Observing Meet - Jan. 19

[L8-Nite]

Hello everyone, hope you all enjoyed the Holidays.  I would like to kick off the new year by proposing an Observing Meet at our Blaenavon site on Friday January 19 th, with Saturday January 20 th as an alternate pursuant to the weather. These are two of the darkest nights this month, and hopefully if the weather is favourable, many of us can catch up once again and possibly welcome some new observers as well.

For those who haven't been to the Blaenavon observing site before, it is located next to the radio masts northeast of town at the " Fox Hunter " car park. The coordinates are.......

On Google Earth:  51* 47' 25.74" N  by  3* 4' 10.74" W

On Google Maps: 51.790573,  -3.069705

Check this thread for updates, and on the day, in the afternoon, to see if the observing session is a "GO" or a "NO-GO" based on the current weather forecasts. If its a "GO", as a courtesy to the group, please post your intentions here if you do plan to attend. It's a long drive for many of us, and I'm sure nobody wants to arrive and end up observing alone.

 

Cheers, and clear skies to us all !

 

 

[Freff]

Hi Mike, yes but quiet and uneventful..thank goodness.

Sounds good for those dates. Thanks for the heads up.

cheers.

[Astralstroll]

Happy New Year Mike,

Both dates look good for me. Looking forward to getting to a dark site again.

 

Dave

[L8-Nite]

Early update:  Conditions at Blaenavon are looking poor for Friday at the moment. I'll post another update on Wednesday.

Think clear skies.

[valleyman]

Hi Mike, 

Hope all is good with you and the family. Good see some activity here.

Just a reminder :- Rule No 1..........................Never bother with the forecast until 1 minute before you make the Call :). This is Wales.

Pat

[L8-Nite]

Hi Pat,

Thanks, everyone here survived the holidays, lol.  Yes, I'll be looking at a consensus of forecasts, and then consulting my big toe for more accurate information 1-minute before making the call.    Got to bump this thread along a little just as a reminder that there might be a glimmer of hope for clear skies at the end of the road to Blaenavon. Look forward to catching up with you Pat, and Dorothy says hello.

[Astralstroll]

Keeping my fingers crossed for some good weather this weekend.

[L8-Nite]

Update:  Conditions continue to look poor for Friday.

[Astralstroll]

Hi Mike,

After checking Scope Nights and the Met Office earlier today it seems that both the Friday and Saturday nights are currently looking rather poor still. Lets hope our luck improves soon.

 

Dave

 

 

[L8-Nite]

Hi Dave,

Yeah, same general predictions I'm getting.

[L8-Nite]

UPDATE:  It looks very poor for observing at Blaenavon this evening, with an average of about 85% cloud cover and windy conditions throughout the night.

Calling it early for those who may have alternate plans for tonight.

The Observing Meet is a " NO - GO "

[Freff]

Thanks for the update Mike. 

Piy it wasn't last night, clear skies wall to wall.

 

[Astralstroll]

Mike,

Many thanks fort he update. I've been checking the forecasts all day and it doesn't look promising. Lets look forward to the February meet!

 

All the best, Dave

[L8-Nite]

Sorry for the late update, just got my computer problem sorted, been up to my neck in alligators today, lol.

Our alternate meet for tonight is also a " NO - GO "

Hopefully conditions will improve in the near future.

[Astralstroll]

Yes, let's hope our luck with the weather improves. It's been grey and raining here for most of the day, so it's no better this side of the bridge.