Has anyone observed under Bortle 1 conditions?

[Ships and Stars]

3 hours ago, jetstream said:

Your welcome and pursuing dark skies is fun in itself. Reading reports elsewhere I've noticed that when the term "Bortle" is used by some as a static label- I even did when I said I live in Bortle 1 skies.  My skies vary as do others and to say that most any location is always "Bortle1" is very misleading.

I read a report where the observer described a Bortle 2 sky as 22mag with high 7's NELM.....and then the site was then labelled Bortle 2.

What I did in the pursuit of dark skies is to find a few dark sites that I could travel to and avoid cloud etc- it might be in your best interest to find sites such as this. I'll take a super transparent 21.4 sky over a 21.6 sky with lower trans. My best views come near zenith and I try to pick objects up high, like the Veil is now. The other night M81/M82 were nice in the 24" but no where near as good as they will be higher up.

As far as the Little Veil, try many times after warming up the eyes but don't waste too much valuable dark sky time on it IMHO- too many better objects to see lol! Normally one challenge object is included in each serious obs session here, thats it.

 

Thanks again, very enlightening Gerry. I tend to get carried away with the Bortle classifications, as you point out there are other factors which can make or break things. My main 'away' spot is definitely dark any way you look at it, and has excellent views in all directions. No traffic either!

I've missed two nights in a row at home for clear skies from midnight to 3am, early starts for work and general tiredness that time of night (surprise, surprise) have prevented me from getting everything out. I was so close last night to at least getting the 8" reflector out, shame on me!

I was able to catch up on work commitments today and start building a wheelbarrow attachment for the Stargate 500p. I've finally sorted a design that I think will work without harming the underside of the base (can't attach handles on the sides due to design). I also modified two loading ramps for my van so the wheelbarrow attachment runs up it much easier by reducing the transition angle at the bottom (the ramps were designed for lawn tractors!)

I have a few days off over the next few weeks, flexible with work so when it's clear, I will be out the door in the evening and ready to go.

Now just hoping we don't have cloud for the next two weeks!! Long term forecast not looking great, but they're always wrong, right? 😁

I can't wait, fingers crossed. Hopefully some very excited novice viewing reports next week or two!

Thanks again for your information, you might have saved me a three and a half hour drive when an equally good spot is under an hour away!

 

 

[jetstream]

1 hour ago, Ships and Stars said:

you might have saved me a three and a half hour drive when an equally good spot is under an hour away!

 

lol! This is exactly what happened to me using the SQM... I used to drive piles of miles way up in the bush to observe- only to realize our cabin was just as good! I do miss the adventures though, but its sure nice living under dark skies.

Your gonna like what you see in this scope....

[Ships and Stars]

I can't wait Gerry! Hope the weather halfway cooperates. 

[scarp15]

I guess the main consideration, late August into September, northern Scotland, would be to become located somewhere that might pick up some night time breezes. Swarms of stars will soon be diminished replaced by another kind. 

[Ships and Stars]

32 minutes ago, scarp15 said:

I guess the main consideration, late August into September, northern Scotland, would be to become located somewhere that might pick up some night time breezes. Swarms of stars will soon be diminished replaced by another kind. 

Ah, you speak of the mighty midgie perhaps! The only creature in Scotland that sends people running and screaming...

No seriously, I get a fair reaction to them and swell up. Nothing requiring a trip to A&E, but I can have just one bite and it will stop itching for a week, totally forgotten, and then suddenly come back and itch for another week. I work outside and once had my hands covered in midge bite on top of midge bite (wearing complete protection everywhere else). That was truly awful. I'm hoping they have thinned out a bit this year, though they've not been bad to be honest. NE Scotland isn't as bad as the west coast, but the Cairngorms can get pretty nasty with them. 

Good point actually Iain, I'd pushed that thought out of my mind!

[jetstream]

1 hour ago, Ships and Stars said:

I can't wait Gerry! Hope the weather halfway cooperates. 

Off topic, but the sky here tonight might be extremely good... I'm thinking NGC7331 and dissecting Stephans Quintet further with the orthos. After this back to the picturesque Veil, wait until you see those little forked tips at the end of the 2 brighter wisps...

What do you have for an OIII?

[scarp15]

Yep, sorry for dropping that one in, but I am contemplating a trip myself onto the Scottish border. These are heather moors and I will aim to reach high ground, wild camp. Still need to determine what equipment to take. Yep my experience too is that the N/E isn't as midgey as the NW. However a good few years ago, I did a long hike in to climb Ben A'an, wild camping unable and unwilling to leave the confines of the small tent, eaten alive a near certainty. I too get some bad reactions, anti-histamine tablets help a bit. Still deciding what equipment to take, but I will be taking mosie net, summer weight gloves, smidge.

2 minutes ago, jetstream said:

Off topic, but the sky here tonight might be extremely good... I'm thinking NGC7331 and dissecting Stephans Quintet further with the orthos. After this back to the picturesque Veil, wait until you see those little forked tips at the end of the 2 brighter wisps...

What do you have for an OIII?

Look forward to hearing about this Gerry.

[Ships and Stars]

Hi Iain and Gerry, I have an Astronomik OIII, bought a 1.25 second hand but then a 2" came up used but as new really, so two in the eyepiece case. I've heard, possibly incorrectly, the Astronomik OIII filters are perhaps on the 'strong' side and have a fairly narrow range of light transfer. The Lumicon OIII has good reviews as well. Wondering if a less aggressive UHC needs to be on the shopping list? Which filter(s) do you use/prefer? 

Iain - I haven't had too many problems with the midges lately, but smidge spray and long sleeves/headset are a must when they are out, usually early morning/ evening and dull grey days when there's little to no wind. When it's calm like that, beware! A nice breeze does work wonders, sends them hiding for cover!

 

[Ships and Stars]

And Stephans Quintet is another interesting one from what I've read. And the veil... Can't wait!

[jetstream]

7 hours ago, Ships and Stars said:

And Stephans Quintet is another interesting one from what I've read. And the veil... Can't wait!

It was very good tonight under avg transparency!

about the filters- older Astronomiks might be a bit wider than the new ones but they are still good. My 24" is really responding to the tight older Lumicon OIII I have on the Veil.

[Ships and Stars]

6 hours ago, jetstream said:

It was very good tonight under avg transparency!

about the filters- older Astronomiks might be a bit wider than the new ones but they are still good. My 24" is really responding to the tight older Lumicon OIII I have on the Veil.

Sounds wonderful, I wish I lived in a dark sky area in the countryside (or wilderness for that matter). It's nice having a shop around the corner, but I would certainly survive if it was 20 miles away. My current 'dream' (they change frequently) is to open a dark sky campground in the Highlands in a remote area near a loch or seaside, so I could combine kayak/paddleboard hire with well-spaced apart camping areas and little to no light pollution...

It would stay open year-round as well. Nearly every campground here shuts down after Sep/Oct at the latest, barring a very small number of exceptions.

Nice to dream, that's how I managed to do lots of different things in life so far!

Local weather forecast is looking up as well for next week. Fingers crossed as always.

Clear skies!

Edited August 23, 2019 by Ships and Stars
add info

[jetstream]

1 hour ago, Ships and Stars said:

Sounds wonderful, I wish I lived in a dark sky area in the countryside (or wilderness for that matter). It's nice having a shop around the corner, but I would certainly survive if it was 20 miles away. My current 'dream' (they change frequently) is to open a dark sky campground in the Highlands in a remote area near a loch or seaside, so I could combine kayak/paddleboard hire with well-spaced apart camping areas and little to no light pollution...

It would stay open year-round as well. Nearly every campground here shuts down after Sep/Oct at the latest, barring a very small number of exceptions.

Nice to dream, that's how I managed to do lots of different things in life so far!

Local weather forecast is looking up as well for next week. Fingers crossed as always.

Clear skies!

That sounds fantastic, and if you could exist comfortably go for it!  Why do the campgrounds shut down early? Is it cold there? Scotland sounds VG.

[Ships and Stars]

I suppose the overhead to run a campground in winter makes it unprofitable, but winter in Scotland draws a lot of people actually. Not as many as summer of course, but if you are reasonably well dressed/prepared it's amazing when a good snowstorm hits. I like my tropical beaches, but watching a decent blizzard roll through is a worthy pastime in my book! Most folks willing to camp in winter here are probably just going to wild camp anyway, without facilities, but if they were available when everyone else was closed, then I reckon I'd have a bit of business. Temps here are not cold by continental standards in the northern hemisphere, but I did have -16C in February near Braemar this past February. The highest peaks here are between 1200-1400m, but due to latitude, the temps drop quickly when you gain a little altitude, so -20C or more on the tops is possible, plus windchill. Most of the time, anywhere you can drive to in the Highlands is not going to be below freezing by more than a few degrees unless you catch a good cold snap. Here in winter the atmosphere and I am guessing transparency is brilliant, but it doesn't happen weekly!

[Ships and Stars]

On 19/08/2019 at 21:06, estwing said:

Isles of Skye...fantastic. 

 

 

On 21/08/2019 at 05:06, Geoff Barnes said:

Here you go Chris, just type in or zoom in to your location....

  https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=4&lat=6589541&lon=582262&layers=B0FFFFFTFFFFF  

Sorry folks, missed your comments! Just got back from the Cairngorms with the 20" dob. Great trip, incredible amount of light gathering from the dob, just so many stars that aren't on a normal sky atlas, I got lost a hundred times scanning the skies but loved it, doubles, stuff not on the atlas, etc. Andromeda was right there, filled a 21mm ethos from side to side and I'[m certain the Ring Nebula had a blue cast to it when I slewed over..... but judas priest on a pony, the midgies absolutely ate me alive. Ears, mouth, nose... thousands. I drove an hour and a half to home with the windows down and when I opened the back of the van, hundreds flew out. I was wearing smidge, covered from head to toe, hood up...but they were bleedin awful. Need a flamethrower next time... 

[viewer]

Nice report (glad you survived 😉)!

Very nice pic too.

Edited August 27, 2019 by viewer

[Ships and Stars]

23 minutes ago, viewer said:

Nice report (glad you survived 😉)!

Very nice pic too.

Do you have midges in Finland? I've been up past Kiruna in winter, -35C, no midges in sight  Thank the Gods!

[viewer]

More mosquitoes. Not on my balcony though when I observe in daytime during the summer... at 60N you can forget about observing in the dark for at least the three months when I think the mosquitoes are most active...

[Raph-in-the-sky]

3 hours ago, Ships and Stars said:

 

Sorry folks, missed your comments! Just got back from the Cairngorms with the 20" dob. Great trip, incredible amount of light gathering from the dob, just so many stars that aren't on a normal sky atlas, I got lost a hundred times scanning the skies but loved it, doubles, stuff not on the atlas, etc. Andromeda was right there, filled a 21mm ethos from side to side and I'[m certain the Ring Nebula had a blue cast to it when I slewed over..... but judas priest on a pony, the midgies absolutely ate me alive. Ears, mouth, nose... thousands. I drove an hour and a half to home with the windows down and when I opened the back of the van, hundreds flew out. I was wearing smidge, covered from head to toe, hood up...but they were bleedin awful. Need a flamethrower next time... 

That's an impressive scope... I can only wonder about what the universe looks like through sucha beast!

[estwing]

9 hours ago, Ships and Stars said:

 

Sorry folks, missed your comments! Just got back from the Cairngorms with the 20" dob. Great trip, incredible amount of light gathering from the dob, just so many stars that aren't on a normal sky atlas, I got lost a hundred times scanning the skies but loved it, doubles, stuff not on the atlas, etc. Andromeda was right there, filled a 21mm ethos from side to side and I'[m certain the Ring Nebula had a blue cast to it when I slewed over..... but judas priest on a pony, the midgies absolutely ate me alive. Ears, mouth, nose... thousands. I drove an hour and a half to home with the windows down and when I opened the back of the van, hundreds flew out. I was wearing smidge, covered from head to toe, hood up...but they were bleedin awful. Need a flamethrower next time... 

Annnnnd that's why we go October onwards....

[Ships and Stars]

On 27/08/2019 at 16:12, Raph-in-the-sky said:

That's an impressive scope... I can only wonder about what the universe looks like through sucha beast!

Mind-boggling! So many stars that aren't on most charts - down to mag 13 or 14 I'd guess under excellent conditions. When you star hop, you see a bright star and think it's one of your targets, until you realise it's actually something quite faint and then a bright one like Vega comes into view, bang! Need sunglasses. I haven't been out much lately, but hoping to get it back out soon once the midgies are frozen!

[joe aguiar]

grey skies is best i have gotten

joejaguar

[pete_l]

On 22/08/2019 at 15:06, jetstream said:

 I'll take a super transparent 21.4 sky over a 21.6 sky with lower trans.

Best answer!
I believe people get too tied up in sky darkness data, simply because it is one of the few attributes that can be easily quantified. A case of valuing what you measure rather than measuring what you value. Transparency, steadiness and cloud are just as important (though I'd say cloud-free beats all the others for obvious reasons). Even Mauna Kea only manages a visual darkness of 21.5 during sunspot maxima. That doesn't seem to stop them!

[noah4x4]

Best three locations I have enjoyed....one distant, one European, one local..

1. Galapagos Islands 

Truly awesome, with much more to offer and now more accessible/affordable. 

2. Caldera of Mt. Tiede Tenerife.

Long drive up to 12,000 ft from the beaches, but well worth it, even with just binoculars or small suitcase friendly telescope.

3. Orford, Suffolk.

I made three (expensive) week long trips to Kelling Heath, plus one to Keilder Forest and I never once saw a star due to cloud. So I found what is probably the nearest half -decent location to London. But frankly, I now rarely leave home and instead rely on camera/Hyperstar to beat light pollution. But with 6,000 new homes erected in my vicinity in less than a decade that is becoming more challenging. I fear astronomy might soon become as difficult to pursue from within England as Coral Reef Scuba Diving or Snowmobile racing.