Almost ready to quit...

[nitram100]

Last night was incredibly frustrating. I just finished a hard day at the hospital and the forecast said clear for the evening, so I set up the scope which is no easy task after a long shift!  The skies were clear and blue when setting up and I was so excited. I was letting the scope cool down while getting all the AP gear ready, then went outside and complete cloud cover. I don't think i'll bother getting it out until this low pressure system clears off. This country is so awful for any kind of hobby that requires even moderately decent weather, it''s awful. I need to emigrate somewhere warmer with blue skies, i'll never be happy here.

 

It may sound crazy, but this weather lately has really made me think about what I want in the future. I have been so miserable the past month due to this weather, not being able to do any of my hobbies. The winter was a really long and miserable one too and we'll be heading back into it in a few months. I'm 38 and have just saved up for a deposit for my first place and I'm honestly thinking I don't want to even bother. I've got Aus permanent residence and nursing registration so am seriously thinking of just upping and leaving.  Had periods of bad weather in the UK before but this one has really really gotten on my nerves.

[Xilman]

No need for you to emigrate. If your kit emigrates to somewhere with good internet connectivity ...

Edited July 30, 2023 by Xilman
s/your/you/

[Elp]

1 hour ago, nitram100 said:

I don't think i'll bother getting it out

Don't worry. A lot of us feel exactly the same. I've kind of given up mentally until DST changes. I generally don't bother setting up unless there's 3-4 hours completely clear within reason on met office cloud map. From experience any nearby cloud will always result in clouded over or a disturbed run. I've tried speeding up acquisition with multiple setups but this year has been absolutely dire with one problematic weather issue after another (mostly cloud, then wind, full moon and rain). Even when it's been sunny and clear during the day, on cue clouds have come back come evening. Can't even do solar much it's that inconsistently bad. It's so random I haven't ventured to a dark site for months knowing it'll change instantly.

 

Edited July 30, 2023 by Elp

[Mr Spock]

Says it all...

[DaveS]

Yep

[Guest]

I tried to give it a go Friday pm, was tore down 30 minutes after i started.  We thought about it last night but the moon was so bright and the high thin clouds were gradually becoming thicker so we didnt even try.  Its just the nature of the hobby and it is what it is.   

[Nakedgun]

On 27/07/2023 at 10:23, Mr Spock said:

So, the last time I was outside I had an hour and a half on the moon looking at Aristarchus and Gassendi. That was it more or less for June. I have had nothing in July. Nothing but cloud every single night.

Oh look, we have dark skies again, well, light grey for here. Sadly all I will see of it is more cloud. Is this just becoming a pointless hobby and we are all better off doing something less frustrating?

~

Assuming you love observing, don't give up and quit, just find another hobby to enjoy when conditions are not favorable.

I also ride motorcycles (hobby #1 since age 12), shoot guns, shoot photos with SLR cameras, read books. 

Any number of things in life to be passionate about.

Good luck!

 

.

[GTom]

Dare I ask fellow cloudgazers from Cornwall how their Summer season went? Thinking on a trip to Land's End next week...

[Clarkey]

Might be rubbish - but astro darkness is BACK!!!😃

[Elp]

It better be cloud free this year for the Perseids as its peak is during a newish moon 13th ish August. The year on year statistics however are heavily against.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Elp

[Mr Spock]

Is the end in sight? As well as the cloud it's been horribly cold - averaging around 5° below normal the last few weeks. But look at this latest forecast - is that summer I see returning? Let's hope so.

[bosun21]

18 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Is the end in sight? As well as the cloud it's been horribly cold - averaging around 5° below normal the last few weeks. But look at this latest forecast - is that summer I see returning? Let's hope so.

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😂.

[Elp]

Is that joy or sorrow?

[Marvin Jenkins]

It looks a lot like the Vulcan has rampant emotions and turned to religion.

[bosun21]

2 hours ago, Elp said:

Is that joy or sorrow?

Praying for joyful clear skies.

[John]

Towards the end of August for a possible improvement ?:

UK weather: When will it stop raining and the summer improve? - BBC News

[JeremyS]

14 minutes ago, John said:

Towards the end of August for a possible improvement ?:

Which year? 🤣

[WolfieGlos]

7 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

Is the end in sight? As well as the cloud it's been horribly cold - averaging around 5° below normal the last few weeks. But look at this latest forecast - is that summer I see returning? Let's hope so.

Forecast says the same here, so fingers crossed. It even predicts a few clear nights between now and then….hopefully more so than Saturdays predicted “clear night”.

[johnturley]

32 minutes ago, John said:

Towards the end of August for a possible improvement ?:

UK weather: When will it stop raining and the summer improve? - BBC News

According to the latest online BBC forecast, there might be some improvement by 11 August, just in time for the Perseids. 

[Paz]

The weather has been bad, I've got no more kit I need to buy, and no more fettling or reorganising of kit to do, so it's just a case of waiting for opportunities to get out and observe again. However since I've been observing the weather has always been mostly cloudy so long stretches of bad weather whilst annoying feel kind of normal to me.

I did get a second hobby going that doesn't depend on the weather and that has worked well, the cloudier it gets the better my guitar playing gets!

[Xilman]

8 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

Is the end in sight? As well as the cloud it's been horribly cold - averaging around 5° below normal the last few weeks.

Rather warmer here. A couple of days ago I treated various patches on the dome with rust remover and then painted it with high-TiO₂ paint today.

Air temperature in the shade, of which there was none next to the dome, was 32C. Standing in almost vertical sunshine next to a white dome (and becoming whiter) on a roof covered with an aluminized almost waterproof(*) membrane and the effective temperature was much higher. Not pleasant, IOW. The paint in the can kept drying out and had to be diluted with white spirit.

After finishing, and after removing as much paint from my hands as I could, and having put the work clothes in the washing machine, and after having a shower I headed off to my local. The car, having been out in the sun, claimed it was 38C.

So the temperatures here are warmer (I won't say better) but the skies are very far from perfect. Clouds are building up now and last night was very poor because of brilliantly moonlit haze. I estimate the limiting naked eye magnitude was 1.5 to 2.0.

(*) which will be replaced in two weeks time. More expense, but at least the charts and reference works won't get soggy again.

[Space Hopper]

On 30/07/2023 at 11:37, nitram100 said:

Last night was incredibly frustrating. I just finished a hard day at the hospital and the forecast said clear for the evening, so I set up the scope which is no easy task after a long shift!  The skies were clear and blue when setting up and I was so excited. I was letting the scope cool down while getting all the AP gear ready, then went outside and complete cloud cover. I don't think i'll bother getting it out until this low pressure system clears off. This country is so awful for any kind of hobby that requires even moderately decent weather, it''s awful. I need to emigrate somewhere warmer with blue skies, i'll never be happy here.

 

It may sound crazy, but this weather lately has really made me think about what I want in the future. I have been so miserable the past month due to this weather, not being able to do any of my hobbies. The winter was a really long and miserable one too and we'll be heading back into it in a few months. I'm 38 and have just saved up for a deposit for my first place and I'm honestly thinking I don't want to even bother. I've got Aus permanent residence and nursing registration so am seriously thinking of just upping and leaving.  Had periods of bad weather in the UK before but this one has really really gotten on my nerves.

Totally concur, and reading this thread brings home the rather depressing reality of my own situation.

With working shifts (alternating lates and early's) I bet i'm averaging only around 10 sessions a year.

Should i have brought a cheaper scope ? Probably.  With this dreadful weather here and my Bortle 7 location, were future astro imaging aspirations even a realistic idea ??

 

I have a Vixen SXP2 mount that i've hardly used, and maybe its time to re-home it. 

I've also sold some lenses and a camera body to raise funds for other things. I've also abandoned the idea of a second scope, and had been thinking of a smaller refractor (FC100?) to go with my 140mm.

I still really enjoy the visual side of the hobby when i get out, particularly Planets, and will always love astronomy.

But I really need to have a good think about where i want to go with the hobby. I'm not 100% sure to be truthful.

 

 

 

 

 

[Xilman]

27 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

But I really need to have a good think about where i want to go with the hobby. I'm not 100% sure to be truthful.

Go to a remote telescope facility, perhaps?

Some provide the telescopes, mounts, filters, camera, etc. Others allow you to host your own equipment,

I offer the latter to Kevin Hills who has a 50cm astrograph in a dome next to mine, All I provide is the land, the electrical power, internet connectivity and tech support when I am resident in La Palma. When I am not here a guy who used to work at El Roque De Los Muchachos does the needful.

In principle I could do the same for others but the infrastructure and management procedures are not yet in place.

[Saganite]

My last meaningful observing session was 13th June, so I cannot wait for the next opportunity to do so, and I will not be selling any of my equipment..🙂

[WolfieGlos]

The Moon actually showed itself tonight! Quickly grabbing the camera, attaching the 300mm lens and…

The cloud rolled in! Of course it did, and naturally there’s more where that came from, and I think I can sum up this years summer Astro scene as follows.

 
Even the Full Moon phase, commonly when we do get clear skies…is clouded over 😂

I think this is the first time I’ve seen the Moon in the current phase. When those clear skies do come around again, we’ll definitely saviour them.