Hello from Bristol

[Pain in the Neck]

Hi Richard, and welcome to SGL.

Unlike you I am a complete beginner (my first post on the forum a few days ago - ‘Yet Another Newcomer’), but have the same issues as you in looking for some easily accessible decent dark sky sites around Bristol. I am in east Bristol, but the Mendips are not too far to travel. I was also looking at joining Bristol AS before the lockdown, hopefully to benefit from some knowledgeable and experienced observers. Please keep us up-to-date with your location searching, and who knows, I might see you there one evening.
 

Clear skies!

Charles.

[Richard Wesson]

12 hours ago, John said:

What scope do you have ?

 

I have the 130pds with EQ3 on an EQ5 tripod. Not the heaviest set up admittedly, but once all of the ancillary kit is included a little inconvenient to carry on one shoulder hence thinking of cart etc.

[Richard Wesson]

22 hours ago, Pain in the Neck said:

Hi Richard, and welcome to SGL.

Unlike you I am a complete beginner (my first post on the forum a few days ago - ‘Yet Another Newcomer’), but have the same issues as you in looking for some easily accessible decent dark sky sites around Bristol. I am in east Bristol, but the Mendips are not too far to travel. I was also looking at joining Bristol AS before the lockdown, hopefully to benefit from some knowledgeable and experienced observers. Please keep us up-to-date with your location searching, and who knows, I might see you there one evening.
 

Clear skies!

Charles.

Hi Charles, 

I saw your post yes - I am not too far off a complete beginner although have done little bits and pieces this year. The Mendips are pretty close - around half an hour for me so in very easy reach. I shall keep you up to date with any locations I find and hopefully catch up at some point! 

[Pain in the Neck]

Thanks Richard. No point in me checking out the Mendips just yet - I am so new to this hobby I don’t yet have a telescope! I ordered my kit a few weeks ago, but the chosen OTA was not in stock, so just a mount, eyepieces, barlow, collimating eyepiece etc. at the moment - not much use on their own, although I have at least managed to practice polar aligning the mount. Hopefully no more than a couple of weeks now, so no doubt the clouds will start to roll in...

Keep in touch!

Edited July 20, 2020 by Pain in the Neck
Sign off

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Peter in Bedfordshire 🙂

[robbymain]

Hi Richard and Welcome to SGL

I'm based up in North Bristol and joined BAS last year (that reminds me I am late with my subs!). They are a lovely bunch and I've also volunteered for their public outreach events which are good fun. They did one at The Downs overlooking the Gorge last December plus one at Victoria Park this year before Covid-19 stopped the fun - just when BAS were starting the regular Failand weekend events =P

I'm probably one of the folk on here you've read banging on about Wellow and Velvet Bottom etc.... I am yet to take a scope to either location lol

However this autumn it's all going to happen so if you would like some company then count me in 😃

[Pain in the Neck]

Count me in too! Getting a bit fed up with the streetlight outside my back garden outshining just about everything. Jupiter and Saturn are still drawing me in every time I set up, as they are bright enough to be worth watching despite Bortle 8 or so. The sky isn’t stupidly bright, I just can’t get any night vision.

[ian2]

Welcome to SGL!

[John]

10 hours ago, robbymain said:

... They did one at The Downs overlooking the Gorge last December plus one at Victoria Park this year before Covid-19 stopped the fun - just when BAS were starting the regular Failand weekend events =P.

I did the Downs one. Actually had some clear skies !

My task was to show folks Neptune with my ED120 refractor. A bit of a challenge but most managed to see it I think

My avatar pic was taken at the Failand observatory. I was there all on my own to observe the lunar eclipse. Worth the effort though:

Nice reminder about the BAS subs ......

[igorigs]

Hi mate, warm welcome to SGL!

[robbymain]

13 hours ago, Pain in the Neck said:

Count me in too! Getting a bit fed up with the streetlight outside my back garden outshining just about everything. Jupiter and Saturn are still drawing me in every time I set up, as they are bright enough to be worth watching despite Bortle 8 or so. The sky isn’t stupidly bright, I just can’t get any night vision.

Have you thought about approaching the council and asking them to shield it for you? Patient and repeated polite pestering can work wonders with even the least motivated bureaucracies 😃

[Pain in the Neck]

Not a bad idea robbymain - I have heard of it working on occasions.

What happens when I ask them to unshield it when BBQ season starts up again? It's actually quite useful then! 🙂

[Richard Wesson]

On 13/09/2020 at 12:00, robbymain said:

Hi Richard and Welcome to SGL

I'm based up in North Bristol and joined BAS last year (that reminds me I am late with my subs!). They are a lovely bunch and I've also volunteered for their public outreach events which are good fun. They did one at The Downs overlooking the Gorge last December plus one at Victoria Park this year before Covid-19 stopped the fun - just when BAS were starting the regular Failand weekend events =P

I'm probably one of the folk on here you've read banging on about Wellow and Velvet Bottom etc.... I am yet to take a scope to either location lol

However this autumn it's all going to happen so if you would like some company then count me in 😃

Hi Robby, 

I am just round the corner from Victoria Park! I will join BAS the virtual meet tomorrow looks intersting although with potentially clear skys getting out with the scope is tempting.... Have had a look at Wellow and velvet bottom in the daytime and both look promising. Also have looked at Dundry and there seems to be some potential there. Have you been over to Priddy? 

I would very much like some company and there looks like some good stuff coming up. Be good to have somebody there to correct various errors... Pain in the Neck would I think be interested too! 

[Greg Shaw]

Hello Richard

Welcome to the Forum I am also in South Bristol and recently joined the Forum too.

I have been able to get some good images using the IDAS LPS-D2 filter in my camera. It doesn't substitute dark skies but with some processing you can colour balance and pull out all of the nebulosity 

[wesdon1]

On 17/07/2020 at 17:29, Richard Wesson said:

I have been lurking here for a while so thought that I would say hello. I am based in Bristol (UK) and have been largely been observing and doing a little imaging from my patio here in south Bristol. However, I have a hankering for darker sites and have seen posts from time to time from people in this neck of the woods suggesting various places like Wellow and the Mendips. 

 

I did a bit of a recce last weekend and thought I would explore around Priddy in the Mendips which is a shortish drive and found Deer leap which has (at least in daytime) some good views south across the levels. Has anybody used this location or have any advice/thoughts? It would be good to have some company on the odd session too!

Welcome to SGL Richard! I see you have a 130PDS ? I had one of those for my second telescope purchase, after first owning the Skywatcher 114/500 Newtonian Reflector. I had some amazing views of Planets and some brighter Nebulae with my 130PDS! and that was achieved in my Bortle 9+ Skies!! I now own my 3rd 'scope, a Skywatcher 200 ( 8 inch Aperure ) Dobsonian. The views are breath taking! Wes, Liverpool, UK.

[Jm1973]

On 19/07/2020 at 21:18, Richard Wesson said:

Not too far away then - I understand there are some good spots to the north of Bristol too?

Hi Richard. I'm in the north of Bristol. Henbury to be precise. Interested in any good spots in this neck of the woods. 

[Richard Wesson]

It seems like there are a good number of us scattered around Bristol. I wonder if it may be a good idea to look at observing together on occasion and covid restrictions permitting? Obviously BAA do sterling work, but this may augment that and allow sharing of locations. 

 

JM - I live in Henbury when I first moved to Bristol!  Cant really think of any dark sky sites immediately there, but Mendips not too far. 

Wes - the 130pds is a great little scope. 

Greg - I am not far from Victoria Park, and the skys at the back of my flat are not too bad, although obscured in some directions. 

[Saganite]

Hi Richard, welcome to the forum....

[robbymain]

On 21/09/2020 at 20:00, Richard Wesson said:

It seems like there are a good number of us scattered around Bristol. I wonder if it may be a good idea to look at observing together on occasion and covid restrictions permitting? Obviously BAA do sterling work, but this may augment that and allow sharing of locations.

Definitely - let's make this happen! I suggest we explore Velvet Bottom and Wellow as prime candidates? They are both 50 mins from my house so I am happy to try either!

I am happy to meet up for a socially distanced coffee or beer to get things rolling. I'm in farthest North Bristol within earshot of the M5 but can easily pop into town via M4 and M32...

[Greg Shaw]

Sounds great guys count me in.

[Richard Wesson]

On 23/09/2020 at 10:53, robbymain said:

Definitely - let's make this happen! I suggest we explore Velvet Bottom and Wellow as prime candidates? They are both 50 mins from my house so I am happy to try either!

I am happy to meet up for a socially distanced coffee or beer to get things rolling. I'm in farthest North Bristol within earshot of the M5 but can easily pop into town via M4 and M32...

Excellent - sounds good. Be good to meet up - you too Greg. Do you both want to PM me and then we can sort out meeting up?

 

[Pain in the Neck]

If you can put up with a complete beginner tagging along, then please count me in. Happy to receive a PM, or attend a planning meet (rules permitting).
Charles.

[robbymain]

On 25/09/2020 at 15:35, Pain in the Neck said:

If you can put up with a complete beginner tagging along, then please count me in. Happy to receive a PM, or attend a planning meet (rules permitting).
Charles.

Of course, the more the merrier 😃

[robbymain]

On 25/09/2020 at 15:35, Pain in the Neck said:

If you can put up with a complete beginner tagging along, then please count me in. Happy to receive a PM, or attend a planning meet (rules permitting).
Charles.

Hi Charles I just PM'ed Richard in here about arranging a drink one evening to meet up and talk potential dark sky options so please do the same 😃

[Richard Wesson]

Have sent PM to Robby and included those who expressed an interest in the thread - let me know if it didnt come through.