Hello from Ireland!

[Bogmonster]

Hey!

Long time lurker on this forum and learned a bunch of stuff here.

Recently bought a Celestron Nexstar Evolution 9.25 about a week ago and as luck would have it, it's been really cloudy or raining every night since 😫

Looing forward to getting outside and getting to know the gang on here.

Cheers!

[Dave scutt]

Hello Bogmonster and welcome to SGL.

Where abouts in Ireland are you.

[Bogmonster]

Hey Dave. I'm in Waterford. Right in the middle of nowhere. No light pollution so when I get a clear night, it's pretty cool looking even without a scope.

[carastro]

Welcome, l envy your skies.  
 

Carole

[Stickey]

Welcome Bogmonster from a fellow Irishman. Best views I've ever had of the Perseids was from my uncle's house, with a panoramic window looking over Lough Swilly.

They just kept coming. 

Enjoy your new 'scope.

 

[M40]

Hello Bogmonster and welcome to the site 👌 clouds are unfortunately a prerequisite and come free with every new astronomy purchase 🤪

[Another Drizzle Dweller]

Hello Bogmonster,

Over the otherwise of the Commeraghs from you.

Donal

[Captain Scarlet]

Hello and welcome Bogmonster. Another appreciator of Irish skies here, between Baltimore and Skibbereen.

Cheers, Magnus

[GalaxyGael]

Welcome, nice to hear you like the skies with and without the scope.

any sky for sale? Do you do bulk clear sky discounts? I have 4 months of Tog 13.5 clouds, looking to offload....

[Sunshine]

Bogmonster! I love that, welcome to SGL! 

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

[Bogmonster]

1 hour ago, GalaxyGael said:

Welcome, nice to hear you like the skies with and without the scope.

any sky for sale? Do you do bulk clear sky discounts? I have 4 months of Tog 13.5 clouds, looking to offload....

Every night of clear sky comes with a full week of solid downpour 🌨🤔

I'm hoping to get out tonight to finally use my scope

[bosun21]

Welcome to the lounge 👋.You will certainly learn a lot on here.

[Samop]

Hi...

[Floater]

Welcome. Glad you said hello. 🙂

[wookie1965]

A warm welcome to SGL 

[Padraic M]

No wonder it's been cloudy since Christmas!

Welcome onboard and good luck with your new scope.

[Muc]

Howya Bogmonster, another Waterford head here. This high pressure weather over us is great for everything except telescopes. Fingers crossed for some action soon, I've some new eyepieces to play with 🙂

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi there and welcome. 

[Jasonb]

Welcome, another Irishman here, living up in Naas, with nowhere near the skies you get down there! As you're a long time lurker, you already know how helpful this site is!

There must be enough of us Irish astronomers on here to arrange a meet up or something? I'd love a chance to talk to people about this hobby, swap tips, get a chance to look at other telescopes/EPs etc.!

[Dave-P]

Welcome Bogmonster!

Is it true that Irish Astronomers use two finderscopes on their telescopes?

To be sure, to be sure...

 

Sorry....

[Nicola Fletcher]

Welcome! 
I’m from Wicklow so not too far from you. Best of luck with your new scope. It’s great having dark skies, I know what you mean about simply looking up. I also love to use binoculars and have ‘discovered’ plenty of things using them!

[Bogmonster]

Nice to see a few Irish heads on here. I didn't think it was popular here at all.

[Jasonb]

7 hours ago, Nicola Fletcher said:

Welcome! 
I’m from Wicklow so not too far from you. Best of luck with your new scope. It’s great having dark skies, I know what you mean about simply looking up. I also love to use binoculars and have ‘discovered’ plenty of things using them!

Hi @Nicola Fletcher! Not to hijack Bogmonster's thread, but I've recently started doing some drives around Wicklow looking for a potential dark site to use, have you any recommendations? I was using some light Pollution maps which suggested around Aghavannagh, but it's hard to find somewhere that's off the main road. I'd appreciate and advice, thanks! 

[Nicola Fletcher]

21 hours ago, Jasonb said:

Hi @Nicola Fletcher! Not to hijack Bogmonster's thread, but I've recently started doing some drives around Wicklow looking for a potential dark site to use, have you any recommendations? I was using some light Pollution maps which suggested around Aghavannagh, but it's hard to find somewhere that's off the main road. I'd appreciate and advice, thanks! 

Hi @Jasonb, I know a group meet at the Sugarloaf car park sometimes, and Glendalough is another lovely place. I’m in the fortunate position of having a small farm with great views so I tend not to travel unless meeting with others.

I have rented cottages in Wexford with lovely dark skies and of course the west is another fantastic destination (there are a couple of sample photos below).

@Bogmonster, the Irish Astronomy Week is coming up this month and has loads of events -  see https://www.irishastronomyweek.ie. I’m also a member of the Irish Astronomical Society. There are several clubs around the country and the midlands astronomy club is having their COSMOS star party on 25th March which I’ll be going to - see https://midlandsastronomy.ie/cosmos-2023.

Hope this is useful!

Edited March 4, 2023 by Nicola Fletcher