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Shall I give up now?


AstroNebulee

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May I suggest you do as much as you can while it’s cloudy to ensure your kit all works as it should when the clear night comes.

Seven weeks ago I was all ready to go with my first automated unattended imaging session, now I’ve forgotten how to switch it all on.

I’ve come to the conclusion that in the UK clear skies are a more precious commodity than all the imaging kit combined.

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10 minutes ago, tomato said:

May I suggest you do as much as you can while it’s cloudy to ensure your kit all works as it should when the clear night comes.

Seven weeks ago I was all ready to go with my first automated unattended imaging session, now I’ve forgotten how to switch it all on.

I’ve come to the conclusion that in the UK clear skies are a more precious commodity than all the imaging kit combined.

Yep, all kit set up ready to go, notes written and you tube videos watched

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I hope you get some good data tonight and enjoy 😊, I did look at the MO video forecast and the area around Norfolk, Suffolk and Kent looking real good tonight. Trouble being in Cornwall we get the brunt of the Atlantic weather and my village being high up gets a fair bit of fog and mist, I'll keep checking through the week incase of a change, it can't go on surely. 

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4 minutes ago, Mike73 said:

Yep frustrating but it will come good in the end. I have high hopes for September 👍

 

Let's hope so Mike been a right off so far. September is generally good down here isn't it, still 2 weeks to go. Reminds me of the Green day song but change it to Wake me up when August ends haha 

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1 minute ago, Maideneer said:

Last night it showed all red for me but turned to be perfectly clear.  Don't trust any forecast 100% and don't give up hope!

Yep agreed maideneer, I do check over 3-4 apps and keep checking right up until set up time, just this doesn't instill any hope when you see it and had it for this many weeks. 

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22 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Let's hope so Mike been a right off so far. September is generally good down here isn't it, still 2 weeks to go. Reminds me of the Green day song but change it to Wake me up when August ends haha 

I usually hibernate in August its just not worth the stress of trying to go anywhere its just too busy here. Although I had to go on a work training course 'up north' to Gloucester today and the M5 coming home has left me mentally drained. Thats it though, that's the last time I'm leaving Cornwall this year! *sits back under the porch drinking moonshine and playing hillbilly banjo 😂

Yep I love September here, I have 3 weeks off work booked so keeping all my fingers crossed.

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I'm at the foot of Cross Fell (Northern Pennines) & 10 miles from the Lakes so I'm blessed with around 1,000,000 different weather systems, any and all forecasts are usually wrong. When its clear here the skies are pristine (thats what keeps me going and sane) but in AP i've certainly chosen a 'challenging' hobby as far as needing clear skies goes.

 

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  • Stu changed the title to Shall I give up now?
7 hours ago, Astro Noodles said:

It's showing amber for me now on CO with 14mph wind. There isn't a cloud in the sky or a breath of wind. Always worth taking a look outside.

Yep I always keeping checking outside just incase as the forecasts are always known to get it wrong sometimes. For me MO tends to the most accurate and take an average from all my weather apps and look outside. 

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7 hours ago, Mike73 said:

I usually hibernate in August its just not worth the stress of trying to go anywhere its just too busy here. Although I had to go on a work training course 'up north' to Gloucester today and the M5 coming home has left me mentally drained. Thats it though, that's the last time I'm leaving Cornwall this year! *sits back under the porch drinking moonshine and playing hillbilly banjo 😂

Yep I love September here, I have 3 weeks off work booked so keeping all my fingers crossed.

I think next year I'll hibernate in August too. That M5 is sure a killer this time of year especially, I expect it has left you mentally drained, enjoy your moonshine and hillbilly music haha, I expect you can hear mine from there. Good luck with your time off in September and hope clear skies appear. Checking all the apps and a glimmer of hope is on Monday 🙏

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6 hours ago, nephilim said:

I'm at the foot of Cross Fell (Northern Pennines) & 10 miles from the Lakes so I'm blessed with around 1,000,000 different weather systems, any and all forecasts are usually wrong. When its clear here the skies are pristine (thats what keeps me going and sane) but in AP i've certainly chosen a 'challenging' hobby as far as needing clear skies goes.

 

It is indeed a challenging hobby, I guess it's what keeps up going in search of the inages to help our addiction, it's not for the faint hearted is it. Your weather system sounds like mine down here can be anything and everything, clear skies. 

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17 hours ago, AstroNebulee said:

6 weeks and counting for a clear night and this is the forecast for the 7th week, just hope it changes for the better 😔😔

Screenshot_20210816_194619_com.android.chrome.jpg

I find it helpful to consult apps like that when the urge to hit the 'Buy' button on stuff like MESU mounts, Celectron Edge HD, Takahashi and similar equipment gets really strong (due to surfing the web in boredom because it is cloudy outside). 

Edited by Viktiste
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I believe that we get about a 10% chance on average of a night which is clear enough for astronomy in the UK for at least part of the night. When you take away full moon nights, lack of darkness in the summer etc, you might expect about 20 or so ideal nights. So think on average 3-4 nights a month when astronomy is possible and 1-2 when conditions are ideal in an average year.

Not really enough to satisfy an obsession. 

I don't think that astronomy in the UK is viable as someone's only hobby. The frustration of fixating on weather forecasts in the hope of a clear night surely will lead to madness.

I am just glad that I didn't rush out and buy thousands of pounds of kit. It just isn't justifiable with our weather. 

Just make the most of the clear nights. 👍🙂

 

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This hobby is the long game. It has been a good while since I did any committed observing. Depending on where you are; the summers can be too light, hot midgy and combined with the turmoil of the last near two years of restrictions. 

13 hours ago, Mike73 said:

I usually hibernate in August its just not worth the stress of trying to go anywhere its just too busy here. Although I had to go on a work training course 'up north' to Gloucester today and the M5 coming home has left me mentally drained. Thats it though, that's the last time I'm leaving Cornwall this year! *sits back under the porch drinking moonshine and playing hillbilly banjo 😂

Yep I love September here, I have 3 weeks off work booked so keeping all my fingers crossed.

Nice to see you posting again Mike. Yes September can potentially be the start of gaining renewed motivation and hopefully some settled weather.  

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