Patience really is a virtue huh?

[LunarLight]

I read on this board before committing to the hobby that astronomy requires a great deal of patience. I had no idea just how right you guys were lol

Seriously what's with the weather!! ha ha. I dont know what its like where you guys are located but up here in Newcastle its so annoying ha. I mean the snow, rain and constant cloud is bad enough but by far the worst (and annoyingly the funniest, in a frustrating kind of way) is the teasing gaps in the clouds that give you just enough time to set up and then close right over your head! lol

Is the month of February always this bad for astronomy lol?

Mark

[coxie]

i live down the south east and we have a clear night here lol

[Beyond_Vision]

The last couple of years have been really bad. Usually January and February are the best months

[brianb]

by far the worst (and annoyingly the funniest, in a frustrating kind of way) is the teasing gaps in the clouds that give you just enough time to set up and then close right over your head!

I know what you mean. You need a tarpaulin, just throw it over the lot when a shower comes, saves a lot of carting around & setup time.

[LukeSkywatcher]

The last couple of years have been really bad. Usually January and February are the best months

I agree. Before i bought my scope back at the end of 2007....every night seemed to be clear. Since then there really has not been a good run of clear nights often. I think it was 2008 when i last had a clear run of nights. If memory serves me.............i seem to remember a clear run of 10 nights. I'm lucky if i can remember a clear run of more then 2-3 nights since then.

2-3 weeks of cloud seems to be the "norm" now which is broken by 1 good clear night.

Really rather depressing.

[LunarLight]

coxie - lol! thanks that really made my day ha ha

BeyondVision - ah so its something to be expected!...well guess that its something to get used to considering our hobbie relies upon the monst unreliable thing in britain.... the weather.

brianb - indeed, I was wondering about getting one of them. It would save alot of time running up and down the stairs! :-)

LukeSkywatcher - I wonder if its just that now we pay way more attention to the sky then before we had telescopes so we notice the clear skies more?

On a massive plus the satalite states clear skies tonight so fingers crossed for some observing :-)

[AndyH]

Depressingly, this is one the better winters we've had:eek::eek:

:(Andy.

[LukeSkywatcher]

LukeSkywatcher - I wonder if its just that now we pay way more attention to the sky then before we had telescopes so we notice the clear skies more?

More then likely.I really was a casual observer using 10x50 bins before i bought a scope. I'd have a quick look every now and then. I'd really only plan to be outside on nights of lunar eclipses or meteor showers (no bins used while watching meteors).

NOW i have gotten into astronomy on a whole new level........i dont even bother taking the scope(s) or tripod mounted BIG bins out on windy nights. I dont even do any fixed tripod photography on windy nights. Infact if it is windy but clear i actually dont bother going out at all.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Depressingly, this is one the better winters we've had:eek::eek:

:(Andy.

Glad you think so. Its been the worst i can remember for yrs.

[AndyH]

I've been out more this winter, than probably the last 2 combined.

Not perfect, but better.

I'll take this proper winter, over the depressing, wet, mild winters we've been having any day. Mind you, I may take that back when I try to put the tent poles in the ground at Kielder in a few weeks !!

Cheers,

Andy.

[brianb]

I'll take this proper winter, over the depressing, wet, mild winters we've been having any day. Mind you, I may take that back when I try to put the tent poles in the ground at Kielder in a few weeks !!

I agree. Absolutely. As for the tent poles, don't worry overmuch about them, just cut snow blocks & build an igloo ... or dig a snow cave.

[callisto]

Hi LunarLight,

had a good few hours on sat night up here mainly observing Mars,

Also had a quick scan of Ursa Major's galaxies, had to come in though when those things on the brass monkeys fell off lol.

Mark :-)

[yeti monster]

Tantalising cloud gaps are rather common in these parts (E. Lancs), and when I do get a decent run at the sky, it's been sooo cold that my eyes start to freeze up. Combined with stellarium freezing up, these conditions make for very frustrating observation periods.

I'm having to limit myself to the easy stuff, as fuzzy hunting with frosty eyes isn't so easy.

[LunarLight]

AndyH - ha ha gutted... still though, rather selfish as it is, the clouds couldnt come at a better time! I have 2 lab reports due soon for my uni course and it gives me the perfect distraction free chance to get them done!

Ah your heading to keilder, I was debating on going up my self but time restrictions make it hard to do so... would love to see a REAL dark sky though

LukeSkywatcher - never seen a meteor shower yet, its on my list of things to do when the skies clear

ah man that's a shame about the windy nights thing, must really cut down you time observing. I am closed off on 4 sides in my yard so I don't really feel it. Though I imagine it affects the seeing a lot!

callisto - lol indeed it was freezing on Saturday:icon_eek: but was a great night, I was out for a few hours myself. Took a few moon pictures and tried to take some DSO photos but... well frustratingly they were very poor. Im still learning lol!

I haven't managed to find the ursa major galaxies yet, my search goes on lol!

yeti monster - ha! I know what you mean, I went out with half my wardrobe on Saturday lol!! I think my scope started forming a weird layer of ice on it! my later pictures became scattered as if looking through a prism, very annoying!

[yeti monster]

My lack of patience has won though yet again. I recently bought a 10" SNT, and after collimating it, it has been stood waiting for me to build a Dob mount. Well ye olde sack truck, breeze block and bungee cord were used to improvise a mount so that I could at least get first light. Pointed up at Orion, I quickly found Alnitak and then M42 using the 40mm widefield EP. Crackin'ly clear and so many more starts apparent than I am used too.

Not wanting to risk breaking my new toy, I have returned it to the "waiting room" until I at least have a rudimentary mount for it.

So it's out with the BIG bins and ye olde Prinz 84mm reflector this evening.