Kelling, Autumn 2023

[Anne S]

I had a couple of hours clear Monday evening. Nothing since.

[mike chadwick]

Just back from kelling Friday to Monday 3 clear nights Friday probably the best , I had said I would not go again but l May have to reconsider after a great weekend ?

[Anne S]

The only problem is that Kelling weather is fickle! This week's been pretty good for clear skies but just not long enough. I'm not good at staying up on the off chance!

i made a rookie error and set up my scope so it wouldn't point up without colliding with the mount. At least I manages to image remotely. I've been trying to do that for over a year!

[RobertI]

Same here, just got back after four nights (Thurs to Sun) - my first proper stay at Kelling and in a tent too! As you say Friday was the best and I made the most of it, observing with some very friendly neighbours with large dobs until 4am. Sat had fleeting clear skies between the clouds and Sunday started well but transparency deteriorated rapidly. I have to say I was disappointed with the light pollution from Cromer and Holt, it’s pretty bad now, but I was pleased to get plenty of clear sky. I really enjoyed my stay, particularly the camaraderie, and I’ll be going back. I shall do an observing report soon. 🙂

Edited October 16, 2023 by RobertI

[Hobbes]

Back from Kelling after 3 nights - Friday - Sun. I missed the exciting weather on Thursday this year due to family commitments. Friday night was clear but with poor seeing and a fair bit of wind, I got in about 5 hours of observing. Saturday night had much better seeing but a fair bit of fast moving cloud and was still windy. There was a lovely Io transit with conditions good enough the see the face of Io that was the highlight of the night for me. Sunday night was predicted to be cloudy but in the end was clear however there was a fine haze in the air which knocked the visibility right back and really accentuated the light domes over Holt and Cromer so spent a few hours looking at the brighter objects before hitting the hay around 1am.

This was my 10th year at Kelling and I was reflecting on the changes over the years. Light pollution is getting worse there and while it's still much better than Surrey it's not a patch on what it was. There is also a lot of attendees walking around with bright red head torches on and several imagers operating outside with unfiltered screens. When I originally started attending this would not have been tolerated as it now seems to be. There was also an attendee who decided it was perfectly fine to drive onto Red Field late on Friday night with full headlights on park up and leave his lights on for a minute or two and then resented being told to turn them off. This kind of thoughtless behaviour, while not typical of the majority of attendees is on the increase and spoils the event for me.

I still remember being schooled on acceptable headtorch light levels by Andrew Robertson with his "sergeant major" voice that could be heard from one end of the red field to the other on my first Kelling trip and I kind of miss that. 

It's still great to go and meet up with friends and spend a long weekend dedicated to stargazing though.

[daz]

Got back on Sunday after 8 nights there. The first Sat/Sun/Mon was amazing weather for October! Warm sunshine, shorts and t-shorts, ice cream on Cromer pier! Fantastic...

Then the wind and rain came! 

My scope survived until Friday morning - annoyingly, I'd even checked it about 20 minutes before my utility tent gave in and collapsed, taking the rig with it! Thankfully the only real damage was the flat-flap and that should be easily repairable!

The LP is definitely getting worse, but then so is the amount of moisture in the air (and not just the precipitating kind!). 

Still, as @Hobbes says, it's great to meet up with friends again, look through some nice glass and chill....

 

[RobertI]

7 hours ago, Hobbes said:

There was also an attendee who decided it was perfectly fine to drive onto Red Field late on Friday night with full headlights on park up and leave his lights on for a minute or two and then resented being told to turn them off.

I also witnessed this, pretty unbelievable, just clueless. 

[RobertI]

On 16/10/2023 at 21:37, RobertI said:

I shall do an observing report soon.

I’ve now posted my report from Kelling for anyone that’s interested. 

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by RobertI