Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

How comfortable do you feel when stargazing?

Holliday

By Holliday
in The Astro Lounge

Recommended Posts

Beulah

Beulah

Posted
Posted

I feel very comfortable outside in my garden...it's a shame that I struckup such an understanding with the neighbours with regards to not leaving unecessary outdoor lights on etc, as they are moving out within the year because they inherited a house! :)

Looks like I'll have to find another site or start all over again with the new neighbours, who are quite likely going to be a family who need a lot of light all night.....

(You can't choose your neighbours, good ones are very rare and I am not being pessimistic...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 90
  • Created
  • Last Reply
BinocularSky

BinocularSky

Posted
Posted

I'm always very slightly on edge until the weather gets cold, because I am utterly terrified (yes, I know its irrational) of moths.

Worst night was not moths, but chavscum who turned up one night at my former New Forest observing site (Windmill Hill car park) and proceded to shower me and my kit with gravel as they drove flat out towards me and did handbrake turns. In a similar situation nowadays, they'd get a 25Ah battery pack through the windscreen (given that HMG does not permit me to use Talitha's option to protect myself and my property).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vesper

vesper

Posted
Posted
I worry more how comfortable the neighbours are about me lurking about at all hours in the dark !

As for the countryside / darker sites I love it. I used to do solitary wilderness walks in Northern Scotland for days at a time.

Same, once the woman who lives next door to my nan heard me roaming around in the back gardens. She came outside with her husband, thinking I was a some robber. They got a terrible fright when they realised it was only the neighbours granddaughter, trying to get a glimpse of the night sky. Even at my own house the neighbours are always curious at what I'm doing, skulking about in the dark with this huge map;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
blinkity-blonk

blinkity-blonk

Posted
Posted
For some reason I like to keep all music off, I feel more comfortable listening when I cannot see.

I might give that a go next time I'm out (if the cloud ever goes away) I might leave the radio off and embrace the night time sounds!

I did have a close encounter the other night actually... I trod on a slug. Glad I wasn't bare foot is all I can say!

B-B

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mark7331

mark7331

Posted
Posted

I'm in a little village and there are lots of noises but these are mostly birds (seriously they creep through the hedges and fight with each other), foxes and hedgehogs.

But this is an odd one for me. I have Asperger syndrome so I am a mix of totally absorbed by my setup where I wouldn't know if you were standing next to me and then sometimes hyper sensitive of my surroundings and, honestly, really quite scared. Because of this I only observe and image from home.

So my son, who is amazing and my right hand sometimes, insisted that we took on an addition to our family. Now I sit in my garden, with my constant companion: Bowie (named after David), she's a 1 and a bit year old Rotweiller and the friendliest and happiest creature you could ever meet. I guess she's my .22 :D

I have a bed for her while we're star gazing and I'm going to get a sleeping bag for her during the winter. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
haitch

haitch

Posted
Posted
How about using a slingshot to launch a firecracker at them? :)

Ammonia in a squirt gun works wonders, too. :D

You can't even buy firecrackers (bangers we used to call them) over here these days.

If you're aiming at a car... brake fluid is better than ammonia at taking the paint off. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kev

kev

Posted
Posted

When I was down Letchworth, my back garden was my site, and was origi8nally very dark being next to a local park. Most of the time I was ok, but yes, hedgehogs in particular can be very rustling... especially when they are amorous amongst the leaves on the ground! I did have one occasion when I got a real nasty fright when I just knew there was something else in the observatory other than me... and then I felt something touch my leg! I dont think ive ever moved so fast onto the (strudy) observatory wall. Torch out, twas a grass snake.

As to the neighbours, they reckoned I was the best deterent to burgalers in the area because I was always out there with the scope, and they felt very safe.

As for perving, nearby on the boundary to the park, there was a memorable night when one couple decide to strip off and make out very noisily. Really put me off my guiding!

Just before I moved up here first one nieghbours cat regularly came to observe with me, and then later my cute next door neighbour but ones completely black cat came round every night. It was really comforting for them to be on the observatory wall with me watching, Sooty even got to see the moon through the scope one night.

As for the cute nighbour, well I married her and moved up here!

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Beulah

Beulah

Posted
Posted
When I was down Letchworth, my back garden was my site, and was origi8nally very dark being next to a local park. Most of the time I was ok, but yes, hedgehogs in particular can be very rustling... especially when they are amorous amongst the leaves on the ground! I did have one occasion when I got a real nasty fright when I just knew there was something else in the observatory other than me... and then I felt something touch my leg! I dont think ive ever moved so fast onto the (strudy) observatory wall. Torch out, twas a grass snake.

As to the neighbours, they reckoned I was the best deterent to burgalers in the area because I was always out there with the scope, and they felt very safe.

As for perving, nearby on the boundary to the park, there was a memorable night when one couple decide to strip off and make out very noisily. Really put me off my guiding!

Just before I moved up here first one nieghbours cat regularly came to observe with me, and then later my cute next door neighbour but ones completely black cat came round every night. It was really comforting for them to be on the observatory wall with me watching, Sooty even got to see the moon through the scope one night.

As for the cute nighbour, well I married her and moved up here!

Kev

Great story! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Beulah

Beulah

Posted
Posted
Now I sit in my garden, with my constant companion: Bowie (named after David), she's a 1 and a bit year old Rotweiller and the friendliest and happiest creature you could ever meet. I guess she's my .22 :D

You have great taste in dog names. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BinocularSky

BinocularSky

Posted
Posted
How about using a slingshot to launch a firecracker at them? :)

Ammonia in a squirt gun works wonders, too. :D

Ah, I think I have a Black Widow in the shed somewhere; it'll probably need new rubbers by now, but I used to find it accurate enough with 10mm ball-bearings as ammo. :)

As for water-pistols, Tabasco may be preferable to ammonia. Ooh, how about a super-soaker filled with Blair's Ultra-Death? :)

Seriously though, I'd have ended up getting prosecuted if I'd ever used stuff like that, even in self defence, on the grounds that it was not "spur of the moment", but pre-planned. I just live content in the knowledge that the muppets who behave like that stand a better-than-even chance of improving the human gene-pool with some act of imbecility that is worthy of a Darwin Award.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
badgerchap

badgerchap

Posted
Posted
I'm always very slightly on edge until the weather gets cold, because I am utterly terrified (yes, I know its irrational) of moths.

I completely understand, have had a phobia of them my whole life. Not convenient for a night owl! Horrible when your out - it's almost as if they have special ear-sensitive radar. They always thwack! you right in the lug-hole bang in the middle of some careful focussing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Demonperformer

Demonperformer

Posted
Posted

My great moment was early last week when I looked down and saw a HUGE* spider crawling up my coat ... surprised any part of the equipment remained standing after that arachnophibic panic.

* What a frightful looking beast, Half an inch across at least, It would frighten even Superman or Garth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mark7331

mark7331

Posted
Posted
My great moment was early last week when I looked down and saw a HUGE* spider crawling up my coat

That's nothing! Tetenterre has ...

Ah, I think I have a Black Widow in the shed somewhere; it'll probably need new rubbers by now

Now that's scary. Didn't understand why it would need rubber but each to their own...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nick

Nick

Posted
Posted

I am comfortable in my own garden except for the hedgehogs, they seem to feel compelled to come an check me out and I am am more concerned I will stand on them than anything else. They also make a lot of noise. They are also hard to scare away as they just freeze.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
badgerchap

badgerchap

Posted
Posted
:D I was born and raised in Chicago.

We didn't have pepper spray back then, so i had to be inventive. :)

OK Everybody, I think Talitha wins the prize for most hardcore astronomer. If you ever tire of writing for astronomy magazines, I believe they have an opening at guns and sports lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PortableAstronomer

PortableAstronomer

Posted
Posted

I certainly know what you mean, about scratching and sniffing noises on the grass in pitch black darkness. I was rather surprised at first all the natural noises in the night, but in all this time, the most un-nerving experiences were when the teenagers turn up in their 1.1-litre Vauxhall Novas with 6-inch exhaust pipes, with lights on full beam.

Even on the organised club observing evenings, in the out in the Surrey hills, we had idiots drop-into the car park then drive away calling the cops to come and check us out. So it's definately the two-legged variety that is the main problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.