Well the harshest winter of my lifetime

[Ptolemaeus]

seems to be finally coming to an end, the sky is 100% clear and I think the season to start using the Scope I bought before Christmas has begun.

How has everyone been?

[insomnia]

Chomping at the bit to be able to have at least 2 clear nights on the trot

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hi Chris. Welcome back. I thought you'd given up on astronomy and taken up knitting.

[Ptolemaeus]

Hi Chris. Welcome back. I thought you'd given up on astronomy and taken up knitting.

Hey Luke, well I did consider knitting but couldnt get on with the needles. I havent touched my scope for months mainly cos of the weather dampening my initial enthusiasm. But watching the space shuttle launch the other day and the current clear skies has reignited my interest. Hoping i'll be able to sit outside without my rear end becoming one with the floor

Had any successes of late? How you getting on with the heritage?

[George]

Worst imaging season for me in the last 3 years, not imaged a frame since the End of January

[LukeSkywatcher]

The weather here has mainly been pants for weeks/months. I am still waiting to get a really good run of clear weather to really test drive the scope. I had slight success with Mars a few weeks back....after trying for a few days. Saturn beat me stupid though. I just couldnt get that to come out of its shell. I probably had the damn dust cap on again or something,LOL.

I havent been out in about a month now because i injured my shoulder in a fall and it hasnt worked very well since then. Its getting better though. I saw Venus AND Mercury yesterday evening (never seen Mercury before) but only with my bins. Both in the same FOV which was fantastic.

Other then that..................all quiet on the western front.

P.S.~~~bought a SW light pollution filter from FLO for about £30. It works great with the scope (any scope).

[gliderpilot]

Winter has been pretty good for me although you have to grab your moments. We have started an informal observing group and meet at a dark sky site fairly regularly. I have enjoyed great company, different scopes and many new wonderful sights that I cannot see from my garden.

Like the earlier post I made my first telescopic observation of Mercury last night. It was a miniscule crescent, no surface markings and coloured by prismatic effects.

That being said work is hard at the mo and kids are noisy! The night sky isn't going anywhere so there's always tomorrow.

Mark

[Rusty Strings]

For the first time in ages I have the scope outside cooling and it's STILL CLEAR!!

wahoo!!!!!!!!

[George]

For the first time in ages I have the scope outside cooling and it's STILL CLEAR!!

wahoo!!!!!!!!

Roofs been of the obsy for ages but I was watching the match, if I'd gone out we wouldn't have lost

[Llamanaut]

In the past month I've managed probably 4 consructive sessions... Hasn't dampened my enthusism however...