Great weather?

[Nexus 6]

I am going into my 3rd winter as an astronomer and the one thing that makes it so frustrating has to be ...surprise...surprise... the weather. I am talking from the perspective of a uk based observer, surely there's nowere worse?

My point is this, is it me or have the past 30 months been particularly poor. Do any of the more experienced members of SGL have any comments on weather from 5/10/15 years ago. Yes I know its winter and that what you should expect!

Would never have given a hoot until I bought a Telescope in 2008.

Clear Skies (somewere)

Alan

[Gary Parkerson]

Hi Alan,

Here's hoping this makes you feel better: I have just the opposite problem. I long for winter with its highs in the upper 60s (F) and lows that rarely reach freezing. Nights are brisk, crisp, and clear; seeing is so-so. But summer nights can remain in the upper 80s to lower 90s till darned near midnight and lows are often no lower than the upper 70s. Skies are sticky, stagnant, and hazy, but seeing is often simply as good as it gets anywhere. I'm able to achieve crazy magnifications in my backyard, but the views are hard to enjoy through the rivers of sweat that flood my eyepiece. I run a portable airconditioner in the observatory to keep me dry and comfortable, but the cloud of turbulence that generates kills the seeing.

So, when you've frost on your eyepatch and your extremities are numb, just think of sultry summer nights in the Deep South and you'll be good in no time. It could happen... Meanwhile, it's 9:30PM here and 68 degrees in the backyard. I'll think I'll put on the flip-flops and go stare at the moon for awhile.

Thanks.

Gary

[brianb]

I am talking from the perspective of a uk based observer, surely there's nowere worse?

Norway, the Faroes or Iceland, which are even cloudier?

Antarctica, which is nowhere near as cloudy, but it's twilight or full sunlight from mid August to the end of April and it usually blows a gale or worse at -50C the rest of the time?

Anywhere the night temperature is above 4C and is infested with mosquitos or, worse still, midges? At least the cool weather in British winters stops the little horrors from eating you alive.

Britain may not be great but at least the weather is changeable enough to get some observable weather occasionally.

[siovene]

You're not alone, Alan. I'm in Finland and since buying my astrophotography gear over a month ago, I've been able to use it only twice. I'm considering converting to the observation of clouds

You know what sucks more for me? That when summer comes, and most days are cloud free, there will be almost no night time, as the sun sets so late and rises to early

[Nexus 6]

Seems no matter where we all are there's one thing or another trying to stop our enjoyment of the cosmos.

Clear skies, if your lucky!

Alan;)

[nive]

Hi That is probably why it's so good when you've been out a clear evening / night and had taken some good pictures. it is one of the reasons that I do astro photos.

[SeedyF]

Its depressing now but it all goes around somewhere. Our time will come. Meanwhile if people in the clear parts of the globe could tell us what great cinditions they are enhoying I think that would cheer us all up...........

Or maybe not