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Peak Star Party Spring 2020


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Hope all goes well and looks like you may have some clear skies, fingers crossed.

I was never coming as if all this was not going on I would not have been here due to work commitments, otherwise I may well have come as I have not yet been to a star party after last years cancellation SGL party. So I did follow the thread and am glad some of you can still go.

Have a good weekend, look after each other, keep warm so not as to give your immune system anything else to cope with.

Clear Skies

Steve

Edited by teoria_del_big_bang
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4 hours ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Thanks chaps. Probably safer there than anywhere else. Get in car, drive to field three miles from anywhere, get out of car, stay in field for 3 days, get in car and come home. Hard to get more socially distant!

just make sure everyone stays one field apart!!!......enjoy, looks like the skies are going to be kind

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5 turned up. All very conscious not to be hugging each other.  Although it's been cold enough.

The farmer came up and thanked us for coming. He's had so many cancellations. 

Not much clear sky last night. Between the clouds got a fine M51 and NGC 2392, lovely hood and central white dwarf. Just a cg5 manual mount and 8" f6 OO Newt.

Happy days ! Keep safe everyone ,

oldK.

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4 minutes ago, cotterless45 said:

5 turned up. All very conscious not to be hugging each other.  Although it's been cold enough.

The farmer came up and thanked us for coming. He's had so many cancellations. 

Not much clear sky last night. Between the clouds got a fine M51 and NGC 2392, lovely hood and central white dwarf. Just a cg5 manual mount and 8" f6 OO Newt.

Happy days ! Keep safe everyone ,

oldK.

Good stuff Nick. Depending on timing I may be able to quickly pop in a say hello, can’t stay unfortunately.

Take care up there and hope you get some clear skies.

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It was a pleasure to meet Duncan and Peter and my friend Nick I am really disappointed I had to come home early really wanted to have a great weekend of chat laughs and brilliant views it was not to be unfortunately. 

Paul 

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Crawling out of the tent at 9am Saturday Wookie (Paul  I was expecting at least a beard! 😉) had gone. I hope your back's alright.

The observing we did manage Friday night was hampered by a bitter wind and intermittent cloud until we were eventually clouded in and a nice warm sleeping bag beckoned.

Most of my observing was done through Olympus 10x50 binoculars. The usual treats were a delight under the rural skies; The Double Cluster, Orion Nebula and Hyades, with not seen before nebulosity in Pleiades and extra detail seen in Orion through the Startravel 120.

M51 through Nick's 8" newt was another Messier ticked off.

Steve arrived late afternoon and we all hunkered down in Duncan's posh living room for a good chat, but with clouds showing no sign of shifting and a rubbish forecast, I bottled out starting to pack up at sunset, arriving home at about 9pm. I'm still cold.

It was a pleasure meeting the chaps, Nick's a walking astro encyclopeadia! It's just a shame the weather didn't play ball.

 

 

 

Edited by ScouseSpaceCadet
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7 hours ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Crawling out of the tent at 9am Saturday Wookie (Paul  I was expecting at least a beard! 😉) had gone. I hope your back's alright.

The observing we did manage Friday night was hampered by a bitter wind and intermittent cloud until we were eventually clouded in and a nice warm sleeping bag beckoned.

Most of my observing was done through Olympus 10x50 binoculars. The usual treats were a delight under the rural skies; The Double Cluster, Orion Nebula and Hyades, with not seen before nebulosity in Pleiades and extra detail seen in Orion through the Startravel 120.

M51 through Nick's 8" newt was another Messier ticked off.

Steve arrived late afternoon and we all hunkered down in Duncan's posh living room for a good chat, but with clouds showing no sign of shifting and a rubbish forecast, I bottled out starting to pack up at sunset, arriving home at about 9pm. I'm still cold.

It was a pleasure meeting the chaps, Nick's a walking astro encyclopeadia! It's just a shame the weather didn't play ball.

 

 

 

I used to have a beard but with having sleep apnea  diagnosed 6 years ago maybe longer I have to shave so the mask doesn`t leak.

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Pleasure to be there and meet everyone. Managed to drink so much beer last night, lot of "dead soldiers " about. Great to meet Peter , Paul , Karen, Duncan Steve (again, full of brilliant ideas , including buying his own beer cask from the pub, "its beer o'clock".)

up at 2.30 am, Duncan's tent was shaking with snoring . Lovely deep sky zenith , Got what I came to see , the Canes Venatici galaxies.

star meets rock !

clear skies , stay safe, old Nick.

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I am overwhelmed at the kindness, generosity and support from everyone at PSP, thank you for making me feel so welcome. Your gifts of food, beer, heater, warm clothing, planisphere and astronomy knowledge are so gratefully received. 

With people leaving through health or needing to be back home for family, I am the sole survivor for Sunday night. Hopefully the predicted clear skies will materialise and I get my first proper viewing in a relatively dark area.

Looking forward to the next start party....

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2 hours ago, pcdunx said:

I am overwhelmed at the kindness, generosity and support from everyone at PSP, thank you for making me feel so welcome. Your gifts of food, beer, heater, warm clothing, planisphere and astronomy knowledge are so gratefully received. 

With people leaving through health or needing to be back home for family, I am the sole survivor for Sunday night. Hopefully the predicted clear skies will materialise and I get my first proper viewing in a relatively dark area.

Looking forward to the next start party....

It was a great pleasure to meet you Duncan I just wish I could of stayed and if we had a good night you could of seen what a achromatic can do, I think you would of enjoyed the views. Hopefully get this virus thing sorted we can make arrangements for another meet.

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I hope Duncan's extra night's stay is worth it. It's the best night's observing I've had this year at home.

If the sky is as clear at the Peaks, it will be amazing. He deserves it for braving the cold!

The consolation for me is picking off M81 and M82 this evening through a Startravel 120 despite the light pollution. Both smudges in a Celestron X-Cel 25mm, then swapping to a BST 15mm, their shapes resolved very well, both just fitting into the fov. Fantastic! They just whet my appetite for more dark sky trips.

 

Edited by ScouseSpaceCadet
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I am happy to report that the extra night was definitely with staying for, very clear skies as forecast.

I managed to get aligned well, so was able to take a tour of some of the double stars,  then went on to a few stars of interest to me before finishing off with a few Messier objects. 

I had a great time observing but when ice formed on everything I decided it was bed time (11pm)

So that officially closes PSP 2020 and all that remains is for me to thank everyone involved in the organisation of the event, thank those that made it along and wish everyone a safe time until Corona is over. 

Clear skies !!

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IMG_7527.thumb.JPG.491b3e8c63537890af4bb6e3d0bc72f2.JPGPic of the last star party this spring . That's Peter recovering from fighting to put up his tent  ! The farmer cut the site for us as it wasn't officially open.

Embodied the very spirit of meets, lots of help , tips and generosity. New friends are made , old ones caught up with .

Shallow Grange is a wonderful family site , very worthwhile stay for the attractions of the Peak District. That's when this terrible situation has safely passed.

Keep safe , work on those observing lists !

Nick.

Edited by cotterless45
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