Why?

[Guest]

Last night was the first night in months that it was worth setting up.  Clear skies all day and into the evening.  Then sometime after dark a haze moved in and i spent two hours struggling to get good views through it before calling it a night.  Which brings is to Sunday night.  At this particular moment conditions are perfect..... and i have to get up at 0430.  Guess what i am not doing tonight.  Why on God's green earth can i never catch a break and get good skies on a friday or Saturday night.  

Edited April 10, 2023 by Mike Q

[LDW1]

Just happened to me half an hour ago, took my 90mm f5.5 refractor out, set it on my Porta II, skies were identified to be clear with average seeing in my Bortle 4-5 zone, I didn't use my SQM-L. Temp was +3°C, I started with my Celestron 24mm Ultima Edge.  All my eyeball saw was haze caused by ice crystals from the humidity vs dropping temps from todays high of +10°. Within a half hour everything was back inside, I should have tried out / stuck with my new Lunt 50 solar scope under perfectly sunn skies !

[Froeng]

Sounds exactly like the story of my own astro-life! One thing I always tell myself when this happens is “it’s just a hobby! I am not depended on observing anything. But when the conditions are right - it will be wonderful again…”

[Franklin]

This is why a grab and go set up makes perfect sense. I don't have really big scopes but even the 115 on the EQ mount takes some setting up and taking down. So the little SD81s on the alt-az mount plus lightweight tripod and a zoom eyepiece gets by far the most use, both in the day for solar and at night between the clouds.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Froeng said:

Sounds exactly like the story of my own astro-life! One thing I always tell myself when this happens is “it’s just a hobby! I am not depended on observing anything. But when the conditions are right - it will be wonderful again…”

We clouded over here in Ohio in mid to late November.  There have been very few clear nights between then and now that i have been able to take advantage of.  I was so hopeful for Saturday night, but alas it was just not to be.  It always makes me ask the question why did i get into this hobby 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Mike Q

[LDW1]

1 hour ago, Mike Q said:

We clouded over here in Ohio in mid to late November.  There have been very few clear nights between then and now that i have been able to take advantage of.  I was so hopeful for Saturday night, but alas it was just not to be.  It always makes me ask the question why did i get into this hobby 

I really don't think you ask that question, lol !    PS: Do you have any astro gear to sell, lol ?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, LDW1 said:

I really don't think you ask that question, lol !    PS: Do you have any astro gear to sell, lol ?

I did actually say it.  Outloud too.  Nothing for sale yet, but at this rate you never know. 

[dweller25]

13 hours ago, Mike Q said:

Last night was the first night in months that it was worth setting up.  Clear skies all day and into the evening.  Then sometime after dark a haze moved in and i spent two hours struggling to get good views through it before calling it a night.  Which brings is to Sunday night.  At this particular moment conditions are perfect..... and i have to get up at 0430.  Guess what i am not doing tonight.  Why on God's green earth can i never catch a break and get good skies on a friday or Saturday night.  

Patience Grasshopper, patience 🙂