Dumb or WHAT!!!!

[Bigwings]

At last clearish skies, stumble out of bed at 4am after a night partying. SCT set up align...[removed word] poor power connection not secure....Align gosh those stars dont look very bright but align succesfull.

DSO search on goto......Nothing. Kick tripod....align agin. Frost on Binos and dull views even with my 40mm which is in use. CLOUDS roll in..coffee bed.

Now this a.m putting kit away I find the 15% moon filter on my 40mm.

Dumb or what?

[astro_dt]

Wouldn't say dumb, just sounds like a typical observing session

It never goes according to plan and I never get those stunning views that are in my head when I start!

[Milliways]

Hehe... i have done that.. I was taking photos of the moon (with the lunar filter on) and forgot to take it off.. "hmm why cant i see the andromeda galaxy and why is the M42 so dull??" I took about an hour of exposure before i realized... now that is dumb

[James]

I'm sure most of us have done that or something similar at some time...

When I first set up my 10" reflector I reached up to the cover and took it off... a few minutes later when frustrated at the frankly rubbish views of getting of M42 I realized I'd taken off the smaller cover giving me an aperture of about 50mm. After about 20 years of observing in one shape of form I was embarrassed it took me several minutes to realize what was wrong. Oh well...

James

[Tim]

On the contrary, rather than being dumb, I reckon getting up at 4am for a bit of observing is the stroke of genius! We've all done that though, I've taken hours of photos with the cover or mask on, so you're in good (dumb???) company

But one question, shouldn't you be stumbling IN to bed after a night partying? :)

[Bigwings]

Good point TJ.

I did stumble into bed earlier..well fell in. Needed some sleep and a few hours to let the booze levels drop. Couldnt observe then as I would have had trouble parking the Zimmer frame in order to move the SCT.

On refexion its a good job the interstellar police didnt charge me with being drunk in charge of a telescope.