's very much under observed, imaged and sketched - by me that is. It's either been below my local obstructions and it's not been convenient to travel, or it's been clouded out, or we've had other stuff planned, or there's been plagues of frogs, you get the idea.  

It's just not fair, whine whine moan moan etc. It really isn't, I'm having a love affair with the moon but it's like I can't have all of it and the whole thing feels incomplete. 

Anyway, it was reasonably clear of cloud in the east 2.5 hours ago so I took out the 5" newt hoping to go to 150-200x to take in some views and possibly sketch Colombo and Santbech but having forgotten I'd already read a thread or 2 over the last 24 hours complaining the jet stream was back with a vengeance I was most dissapointed to find a boiling wobbling mess, even the full disk at 36x. Atrocious.

i was cooled, collimated and last of all disappointed ? So back to Harold Hill for another night for me

Fingers crossed something improves over the next 3 before last quarter but I'm not optimistic, forecast says cloud anyway, so that's another month gone, plenty more I suppose and lots of planning to do.

moan over, and, dare I say it, clear skies I do so love this hobby ? 

 

 

[cotterless45]

Same here ! Very much used to the waxing Moon. Looking forward to darker skies and new moon doesn't help !

Nick.

[laudropb]

I share your frustration John. I have been trying to get my new to me ED 120 on the Moon for 6 weeks now, but a combination of clouds and atrocious seeing has scuppered that.

[johnfosteruk]

On 15/02/2017 at 07:17, cotterless45 said:

Looking forward to darker skies and new moon doesn't help !

Nick.

Quite right Nick. I suppose it's a case of wanting my ? and eating it. Last night for example I had a lovely early bino session but by the time the moon rose it was 100% cloud but I got some useful astronomy done so I mustn't grumble. Or I should move to somewhere above the cloud tops. 

[johnfosteruk]

23 hours ago, laudropb said:

I share your frustration John. I have been trying to get my new to me ED 120 on the Moon for 6 weeks now, but a combination of clouds and atrocious seeing has scuppered that.

6 weeks is possibly the longest cloud penalty I've seen. Are you sure the 120 was the only new gear? You didn't just build a new obsy or anything did you? ?

[laudropb]

I bought a new Skytee 2 mount as well. Obviously a double penalty. I was away for 2 weeks in Tenerife as well. Lovely clear sky there and had a trip up to the observatory one night.

[johnfosteruk]

Well there you go then. Forget 2017 and for goodness sakes don't come near me bringing your penalty with you.

 

[billyharris72]

For me - I'm in bed before midnight to get up for work the next day and I'm not really a morning person. As a result, when the waning moon is in prime position to be observed I'm asleep.