Hello from Edinburgh

[Sierra Golf Mike]

Davy,

I have just returned to SGL in the last couple of weeks after a few years away. I never really got proficient at anything but enjoyed it immensely. I want to try and produce half decent images and the help and advice offered on SGL by a great bunch of like minded but much more knowledgeable people will help me achieve this. Welcome to SGL, I'm sure you'll have a great experience.

 

[JamesM]

Hi Davy and welcome to the forum

Clear skies

[sloz1664]

Hi Davy and a very warm welcome to the Lounge.

Steve

[Thalestris24]

Hi Davy

Well, all I can say is stay away from Glasgow! Otherwise, enjoy this fascinating hobby

Louise

[johnfosteruk]

Welcome to SGL Davy from a fellow ex lurker

Plenty to do on a cloudy night here, which is fortunate!!

Clear skies

[tony210]

Hi and welcome Davy- best wishes Tony

[Sleepy Kiki]

Hi Davy

wishing you a warm welcome to SGL from someone else in Edinburgh!

[Woolnut]

Welcome to SGL  Joined up a few months ago and haven't looked back!

[davyludo]

34 minutes ago, Sleepy Kiki said:

Hi Davy

wishing you a warm welcome to SGL from someone else in Edinburgh!

Hi Sleepy Kiki. 

Do you have any advice on places around Edinburgh to get slightly darker skies? I have read that some people go to Harperrig reservoir. I was also having a look at and thought Threipmuir reservoir might be worth a visit too. Currently living in the North West of the city and was looking around for a place nearby....but light pollution maps make it look like south is the way to go! Originally from the South of Edinburgh (and I still have family there - so the Pentlands are an easy stop at the weekends). 

Cheers, 

Davy 

[Sleepy Kiki]

On 27/02/2017 at 14:03, davyludo said:

Hi Sleepy Kiki. 

Do you have any advice on places around Edinburgh to get slightly darker skies? I have read that some people go to Harperrig reservoir. I was also having a look at and thought Threipmuir reservoir might be worth a visit too. Currently living in the North West of the city and was looking around for a place nearby....but light pollution maps make it look like south is the way to go! Originally from the South of Edinburgh (and I still have family there - so the Pentlands are an easy stop at the weekends). 

Cheers, 

Davy 

Hey Davy

Harperrig is indeed a popular spot especially those from the Central Scotland Observers Group, they are friendly bunch so its worth dropping them line as they organise meet ups when the clouds are away. Its a good opportunaty to meet like minded folk for help and advice and to check out some astro gear . I more of an imager so my not-so-portable gear is planted in my garden in Duddingston

[mert]

Was clear over Edinburgh last night and a very frosty morning now

[davyludo]

26 minutes ago, mert said:

Was clear over Edinburgh last night and a very frosty morning now

I got up for a drink during the night (around 3) and Jupiter was gazing down at me through the window. Telescope was sitting next to the window, so I popped in an eyepiece and had a quick wee look....for about 20 minutes. Even through the double glazing I could see some banding and the 4 moons. The sky seemed really still last night, very little twinkling of the stars. If it had been a weekend I would have quickly packed the car and gone for a drive....work can be so inconsiderate some times....

[davyludo]

1 hour ago, Sleepy Kiki said:

Hey Davy

Harperrig is indeed a popular spot especially those from the Central Scotland Observers Group, they are friendly bunch so its worth dropping them line as they organise meet ups when the clouds are away. Its a good opportunaty to meet like minded folk for help and advice and to check out some astro gear . I more of an imager so my not-so-portable gear is planted in my garden in Duddingston

I've heard about CSOG. Might need to go and have a wee look at their forum and introduce myself. I'm the only one out of my existing friends that has an interest in astronomy so would be good to meet some like minded people. Thanks for your help 

[hippie]

Welcome to SGL Davy .

[Les Ewan]

HI Davy,

My first observing site was in Broughton Place less than a mile from Edinburgh City Centre and back in the 70's I saw the Ring Nebula for the first time with a 60mm refractor so things can be seen.I was surrounded by buildings so direct streetlight were blocked off but I had to stand on a 6ft wall to see the Orion Nebula with binoculars!

Regarding Harperrig you may get more than you bargained for observing there as its within The Bonnybridge Triangle.In 1992 a flying saucer was spotted hovering over the main road close to the tree in the image. The event was featured in the LWT series Strange But True?

[davyludo]

22 minutes ago, Les Ewan said:

HI Davy,

My first observing site was in Broughton Place less than a mile from Edinburgh City Centre and back in the 70's I saw the Ring Nebula for the first time with a 60mm refractor so things can be seen.I was surrounded by buildings so direct streetlight were blocked off but I had to stand on a 6ft wall to see the Orion Nebula with binoculars!

Regarding Harperrig you may get more than you bargained for observing there as its within The Bonnybridge Triangle.In 1992 a flying saucer was spotted hovering over the main road close to the tree in the image. The event was featured in the LWT series Strange But True?

Hi Les, 

It's good to know that you can still see things from that close to the City Centre! I'm quite lucky that my mum lives close to the Pentlands and her garden looks South. The surrounding houses block out the street lights and I can tuck myself away in a corner...sheltered from the wind and neighbours lights! So for being in the City, I can probably see quite a lot (just nothing to the North). She's quite happy for me to pop up and visit her and use the garden while I'm there...don't think she would appreciate me turning up solely to use her garden though 

I live in a flat in the North of the City, however the windows face South - so I'm looking over pretty much the whole City....so obviously I see less from the flat. 

I'm really just trying to get a feel for places around Edinburgh that I could try out some darker skies (and look North!). I was camping in Glen Clova with a friend last year, I'd been talking about how I was getting into astronomy and attempted to point out a few bits that I knew.....I looked up and had no idea where I was. There were so many more stars than I was used to, that I found it incredibly difficult to pick out constellations that I knew. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful....but he wasn't very impressed that I just stood there going "Ehhhhhhhhhh......I THINK that is Cassiopeia?"

Noted - don't go to Harperrig alone, unless I don't mind playing with E.T. and his family. 

Cheers, 

Davy

[popeye85]

It can be a bit intimidating when you go somewhere line that but you will be surprised about how quick you class that as the norm and anywhere you go with a bit more LP gets classed as a disappointment.

https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=8&lat=7566430&lon=-337765&layers=B0TFFFFF

Have a look at this for ideas- as you can south or east is the direction to go! I was up at harperigg last night for the first time and I was actually disappointed by the amount of light pollution up there- think I will still to me wee spot in East Lothian!!

[davyludo]

23 minutes ago, popeye85 said:

It can be a bit intimidating when you go somewhere line that but you will be surprised about how quick you class that as the norm and anywhere you go with a bit more LP gets classed as a disappointment.

https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=8&lat=7566430&lon=-337765&layers=B0TFFFFF

Have a look at this for ideas- as you can south or east is the direction to go! I was up at harperigg last night for the first time and I was actually disappointed by the amount of light pollution up there- think I will still to me wee spot in East Lothian!!

Hi Popeye,

That's exactly what I'm worried about....quite happy with my LP view just now....worried that I go to darker skies and can no longer get away with viewing from the garden and it all becomes a disappointment 

Thanks for the link - I'd stumbled across that map a few days ago when I was looking for places. Was trying to find somewhere in the North of Edinburgh...HAAAAA! Not a chance. South or East it is. I might have to come out and visit your neck of the woods at some point.

Cheers, 

Davy

[popeye85]

I would say that it is defo worth a drive out! Give us a shot and I will be happy to point you in the direction of a couple wee spots I know.

[popeye85]

If it's not too much of a drive then 'whitekirk' just south of North Berwick is a great wee spot.

[davyludo]

12 minutes ago, popeye85 said:

If it's not too much of a drive then 'whitekirk' just south of North Berwick is a great wee spot.

I'm actually going to be out that way with family at the end of April for a week in a wee cottage. So I'll have a look at some maps and see. 

Was thinking about taking my new ST102 along with me anyway (getting it for my birthday at the end of the month).

[popeye85]

Well just give me a holwer if you want someone to observe with.

[davyludo]

1 minute ago, popeye85 said:

Well just give me a holwer if you want someone to observe with.

Cheers popeye, appreciated 

Give me the chance to have a peek at your 150p! I was thinking about getting an Explorer 150p at the end of the year...don't have a feel for how big it is though. 

[Les Ewan]

HI Davy,

I left Edinburgh 38 years ago and been at my present home since then. Im directly across the Pentlands from Harperrig. I would think LP conditions though far from ideal in Edinburgh may now be somewhat improved with modern downward directed street  lighting.Another big problem in the 70's especially early in the decade was chimney smoke in the evenings.Because of smoke the clearest conditions occured after midnight.

LP in my present location is mainly from the north and a little from the west.Along with the South(towards the sparsely populated Borders Region)East is best for dark sky looking towards the Lammermuir Hills the same area that gives Popeye his East Lothian  southern dark aspect.

Les.

[davyludo]

4 minutes ago, Les Ewan said:

HI Davy,

I left Edinburgh 38 years ago and been at my present home since then. Im directly across the Pentlands from Harperrig. I would think LP conditions though far from ideal in Edinburgh may now be somewhat improved with modern downward directed street  lighting.Another big problem in the 70's especially early in the decade was chimney smoke in the evenings.Because of smoke the clearest conditions occured after midnight.

LP in my present location is mainly from the north and a little from the west.Along with the south,East is best for dark sky looking towards the Lammermuir Hills the same area that gives Popeye his East Lothian  southern dark aspect.

Les.

Hi Les,

Thanks for additional information 

Awesome, looks like I'm taking a driving adventure to the south East then! I don't really know the Lammermuir Hills, so I'll definitely look into the area. 

I've got a lifetime of this hobby ahead of me...I'm sure I can burn a few years learning the south and the East...then I'll just convince the other half to move somewhere so I can swap to the north and west 

Thanks again,

Davy