Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b83b14cd4142fe10848741bb2a14c66b.jpg

Not in the mood... :/

furrysocks2

By furrysocks2
in The Astro Lounge

Recommended Posts

furrysocks2

furrysocks2

Posted
Posted

First clear night in AGES, no moon - no enthusiasm.

Put in 10 hours building a custom (squint) shed for the garden today so am pretty knackered. Just been outside and it's the best sky I've seen in weeks. The thought of dragging stuff out and getting dark adapted and cold is all putting me off. I'd love to go in search of a new fuzzy but too brain-fried to get into it.

 

Shame.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 73
  • Created
  • Last Reply
John

John

Posted
Posted
30 minutes ago, bunnygod1 said:

I know exactly what you mean, sometimes its the first clear night for a while and the motivation just isn't there. Its easy to get out of the habit during long cloudy spells.

Very true. I seem to have been feeling that way for the past couple of months :undecided:

I think Doug is right that sometimes a break is a good idea, and not one forced by a spell of poor weather.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
iPeace

iPeace

Posted
Posted
Just now, John said:

Another expensive bit of kit that would not get used I'm afraid :undecided:

These cost more than most of my scopes did !

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Tell me about it...

But these do get used the most of all my kit! Just got back in, and had a great little session. Then the clouds came in, as if to say "one more open cluster, then it's bed for you".

So now a blazing fire and a little vino. Really friends, it's not all that bad.

:happy11:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
furrysocks2

furrysocks2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, cloudsweeper said:

Sometimes just a very quick session is all you need - no need to draw it out, maybe just some old favourites.

Or some new ones...

 

Fetched my hooded down puffer from the car, pulled the observing chair out of the garage onto the grass and grabbed the monopod and 15x70s. I remembered seeing The Binocular Sky newsletter in my inbox today, so I printed that out and fired up Stellarium.

"The Deep Sky" section listed a few I know (M45, M42 and the trio in Auriga), and some I didn't (M35 in Gemini, with NGC 2158 and IC 2157 nearby, and M44 and M67 in Cancer). I sketched out Gemini and Cancer on the back page and used Stellarium to annotate. Vesta got added and I had my targets.

 

I think I've only used the monopod once - some handlebar grip tape or something on the trigger body might help keep the cold off a bit?

Having learned where Cancer was, M44 was visible naked eye. In the binos, the center stars looked like a Christmas Tree. M67 was an easy find, too. I think it was M44 I watched a satellite transit directly through the center, west to east, 21:44 or just before - although it might have been M35.

I spent a while looking at M35 and the area to the south-east. I think I remember the field of view in the 15x70s being 4 degrees or so, which helped. M35 was big and bold, and having seen the orientation and spacing of NGC 2158 and IC 2157 in Stellarium, I was able to match that to two small, indistinct patches, the latter more so and only by staying with it for some time was I able to have some confidence.

Vesta was an easy spot and I took in M45 and M42 and revisited the trio in Auriga, very briefly to the Hyades before taking a break.

 

Anyway, I knew as soon as I'd stopped that I'd be packing up. Walking back out 10 minutes later to Perseus and Cassiopeia dominating the high NW was tempting, but no need to push it. I enjoyed my wee session, getting to grips with using the monopod and I've a few new targets for the dob.

 

Cheers for helping me out of a fug, bunnygod1 and to Steve for the newsletter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dave In Vermont

Dave In Vermont

Posted
Posted

When one is simply "not in the mood"- just accept it. Rather than spending the night indoors while emotionally abusing yourself for simply being honest with yourself.

Seems many people engage in the self-abuse. Strange animal, the human-mind is. It drove me to study psychology - and John Cleese was a clinical-psychologist, who was driven to study comedy! :D

Bah!

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John

John

Posted
Posted

A dose of Tak medicine applied to Jupiter has just delivered a nice uplift in enthusiasm :icon_biggrin:

Straight from the house with no cool down time the Tak is showing several belts, a wonderfully salmon red Great Red Spot and 4 moons strung out. Lovely :hello2:

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
popeye85

popeye85

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, Dave In Vermont said:

When one is simply "not in the mood"- just accept it. Rather than spending the night indoors while emotionally abusing yourself for simply being honest with yourself.

I agree. If it's a chore to go out then accept it-you are never going to get the best session if you are only out cause you feel you should. Nothing wrong with sitting at home with your feet up on a cold night! As @Moonshanesays-the stars will still be waiting for for you when you do next venture out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mr Spock

Mr Spock

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Dave In Vermont said:

Seems many people engage in the self-abuse. Strange animal, the human-mind is. It drove me to study psychology - and John Cleese was a clinical-psychologist, who was driven to study comedy!

Psychology? Along with chemistry, optics, speleology, herpetology and a whole load of other things I can't remember off the top of my head - one wonders what you do in your spare time? :biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John

John

Posted
Posted

I seem to recall that John Cleese (who was born about 10 miles from where I live) read law at Cambridge ?

I think the clinical psychology was an honarary degree that he was given recently recognising his work on the "How to Survive ...." series and the Video Arts training stuff.

I do like him in "How to Irritate People" though :grin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cloudsweeper

cloudsweeper

Posted
Posted

Anyway - I'm back into the thrust of observing - got up at 2.30 and had a look at Jupiter - 2 bands, 4 moons.  Masking off most of the aperture in the ST120 reduced the glare and fringing, so at under x100 he was looking great.  

I then scanned some stars and wondered why they were so dim.  Dohhh - open up the aperture again!

Doug.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grotemobile

Grotemobile

Posted
Posted

 

20 minutes ago, cloudsweeper said:

Anyway - I'm back into the thrust of observing - got up at 2.30 and had a look at Jupiter - 2 bands, 4 moons.  Masking off most of the aperture in the ST120 reduced the glare and fringing, so at under x100 he was looking great.  

I then scanned some stars and wondered why they were so dim.  Dohhh - open up the aperture again!

Doug.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/variable-polarizing-moon-filter.html

This is what I use on Jupiter Doug. Works very well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Stu

Stu

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, John said:

Another expensive bit of kit that would not get used I'm afraid :undecided:

These cost more than most of my scopes did !

Thanks for the suggestion though.

That's not quite true John.... I doubt you'd get an APM LZOS TMB GTi 130mm f9.2 for £879, or if you did can you let me know where!!! :):) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Scott

Scott

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

Psychology? Along with chemistry, optics, speleology, herpetology and a whole load of other things I can't remember off the top of my head - one wonders what you do in your spare time? :biggrin:

Historian/ wouldbe author

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.