How Did You Fare In 2018?

[cloudsweeper]

Because we're all so keen to get out and enjoy the treasures of the Cosmos, it's easy to get frustrated when conditions are less than favourable.

So has it been such a bad year?  For me in NW England the last few weeks have been awful - with the exception of Christmas Eve! - but a quick look at my log shows I've had 86 sessions this year.  Some more would have been nice, but I'm not too unhappy with over seven a month.  And I might just finish the year with another (early) session tonight!

How have others fared?

Doug.

[kirkster501]

For me, dreadful.  Started off not too bad in Jan/Feb with a few clear nights.  Then summer sets in and that's no good for working people when it gets dark at 11....  And since September cloud, cloud and more cloud.  Very, very few clear nights in the evening hours.

Let's hope for a better 2019, it can hardly be worse (can it?)

[ollypenrice]

Down here it was a pretty typical year (meaning good) until November-December when it's been dire. November has an excellent track record so this was unusual. However we are entering a clear spell at the moment so it's looking up. We had more thunderstorms than usual in the summer but they do put on a good show!

Olly

[Miguel1983]

Like you said, same conditions here in Belgium last few weeks, just awful.

I also notice that every time there was a vacation, i work in construction, the weather was bad almost the entire vacation.

This summer i was in the south of France for 15 days and i brought my Skymax 127 along and had 1 very good evening, i had prepared a list of Messier and NGC targets and was able to see 97% of them, the rest of the time it was semi-cloudy or we were disturbed by a bright moon with some cirrus.

Then the lunar eclips came along at the end of our stay in France, that night was just dreadful, we missed the entire event due to heavy clouds.

So hopefully 2019 brings us all loads of clear skies, happy New year everybody !

 

 

[DavidJM]

A terrible year, too much working away and too much cloud cover, broken by a working trip to Australia where I saw the southern hemisphere night sky, managed about 30 sessions, here's to clear skies in 2019

[SteveNickolls]

Hi Doug, Thanks for posting this. It's fascinating to see how others have fared. I've kept an astronomy log and run each season from June through to the following May and attach a table comparing seasons from 2012-13 to the present.

Comparison of monthly observations 2012_2019_Seasons.docx

This season has been exceptional without feeling that way, I think it is in some part down to imaging on the clearer nights and observing when conditions are less good but maximising opportunity whenever you can.

Fascinating to see how others have fared.

Clear skies,
Steve

[upahill]

Not a great year returning back to the hobby for me. More nights tackling problems and relearning stuff than actually imaging - but that's part of the curve so looking forward to 2019 where every session goes perfectly! ???

[cloudsweeper]

25 minutes ago, SteveNickolls said:

Hi Doug, Thanks for posting this. It's fascinating to see how others have fared. I've kept an astronomy log and run each season from June through to the following May and attach a table comparing seasons from 2012-13 to the present.

Comparison of monthly observations 2012_2019_Seasons.docx

This season has been exceptional without feeling that way, I think it is in some part down to imaging on the clearer nights and observing when conditions are less good but maximising opportunity whenever you can.

Fascinating to see how others have fared.

Clear skies,
Steve

Thanks, Steve - an interesting analysis, which makes me feel my experience of 86 outings this year has really been quite good.  Still, let's hope it'll be better for all of us next year!

Doug.

[kirkster501]

Steve, do you live in the same Nottingham as me?  ?  Nine observations in December?  I suppose it depends what you mean by an observation. A glimpse of the stars though cloud filled skies I would never judge as worthy of the word.  We had a few hours of clear on Xmas Eve , albeit with a bright moon, and clear on a xmas eve when you have kids is no good whatsoever.  The odd gap in the clouds to see Orion for 5 minutes etc.

I do take your point though that it has been so bad lately that maybe we have to be thankful for those odd 5 minutes spells.  I'm beginning to think the frosty, cloudless skies with a brilliant Orion and Auriga beating down on us with Leo rising to the East are a thing of the past in the winter months.  I remember dozens of session like that with bins and a star map before I had the money to buy astronomy gear.  Ever since I got serious kit - 2011 or so - it has been dreadful.

[Paul M]

I guess there were a couple of good periods but summer nights don't get fully dark here so ok for the planets but not my favourite stargazing season.

Autumn and winter, so far, have been poor. I don't think there has been a proper clear sky for about 3 weeks.

The forceast for tonight looks promising for here in Cumbria. Go out with a bang!

[scarp15]

Not quite so sure what my tally is but it has been quite patchy. A number of reasons such as I like to invest time going on dark sky trips, this autumn winter period so far has provided one short session opportunity. In Newcastle which is not so far from the coast (the coastal areas seem to have faired a little better), there has been a reasonable number of clear full or partial nights (typically around the full moon) to at least venture into the yard with binoculars for brief periods.  Each time I travel to visit family in Lancashire, I take along my 8" dob, recently - in between clouds -  the full moon and Mars was positively received. Challenging though due to weather forecasts and work commitments impacting occasional good nights.

[almcl]

Managed 91 imaging sessions this year (not including a stargazing week in Wyoming where we had very dark, clear skies every night). This is better than usual, mostly down to 16 sessions in October which hasn't been a good month in the past. 

The replacement of our street light with an appallingly bright LED which lights up the whole back garden brightly enough to read a newspaper, has more or less put paid to visual observing from home, so a few visual sessions may have got missed.

[PeterCPC]

In a word - Dire. As usual.

Peter

[Demonperformer]

In fairness, I suppose number of clear nights have not been too bad overall, but this does not necessarily mean I have been out. During the summer, the heat was so intense during the day I was just exhausted all the time and so never got out for the short summer nights. I have been out a few times in the last month - the last one was a total disaster, but the one before that I got one of my best images so far. Hopefully, having a "plan" for 2019 means that I will be more motivated.

[carastro]

I just looked back at my imaging time for 2017 and 2018.

2017 I took just over 45 hours imaging time (not including the time I imaged in Spain as we are talking about English weather I presume). 

2018 was somewhat better, out of 10 planned camping weekends we only had to cancel 2 due to the weather and I imaged 91 1/2 hours this year.  The weather was so good in the summer that I and another Astronomer went to camp two weekends running, but Boy was it hot!!!

N.B. some of my imaging is done with a dual rig, so the times get doubled up.

Carole 

[Gina]

I don't think I did any imaging this year!  Not just because of the weather but because I just didn't feel the inclination.  I'm feeling a bit more inclined to have another go next year though and trying to wind up my enthusiasm.

[sloz1664]

New Year's resolution Gina.....Have A Go. As soon as those downloaded images appear on your screen the enthusiasm will rocket up

Steve

[Paz]

I will get my notes out and count up, often the amount of observing time I have clocked turns out to be more than I thought.

I've had long spells of cloudy weather or work/other responsibilities getting in the way but there have also been some good spells.

The last few months have seen the least activity but interestingly I have noticed I am much better rested and I'm sleeping better hours without the disruption of late night observing. I must keep this in mind and pace myself when the opportunities pick up again.

 

[Gina]

I ought to keep notes...

[ShrewView]

Always interesting to hear what others achieve.

Only 45 sessions this year for me out of around 115 possible clear nights. Which just goes to show I could probably do more if work, other social commitments and laziness didn't get the better of me sometimes ?

Although its better than 2017 its only half what I managed in 2016, so I'm hoping for better next year.

[cloudsweeper]

2 minutes ago, Gina said:

I ought to keep notes...

.....I might be verging on the obsessive!  I keep a sessional log, plus lists of targets seen arranged by type/classification (Messier, doubles, planets...), and a book of targets to be seen by constellation.  All enhances the experience, I reckon!

Doug.

[Highburymark]

Poor year here in London too - ignoring the obvious light pollution, we've had fewer clear nights than normal. What's more it has been a year of very little activity on the Sun due to solar minimum. Stargazing during a trip to Menorca in July was also disappointing due to high humidity. Thankfully I now have a night vision monocular so I can take full advantage of clear nights when they arrive.

[scarp15]

Just checking my notes; 6th October then 29 December for dark sky location sessions, so quite a fair gap, still looking forward to the next opportunity, whenever that may be. 

[cloudsweeper]

Oh well, the final hoped-for session of the year did not come to pass.  But it seems my 86 was not a bad count!

Thanks to everyone for the input here.  Good to hear such optimism and the taking advantage of even brief opportunities to indulge in our common passion.

And even when we can't get out there, it's still great to share in the assortment of posts here on SGL.

Happy New Year to all my fellow members!

Doug.

[des anderson]

  Best year yet with 121 clear nights , in my part of Essex. 

2014 98    Clear nights

2015 78         :        :

2016 94          :        :

2017 93          :        :

2018 121        :        :

This is based on a minimum of 2 hours observing in my observatory, with the months of May[16] June[17] July[16] being the best, with December the worst with just 3 clear nights. Des