Web-cams with an Astronomical Interest....

[Craney]

Evening all.

Always frustrating to have the plague of clouds descend upon us when we have free-time available or find ourselves in dark skies territory with a once in a life-time celestial event just about to happen.

I was wondering if any of you have a favorite web-cam that you turn to, 'just to see what's going on in that neck of the woods' type of thing.

The one I regularly look at is in the Shetland Islands, at a place called Burrafirth, right at the top of the Islands.   In fact there is nothing much between there and the North Pole and as such makes a great 'heads-up' web-cam for any auroral activity.

Here is a link.

https://www.shetlandwebcams.com/burrafirth-unst/?fbclid=IwAR2sKcQA_3s7YUROtoPdiSY5t4REhJ2Nk-ALn04Z_3LhppxZDipmc9mdUOE

The camera is quite sensitive and on a good night, of which (surprisingly) there is quite a few up there in the harsh latitudes, you can pick out satellites, meteors and of course the aurora in real time.

Here is a still from a screen grab.

I think that is Cygnus and the MilkyWay descending to it's low point on the Northern horizon. The bright lights are a local radio transmitter I think. 

I imagine it would be possible to do a star-trail photo if you could automate your screen grab, or if you had enough patience.

One day I intend to visit the location and may even make a cameo appearance myself for a few frames.  Keep watching ....   

Sean.

 

 

[Swoop1]

Nice Sean- I like being able to see skies from different locations to mine.

My favourite allows stargazing during the day from here- Subaru Telescope webcam on Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii

 

[Craney]

6 hours ago, Swoop1 said:

Nice Sean- I like being able to see skies from different locations to mine.

My favourite allows stargazing during the day from here- Subaru Telescope webcam on Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii

 

Yes, indeed.    That scores double points because it has an observatory, in fact several, in the FOV as well.

Again, another place I would love to visit.

I took a screengrab of that webcam .....  not worked out the star patterns yet, as they will include equatorial and more Southern constellations I'm guessing.    Another activity to pass the time on cloudy evenings !!