2020 - how was it for you?

[JeremyS]

Happy New Year to everyone!

There are some aspects of 2020 that are best forgotten, but how was it for you observationally?

Each year I work out my observing stats which I started in 2005. I count the number of nights that I obtained any CCD photometry from my observatory in Cheshire and divide by the total nights in the year (365 or 366). This year was a bit different as I was working in India until March, so for 2020 I only counted the nights in UK. I also missed a few nights when I was elsewhere in UK, but there weren’t many of those for obvious reasons (a highlight was a few days spent in Northumberland, near the Kielder Forest, when I was able to observe visually under very good skies)

My records show that I observed on 100 nights, or 35% of possible nights. This is above my long term average for 2005 to 2020 which was 30% of nights.
The best month was Dec when I observed on 16 nights. Followed by Apr & May with each with 15 nights. Then Sep, Oct & Nov each with 11 nights. The worst month was June with 2 nights.

My main observational programme is patrolling for outbursts of dwarf novae and other cataclysmic variables. I patrolled 5955 individual stars this year.

I also recorded 2802 meteors on my 2 video cameras and the astrometry sent to the NEMETODE network for further analysis.

Had some pretty good views of the Sun in H_alpha, observing on 86 days. The best month by far was May during which I observed 29 times. This is a personal record, by a long shot and is an indication of how pleasant the wx was during Spring.

So, all-in-all, 2020 was a pretty good year observationally.

How was it for you? Do share your observing experiences!

Go well!
Jeremy
 

[F15Rules]

Wow! Some amazing stats, Jeremy!! 

How do you keep a handle on all your activities?😇

Dave

[RobertI]

Impressive observing record this year Jeremy. Well done. Very interesting to hear about your programme of patrolling for dwarf novae. This year has not been particularly good for me observationally, although I did have an excellent period during the warm summer months. I also managed a two day sojourn to Kelling Heath - sadly the clouds only parted for 10 minutes but the skies were awesome and my view of M33 through bins was so good I genuinely thought it was a passing cloud - probably the standout observation of 2020, perhaps alongside Mars. I also managed to acquire some lovely new equipment, reminding me of the versatility of the 6” F8 Newt, introducing me to the amazing planetary abilities of a 4” APO, and revealing the ‘comfort and joy’ of bino-viewing. Here’s to clear skies in 2021. 🍺

[Paul M]

Not sure if its a positive yet but this year marks my arrival in the foothills of astrophotography. So new equipment and a lot of learning are my highlights!

One of my early images back in the spring was of Quasar 3C273. Yup, it looked exactly as I expected, like a star. But it's an object that has always fascinated me and eluded me optically. Very satisfying to collect my own image of it. I hope to get to prove that the jet is attainable with my gear next spring. 

On the downside, I haven't used an eyepiece since February! I kind of missed Jupiter, Saturn and Mars oppositions due to weather and having my head glued to a computer screen on the few clear night that we had. Should I feel guilty? I think I actually do! 

In my defense, we've had very little time at our Luxury Cumbrian Villa - my "dark sky" location and where my old Fullerscope lives. I'm sure I'd have got some planet time in if we'd been able to get up there.

[JamesF]

First half of the year was pretty good for me.  I got a lot of time outside and quite a few clear nights.  Very much enjoyed it.

Since the summer however, it has been abysmal here.  Very few decently clear nights and many of those have been write-offs due to poor seeing.  It has been exceptionally cloudy and, over the last few months, extremely wet.

So here's hoping that as 2021 begins we're back to the clear nights again...

James

[Alien 13]

A good year for me although it started bad with a certain virus in December 2019 that I still haven't fully recovered from, not been outside now for a year but plenty to do and lots of new challenges indoors. 

Alan

[markse68]

Happy New Year all!

Despite it’s reputation 2020 was the best year ever for me and my telescope- but then there was only one other 😉 Lockdown clear skies gave amazing views of the planets starting early on with Mercury and Venus chasing the sun down, my first positive observation of the Pup, some really detailed views of the gas giants, my first Mars opposition and what a great introduction that was! Then there was of course Neowise- a surreal view! And my first sighting of the Veil- well 2 actually but that was all! I’m very happy with my scope and eyepieces and raring to go on whatever this new year brings  (I think i’m going to buy a camera...😳)

Mark

 

[Paz]

I recorded 132 sessions, up from 115 the year before.

This was mostly solar system targets and white light solar. If I observe solar in the day and then go out at night I count that as 2 different sessions so it's less than 132 days of observing.

Highlights were using the ed102r by far the most. I was a bit disappointed at first with this scope but realised it was because I was comparing it with bigger aperture scopes. In fact it is the best combination of practicality and quality and so it gets used a lot.

I am finally making progress with binoviewing after putting in  a lot of effort on it.

I didn't realise this until counting the sessions but I got a Skytee 2 mount this year and it has become my most used mount, I've hardly used my EQ5 or Porta 2 since the Skytee 2 arrived.

Lastly I got back to using binoculars in December after a long time only using telescopes. I did 10 sessions in December with bins and it has been great.

The majority of sessions have been short and opportunistic using smaller scopes. Often dodging cloud or looking through it has been required!

Edited January 1, 2021 by Paz

[F15Rules]

I had a nice end to the old year tonight..I managed to spot Sirius B (the Pup) with my Tak FS128 at c 10.35pm.

I used a Carton 10.5mm eyepiece barlowed with a Tal 2x Barlow to give approximately 200x. I also strongly suspected the Pup with a Nagler T2 12mm Barlow'd to 195x with a Baader Hyperion zoom Barlow 2.25x

The companion was at approximately 2 o'clock (refractor view with diagonal so right way up but E and W reversed.

Seeing was not as good as I'd hoped due to increasing wind from the flat calm during the day, but it wasn't too bad and it was a matter of using very fine focus adjustments and waiting for those short (very short) periods of relative steadiness.

Well chuffed with getting it!👍

Dave

Edited January 4, 2021 by F15Rules

[PXR-5]

Considering all we have been through, at least we had a Mars Opposition

[RobertI]

6 hours ago, Paz said:

Highlights were using the ed102r by far the most. I was a bit disappointed at first with this scope but realised it was because I was comparing it with bigger aperture scopes. In fact it is the best combination of practicality and quality and so it gets used a lot.

I am finally making progress with binoviewing after putting in  a lot of effort on it.

I didn't realise this until counting the sessions but I got a Skytee 2 mount this year and it has become my most used mount, I've hardly used my EQ5 or Porta 2 since the Skytee 2 arrived.

I think your equipment journey this year has been almost identical to mine! 🙂

[PeterCPC]

Terrible here. I have had significant health issues that have stopped me getting out but the weather has been awful anyway. I am still recovering from another health issue that saw me in Hospital just before Xmas (not Covid) . Hopefully 2021 will be better.

[Moonshed]

On 01/01/2021 at 11:22, PeterCPC said:

Terrible here. I have had significant health issues that have stopped me getting out but the weather has been awful anyway. I am still recovering from another health issue that saw me in Hospital just before Xmas (not Covid) . Hopefully 2021 will be better.

Hi Peter, I sincerely hope that the year 2021 will see a vast improvement for you regarding your health, I hope you make a full recovery from whatever ails you.

[Nigella Bryant]

Brilliant stuff Jeremy. I did a record amount of solar observation/imaging in 2020. A record 119 days. Best during March to June. Fizzled out July to December due to weather but still an average of 6 day's per month. Mostly solar due to observatory being relocated and revamped but that was another significant thing I did in 2020 plus the solar RoR up and running. Also several observations and images of comet Neowise and the great conjunction recently. Hopefully do more night time observations in the coming months. I did several observations and imaging of Mars too. So it was a good year despite C19. Thanks again Jeremy for the post. Looking back it was good. Also my pre and post processing skills have got better for solar processing. 

[Nigella Bryant]

On 01/01/2021 at 11:22, PeterCPC said:

Terrible here. I have had significant health issues that have stopped me getting out but the weather has been awful anyway. I am still recovering from another health issue that saw me in Hospital just before Xmas (not Covid) . Hopefully 2021 will be better.

Hope 2021 will be better for you. 

[F15Rules]

On 01/01/2021 at 11:22, PeterCPC said:

Terrible here. I have had significant health issues that have stopped me getting out but the weather has been awful anyway. I am still recovering from another health issue that saw me in Hospital just before Xmas (not Covid) . Hopefully 2021 will be better.

Peter,

Sorry to hear of your health problems, and I do hope things really look up for you in 2021.

Best wishes,

Dave

[PeterCPC]

Thank you, I hope that I am now on the mend. 2021 cannot be any worse than 2020.

[maw lod qan]

For my astronomy, pretty good. 

But for everyday living, pretty stressful.

[jonathan]

Having missed the Transition of Venus (clouded out) and only just caught the last few moments of the Transition of Mercury (was that 2020?  I forget now), I was very pleased to have caught some great views of Mars as it came by.  The sun woke up a little late for the party, however I did manage to get the solar scope out a few times for the recent sunspot clusters and other things, plus despite lockdowns I managed to repair said solar scope by replacing the small blue filter, which was provided free of charge by Lunt.  I have heard others comment on the poor seeing conditions and weather of recent years in my area, which have not been conducive to observing, so I'd say overall an above average year for me compared to the previous few years.  There have been other factors too, not least work stress (which has largely been absent for me in 2020, replaced by other different stress of course).

Edited January 4, 2021 by jonathan

[RT65CB-SWL]

Upside: I saw Comet NEOWISE. 
Downside: I could not see the 'super conjunction of 2020'.