Clear Sky Etiquette

[AMcD]

I have for some weeks been revamping my system with a mono camera, second hand Triplet APO, remote controlled scope cover etc.  On the first night in weeks when it looks to be clear enough to test and calibrate the new system I have a family 50th Birthday party.  I will have to go, but it led me to wonder how many would choose the clear skies instead...?

[tomato]

Family would come first with me, it’s just a hobby at the end of the day. But it would be great to have the option of a a 100% robotic set up so I could just enter a target days before and let it all happen by itself if the sky was clear. These systems do exist I believe or else I could pay someone else to take the subs with remote imaging but that still does not appeal somehow.

[AMcD]

My set up is remote control but, in addition to needing to test and calibrate the new configuration, I too like to be hands on, if only from the comfort of the house!

[Ratlet]

If it were local I'd probably turn up for a polite amount of time and do it when I got back.  I've got kids and get hangovers like I've contracted a virulent tropical disease so my wife would probably consider it a win if I stayed sober, left early did some imaging and ended up getting up an hour or two later the next day.

In this case I would be "exceeding expectations", but only because the expectations of my wife would have been low to start with 🤣

[tooth_dr]

3 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

If it were local I'd probably turn up for a polite amount of time and do it when I got back.  I've got kids and get hangovers like I've contracted a virulent tropical disease so my wife would probably consider it a win if I stayed sober, left early did some imaging and ended up getting up an hour or two later the next day.

In this case I would be "exceeding expectations", but only because the expectations of my wife would have been low to start with 🤣

Genuniely laughed at this, sounds very familiar 😂

[Zermelo]

1 hour ago, AMcD said:

I have for some weeks been revamping my system with a mono camera, second hand Triplet APO, remote controlled scope cover etc.  On the first night in weeks when it looks to be clear enough to test and calibrate the new system I have a family 50th Birthday party.  I will have to go, but it led me to wonder how many would choose the clear skies instead...?

This is an astro incarnation of the well-known "why on earth did she arrange her wedding on the same day as the cup final?" scenario.

[Alan White]

2 hours ago, Zermelo said:

This is an astro incarnation of the well-known "why on earth did she arrange her wedding on the same day as the cup final?" scenario.

My initial reaction to this quote was yes, but then to be honest as a total non-football fan, I have been known to utter the words 'what final'!

On the OP question....
I feel your pain, but I too would choose family first and miss the astro clear night.
But we all have different priorities and that my friend is a very personal call to make.

I have to say, whenever one of my daughters visits, it is always suddenly clear, she is like a cloud charm,
but when she visits, no astronomy at all or only if she asks to do so, she is keen.

[TheThing]

To be fair, there will be another birthday next year (hopefully!) and 50 is no more special than 51.  Clear mights, however, are few and far between.  If family are any good, they will understand.

As an aside, my family never did, which is why I gave up talking to them over 20 years ago!

[Paz]

I would skip the astronomy and do the party, no one would understand or sympathise with thr idea of missing the birthday parrty!

[Astroscot2]

If I had £1 for every time a social event coincided with clear skies.

[ONIKKINEN]

For big events, which 50th could be interpreted as i would grudgingly choose the event. For any other event clear skies come first because losing just one clear night is equal to at least 5% of the entire astronomy year. Especially so if it is a moonless night, then i might be coming up with excuses to not attend even the 50th.

Others dont understand how deranged astronomers are so i wouldn't really even try to explain it to them and just say sorry im busy 😁.

[Carl Au]

I like astronomy, been involved for 55 years. If, and that’s a big if, that some amazing for one night/opportunity to see something I would never see again, perhaps I would find a work around. I don’t enjoy social occasions at all, I am not wired up for them, but it’s just a hobby at the end of the day, and there is always another night so family comes first 

[AMcD]

1 hour ago, Carl Au said:

I like astronomy, been involved for 55 years. If, and that’s a big if, that some amazing for one night/opportunity to see something I would never see again, perhaps I would find a work around. I don’t enjoy social occasions at all, I am not wired up for them, but it’s just a hobby at the end of the day, and there is always another night so family comes first 

I went to the party. It was very good, and I saw lots of old friends I have not seen in years.  But also, I could not resist testing and calibrating the new set up from my phone and running a sequence.  Rather a risk strategy with a new configuration but managed to get 9 hours of data in the end (together with a few odd looks whenever I retreated to the corner with my phone to check on progress 😂). 

[Carl Au]

12 minutes ago, AMcD said:

I went to the party. It was very good, and I saw lots of old friends I have not seen in years.  But also, I could not resist testing and calibrating the new set up from my phone and running a sequence.  Rather a risk strategy with a new configuration but managed to get 9 hours of data in the end (together with a few odd looks whenever I retreated to the corner with my phone to check on progress 😂). 

There you go see, a work around, we’re all in favour of a work around 

[Ratlet]

I have a plan...

A cunning plan.  A plan so cunning it could be appointed a professor of cunning at Oxford...

Invite them to your house/observing site.

"What I got you for your 50th is this:"

http://www.icc.dur.ac.uk/~tt/Lectures/Galaxies/LocalGroup/Back/50lys.html

And show them the light of a star as it looked on the day they were born.  Whilst you are at it you can show them some of the other stuff nearby...

 

[AMcD]

7 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

I have a plan...

A cunning plan.  A plan so cunning it could be appointed a professor of cunning at Oxford...

Invite them to your house/observing site.

"What I got you for your 50th is this:"

http://www.icc.dur.ac.uk/~tt/Lectures/Galaxies/LocalGroup/Back/50lys.html

And show them the light of a star as it looked on the day they were born.  Whilst you are at it you can show them some of the other stuff nearby...

 

I am banking this one! 😃

[Swoop1]

On 12/11/2022 at 10:03, Zermelo said:

This is an astro incarnation of the well-known "why on earth did she arrange her wedding on the same day as the cup final?" scenario.

I was fortunate enough to propose to a woman whose primary concern re the big day was ensuring it didn't clash with our season ticket use.

[maw lod qan]

On 13/11/2022 at 10:43, Ratlet said:

I have a plan...

A cunning plan.  A plan so cunning it could be appointed a professor of cunning at Oxford...

Invite them to your house/observing site.

"What I got you for your 50th is this:"

http://www.icc.dur.ac.uk/~tt/Lectures/Galaxies/LocalGroup/Back/50lys.html

And show them the light of a star as it looked on the day they were born.  Whilst you are at it you can show them some of the other stuff nearby...

 

Wow, this is pure genius!