Darkest Sky Ever!

[niallk]

After a battering all day from Ophelia, the skies were clear last night. And dark. Darkest ever - thanks to no electricity (and no water/mobile coverage...).

Wow - brought my wife (never looks through my scopes!) and eldest daughter out to marvel at the Milky Way at zenith and the dark rifts and incredibly starry sky.  Naked eye was just amazing. Oh to have this all the time...

It was very gusty, so I didn't bring the scope out, and had to sleep in with my kids to reassure them in the darkness.  However, I woke up at 5:45am, looked out the window and it was calm, so I said to myself that I just gotta get out. Threw the 15" out (no cooling) and had a browse around. Tbh, the sky was showing tinges of brightening with the oncoming dawn. Still nice to roam around Orion in the south west, though it wasn't the best I've ever seen.  Swung over north eastwards to test the outer arms of M81: visible and huge, but I be seen better once before. I really needed to have been out earlier but hey, I at least I tried!

It was a beautiful clear morning so gave my new DS unit a 1st light on my LS50THA - dramatic contrast enhancement - especially on filaments and granular structure across the full disc.

Pleased just to get the kit out and use it - it has been weeks, and the upcoming weather doesn't look great either.  Still no electricity locally, but looks like clouds are building up: I'd have loved to get out properly tonight with the darkness!

 

[scarp15]

Quite unique circumstances, you certainly gained some advantage getting out when you did.

[niallk]

19 minutes ago, scarp15 said:

Quite unique circumstances, you certainly gained some advantage getting out when you did.

Yeah, I really regret not getting out earlier!!! D'oh!

[LukeSkywatcher]

Glad to see you are all ok down there Niall. I was wondering how you were doing. Ophelia didnt let up til about 1am here. I was in bed by that time. The power went off from 2pm-8pm which was a bit of a pain. My mobile network also went down. When the network did come back (same time as the power), the credit i had in my phone was gone........vanished.

Im still trying to figure it out. I only ever connect to my Wi-Fi at home. I couldnt yesterday. Where did my credit go?

[niallk]

48 minutes ago, scarp15 said:

Quite unique circumstances, you certainly gained some advantage getting out when you did.

Yeah, I really regret not getting out earlier!!! D'oh!

(Oops double post )

[niallk]

I had actually started to put my scope out - going to chance gaps in the cloud - and suddenly bathed in street lights! Electricity is back :/

I could have lived with it coming back in the morning... !

[niallk]

19 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Glad to see you are all ok down there Niall. I was wondering how you were doing. Ophelia didnt let up til about 1am here. I was in bed by that time. The power went off from 2pm-8pm which was a bit of a pain. My mobile network also went down. When the network did come back (same time as the power), the credit i had in my phone was gone........vanished.

Im still trying to figure it out. I only ever connect to my Wi-Fi at home. I couldnt yesterday. Where did my credit go?

Thanks Paul - glad you are ok + hope your mother is too.

Weird about your credit: if WiFi went down, was it trying to default back to the n/w and incurring data charges? Or else it's a big conspiracy theory that the mobile operators are chancing making a quick buck!!!  They should all be wearing balaclavas anyway, imho...

[LukeSkywatcher]

21 minutes ago, niallk said:

Thanks Paul - glad you are ok + hope your mother is too.

Weird about your credit: if WiFi went down, was it trying to default back to the n/w and incurring data charges? Or else it's a big conspiracy theory that the mobile operators are chancing making a quick buck!!!  They should all be wearing balaclavas anyway, imho...

I thought the very same thing (Wi-Fi down and phone defaulting to 3G data charges or whatever). However, i have never enabled data usage on any phone i have ever owned simply because i have a "pay as you go" phone (always have), and to use it while out and about to connect, doesnt come cheap. 

I didnt even bother trying to connect by any means yesterday as the network was down. I think it was just a choice opportunity to make a quick buck from PAYG customers. I thought about ringing them (oh...wait.....i cant cuz i have no credit). I know what they would say anyway "Thats strange,we have no idea".

Im still puzzled as to how/why my mobile network went down and came back on at exactly the same time as the electricity.

Think i'll change networks anyway because myself and my mother are on different networks and to phone each other is also expensive. I will change to her network (she cant really change hers to mine because of illness) and i will go for one of those all you can eat packages for 20 euro a month. Tried one before but hardly ever used my phone so it was a waste of money. Now i use it 3 times a day for long periods of time to chat with her in hospital.............i'll get my money worth. I'll be able to keep my existing number..........so thats good.

Sorry................gone off topic.

[Special K]

Wow, that sounds incredible, despite the trauma due to lack of electricity!  Just goes to show what is out there beyond the light pollution.  Glad you got the chance to see something that dark from the comforts of home.......that's very rare!