More a telescope owner than an actual observer….. 😢

[Stu]

This is how I’m beginning to feel. I’ve completely missed this year’s Saturn opposition, and haven’t had a decent session for months. There have been odd clear nights but I’ve not been able to get out, and the one evening I had recently was spoiled by both poor transparency and poor seeing 🤪

So many lovely scopes, so little opportunity to use them. At this rate, the other hobby (little car) will start to get priority although that too is a fair weather hobby! Perhaps I’ll take up crocheting! 🤪 Actually, I did buy a sewing machine last year to make a hood for the car so I’ll have to see what projects I can do with that!

The only major, guaranteed Astro event I can think of is the opening and processing of my solarcan which I will do after 21st December 👍

Grrrrrrr! 🤬🤬🤬

Yours, self-pityingly,

Stu

[Olli]

In the same boat doesn’t help I still continue to buy gear. I guess I just have the itch. all  weather forecasts were showing clear skies the last couple of days but still ended up with clouds ..🙄

[Captain Scarlet]

I hear you. And when the clear and free night does appear, which scope to use? I’ve missed at least one recent clear night over indecision.

M

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

It has been dismal here too. I have just had a brief session with the C8, trying in vain to hunt comet 12P Pons-Brooks (tantalizing hints, but nothing definite), had a look at M13 and M92 in the same area of the sky, caught a glimpse of Saturn behind the trees, spotted Jupiter low above the neighbour's hedge in atrocious seeing and rainbow rendering what with atmospheric refraction. And then thin hazy clouds came in, so I have packed everything in again. I also had a quick visual solar session with the Coronado SolarMax-II60 I have at work. I have hardly had a single visual session all summer, spring was awful as well. All we can hope for is some better weather, but the outlook is pretty bleak.

[DaveS]

It doesn't get much better for an imager with an obsy. The number of useable clear nights this year has been dispiriting. In fact I've stopped buying any significant astro gear and don't expect this to change anytime soon.

[scarp15]

It can feel like that and not just with astronomy equipment. On Saturday night it all seemed to come together, cannot even recall the last time out. A clear crisp night, Jupiter was the primary focus and a very late engaging shadow transit. No commitments, no distractions, illness, no work the next morning etc, setting up was great. Regrettably I sold my 14" dob recently but practically it was time to let it go, however following Saturday night; no you don't have too many scopes (or eyepieces...) because a good or great night maybe just around the corner.

[Clarkey]

I think everyone feels that this year has been pretty poor in the UK. Mine has been pretty awful until the last couple of weeks when I did get 4 clear nights.

I just hope this is a 'glitch' and not a sign of things to come.....

[Saganite]

I feel rather guilty.  Having the Pulsar  observatory since last October with one or two scopes permanently  set and ready to go has meant that I have had a pretty good year.  Another major plus of course is being retired, so I can go out at 3am if the sky is good,  for a short session, or I can stay out most of the night if the sky is good.

[John]

It has been a poor year hasn't it ? 😔

I look around my scopes and other equipment from time to time and wonder if I might as well let it all go except for one setup and a few half decent eyepieces.

The trouble is, with everyone else seemingly having an equally frustrating time, who would want it 🤔

I have not quite reached the "sewing machine acquisition" threshold yet though. If I do, my mum is a keen quilter and has a number of the things. Maybe I'll offer her a "hobby swap" 😁

My other half keeps telling me that I must find a hobby that I can do when the weather is cloudy. I'm still working on that .......

One of my favourite quotes is from Snoopy of the "Peanuts". He told Charlie Brown once that the secret of life is to own a convertable car and a lake. That way, when it's raining, you can think "well, at least my lake is filling up" 🙂

You just need the lake now @Stu 👍

[IB20]

Yeah I hear you. I haven’t seen the moon for what seems like ages. It’s been so cloudy here and the few nights I have been able to see the stars, it’s been through a veil of high haze and a fair wind. 

It’s been a very frustrating period but I still think of the great session I had a few months back and can’t help but look forward to another night like that.
 

[dweller25]

Astronomy in the UK does seem to require a slow patient approach due to the weather.

I have reduced the herd to just two scopes now, a 4” APO and a 7” Mewlon, both are well suited to a light Vixen GP mount which means I can get out quickly with the 4” if the weather clears up.

If the weather is more stable then the Mewlon comes out - It’s a really good scope.

I need to move away from wet and cloudy Lancashire though……..

Edited October 17, 2023 by dweller25

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

 Actually, I did buy a sewing machine last year to make a hood for the car so I’ll have to see what projects I can do with 

Is it a Takahashi, Stu?

[dweller25]

Would that be a Tackahashi sewing machine ?

Edited October 17, 2023 by dweller25

[globular]

Stop. You'll have me in stitches.

[IB20]

24 minutes ago, John said:

It has been a poor year hasn't it ? 😔

I look around my scopes and other equipment from time to time and wonder if I might as well let it all go except for one setup and a few half decent eyepieces.

The trouble is, with everyone else seemingly having an equally frustrating time, who would want it 🤔

 

Do let me know if you ever let the DL go. 😁👍🏻

[Saganite]

I am Optimistic and patient, so going without observing merely whets the appetite.  I know that a superb session will come and when it does it wipes the memory of the disappointments and frustrations..🙂

Edited October 18, 2023 by Saganite

[Nik271]

I also have had terrible  weather all summer, these days I'm pretty happy when able to spot Vega overhead in the evenings 😀 On the positive side on some  early  morning recently I have had a short windows of clear sky maybe 30 minutes to an hour. My most used scope is now a 70 mm F6 refractor, lightning quick to set up and the weather does not allow for more aperture anyway. Hey I saw both Saturn and Jupiter last night, that counts as a good night for me these days 😀

Edited October 17, 2023 by Nik271
typos corrected

[Stu]

On 17/10/2023 at 21:39, Nik271 said:

I also have had terrible  weather all summer, these days I'm pretty happy when able to spot Vega overhead in the evenings 😀 On the positive side in the early  mornings have had a short windows of clear sky maybe 30 minutes to an hour. My most used scope is now a 70 mm F7 refractor, lightning quick to set up and the weather does not allow for more aperture anyway. Hey I saw both Saturn and Jupiter last night, that counts as a good night for me these days 😀

Sounds familiar. My most used scope used to be the Tak FC-100DC which was setup in the ‘garden room’ (posh name for lean-to, leaking conservatory, home to toads and frogs 🤣). Now it’s packed away and hasn’t been setup since I came back from holiday 😢. The best observing I had was when away in Kos, and that was just Lunar and Solar due to the light pollution/poor transparency!

[Stu]

@John‘s point is very valid. I’m sure the used scope market is very quiet currently….. Not sure who would want to pick up kit that can’t be used. That said, I do need to thin the herd so may try my hand at some point.

[Kimboman]

Hi very interesting reading I was having a similar conversation tonight with a friend of 40 years  and I think that we have had a similar conversation every year.

Nevertheless we still forget it all when we get a decent night and keep increasing our kit,

I have now got into solar and this increases the observing  odds, good luck

[Saganite]

28 minutes ago, Stu said:

@John‘s point is very valid. I’m sure the used scope market is very quiet currently….. Not sure who would want to pick up kit that can’t be used. That said, I do need to thin the herd so may try my hand at some 

I have bought 3 reflectors in the past few weeks  Stu ,by mistake...can't help myself... 😅

One of them is a little 130mm Perl Vixen, never seen such a focuser on a scope before. It was in a bad way but I have fixed it, and it is super smooth.

Had two sessions so far and I really like it. I will do a write up on it eventually.

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by Saganite

[DaveS]

I have set myself a little project to image as many of the Hickson Compact Groups of galaxies as I can. I won't be able to image all of them from here as many are too far south, and some of the groups are *very* compact. there are 100 of them and I've manages about 4 so far, so a way to go. I can see myself "cheating" and buying time on remote telescopes at some point.

[mikeDnight]

I seem to have had quite a lot of clear skies, or so it would seem. They are usually not perfect but as I'm primarily interested in the Moon, planets, and double stars, so a light haze isn't too destructive. I was out with my dog late last night and stood for a while admiring a beautiful milkyway from my front doorstep. I've done that several times over the last couple of weeks! I didnt take a scope out but I do think it's helpful to keep a scope permanently set up rather than in a case or bag as it just makes things easier when clouds suddenly clear, even for a short while. My 4" refractor is always on a tripod and ready for action, even if I'm not.

[Stu]

It seems to be a bit feast or famine this year, and for the past few years I guess. We had that wonderful spell during the first lockdown when all the flights stopped, and May and June this year were pretty good as I recall. We just don’t seem to get the lovely clear, crisp autumn/winter nights we used to.

To Mike’s point, I must set the Tak up again so it is ready to go, even for a quick twenty mins here and there. I’m still to have a really decent long session with the FS-128 which is frustrating!

[Ratlet]

I only started last year and so far it's been about par for the course.  Zero clear skies till about mid August.  

I do think we're turning the corner now.  The forum activity is way up in the last couple weeks.

One thing I found helps is the awful and heartbreaking realisation that it's more often clear in the early am rather than the late pm.  Fortunately having just turned 40 I now have to get up for a pee in the night.  This is becoming a quick clear sky check.