First trip to a dark site 2/8/17

[domstar]

I was looking forward to revisiting the hills behind my friend's cottage. Three years ago at the same place I'd never seen the milky way so clear or so many stars and this time I had a telescope. Ok the moon would be up till after midnight but last week with the new moon it had been raining. So with barbecued hot dogs in our stomachs and sleeping bags in our car we set off. Just one thing- unbeknown to me, other people had been invited. Instead of two adults and four kids there were now fourteen of us including two bottles of whisky for the three guys excluding me and wine for the women. It was a great party but I was nervous to say the least. This was not how I had imagined it. The stars eventually came out and I reluctantly set up.

First it was Saturn and the reactions from the first observers caused a queue to form. Then to the moon, which was throwing the brightest shadows I'd seen (you know what I'm trying to say). people were impressed at 90 times magnification looking at the terminator but were amazed at 30 times. This was surprising for me and it was by far the most popular view of the night. Somebody asked what stars looked like with the telescope so I showed them Albireo, which didn't impress. I then moved on to Bode's and the cigar galaxy and by the time I showed the Andromeda galaxy I could only entice one person to have a look. Seeing my chance, I packed up and decided to join the whisky drinkers and enjoy a wonderful party. Chatting in the dark under the stars is really underrated. By one o'clock just me and my ten year old son were still up whispering in our t-shirts and shorts. The temperature was still in the twenties and there wasn't a drop of dew on the ground. 

I woke up at about three o'clock for a call of nature and saw a huge fuzzy thing low in the east(ish). I couldn't work it out. It looked like a galaxy from space wallpaper. Why had I never heard of this before? I checked the Andromeda galaxy naked eye and couldn't quite see it. Then it occured to me that it was Pleiades. It was a while before I could make out some of the stars.

At six o'clock I was woken by a crack of thunder so we threw everything in the car and drove away under heavy rain, exhausted.

The moral of this story is- sometimes naked eye stargazing is as amazing as you need.

p.s Unthinkingly, I chose today to change my address on my driving license so the bags under my eyes and unruly hair will remind me of this night every time I have to show the photo.

Thanks for reading

Dominic

[Richard Hather]

Very enjoyable read you are right of course halfway through a session I always have a coffee and just gaze at the stars ✨ 

I can't wait until my son is old enough to join me for a session maybe this winter is the time ?

Ps also a nice whisky can't be sniffed at ?

Clear skies ✨????

[alan potts]

Nice report, could only get one to come and look at a galaxy, must have been the whisky.

Alan

[PeterW]

Problem is little people nodding off too early... tried to wake mine up to see the Milky Way once... his loss! It's a shame that people weren't up when the "good stuff" was about. At starparties I snack and drink all through the night. My fellow "partiers" usually have a good taste in booze... mainly for those "less than useless" nights!

cheers

PeterW

[estwing]

I'm turning into an afternoon kipper to stay ready for the night ahead....unless its raining, then the mob hit the vodka,hard!

[Pig]

51 minutes ago, estwing said:

I'm turning into an afternoon kipper to stay ready for the night ahead....unless its raining, then the mob hit the vodka,hard!

I am looking forward to the rain ?

[MarsG76]

Sounds like a good night, astronomy and booze.. nice stuff, and a license photo as a memory of the eventful night for years to come.