When will this cloud break???

[RobH2020]

21 minutes ago, pastiche said:

According to the invoice it is a Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX FlexTube Synscan GO-TO Dobsonian. 

Aha, that's why it looks so stubby it's an extender!

[bomberbaz]

Just looked outside as i did 2 hours since and it has been the clearest evening we have had for ages. however based upon weather reports I decided against planning a session. Kicking myself now. 

[Ships and Stars]

Just squeezed in 3.5hrs here in NE Scotland for the first time in awhile. The past three or four weeks has not been good! New moon for Oct was a write-off.  Moon was brightening up sky a bit tonight until 10-ish, then fairly dark from home (20.25sqm).

I use Met Office, Clear Outside and finally, Ventusky on desktop PC to predict cloud cover. Met Office might show clear, but if there's high cloud or haze they don't pick up on it all the time. FLO CO can be good, and I use it frequently.

Ventusky is the one that really tells me if the other forecasts have much truth to them. I view cloud cover across Scotland on Ventusky and see which direction the clear areas are moving, usually W/NW to E/SE and plan accordingly.

If all three are in agreement for very clear skies and there's no moon, that's when I'll go to all the trouble of loading the big dob in the van and head for the hills. If it's a bit so-so or uncertain, I'll take the 12" dob instead to my local spot.

If it's a tiny window, then I'll stay at home with the 12" 300p flextube, or a surprise clear spell at home is usually sorted with a quick binocular session.

[discardedastro]

I've still got the scope waiting in the house for my latest FLO order (Paracorr and OAG bits) since I'll have to dismantle the optical train and strip the guidescope off to convert to OAG for this winter, and was considering putting it all out tonight to try for some imaging in the meantime but it looked marginal and has stayed that way.

FLO order still nowhere to be seen, sadly, so I'm still in for more clouds 😞

[rnobleeddy]

It's been clear enough to leave my rig imagine since 8pm, but probably cloudy enough to ruin 50% of the subs. Happy I had a night largely without technical issues though!

[Tiny Clanger]

Woo hoo !

Unexpected (according to forecasts) clear skies over Leicestershire tonight !

I'm unreasonably pleased to have looked at Mars for an hour, then eased my poor old back by switching to look for Uranus, and actually finding the blighter ( first time I've been sure I actually saw it) with a the help of ocular view on stellarium. And as I established the relevant star/planet pattern with a 32mm ep, a couple of parallel meteors zapped across my field of view at 0:44 am and winked out  while still in my field of view. Wow !

[bomberbaz]

13 hours ago, Ships and Stars said:

Ventusky is the one that really tells me if the other forecasts have much truth to them. I view cloud cover across Scotland on Ventusky and see which direction the clear areas are moving, usually W/NW to E/SE and plan accordingly.

 

Great little app mate, just saved it to my favourites. Also in asgreement with CO and BBC weather for tomorrow, Mars here I come 😉

[Paz]

I've not had much in the way of clear skies for some time. It's been no observing due to total cloud, or usually cloud dodging if I am out.