CLEAR SKIES AT LAST!!!!!

[PARTY MARTY]

Finally after 2 and half months of bad weather!! Yesterday the heavens started to clear up and I managed to set-up my Dob telescope for the first time!

I had probarly the best night's for a long time, where I managed to hit 15 Messier objects in that night, unfornately not a good night for planet's Lol, but I least I could enjoy a clear and moonless night in deep sky observing!!!

The 12" scope really performed for me and I saw some excellent views where my meade etx 125 limited.

Again tonight apparently is going to be another clear sky so I hope everyone is crossing their fingers!!! Good luck to everyone and I hope you have good night's observing!!

[perrin6]

Oh please sky gods, send me a night unbothered by the furry misty stuff, I'll be a good boy from now on. I wonder if they'll accept a sacrifice of a small chicken from sainsburys ?

Part Marty - have you checked out M82 & 81 yet ? They'll knock yer socks off in a 12".

[G2EWS]

Hi Part Marty,

Staying at Moreton In Marsh Caravan Club site and walked to a restaurant last night. On the way back we were presented with the awesome view that the heavens can display for us.

Even my Daughter said, 'Dad, why have you not bought your telescope yet?

Oh please sky gods, send me a night unbothered by the furry misty stuff, I'll be a good boy from now on. I wonder if they'll accept a sacrifice of a small chicken from sainsburys ?......

Maybe a small Child will help

I will consult the oracle prior to buying my kit!!

Regards

Chris

[PARTY MARTY]

Yes I have mate!

M81 and M82 were excellent esspecially in my SW 26mm Panaview 2" eyepiece. I could get both galaxies in my FOV. Superb without a doubt, I say if you haven't got any 2" eyepieces I would seriously recomend in investing some esspecially for DSOs. However I would get the eyepieces like I've got and they are good quality eyepices at a great price of around £89, not as good as TV but so much cheaper than £300 or £600 for a TV eyepiece!!

I say mate check out M37, M44 and M41 open clusters there are excellent views, and at moment with these current skies we have seems to be Star cluster heaven at the moment!!

[noakesy]

we have been haveing clear skies through the dat then come dusk the blumming clouds come in aaaagggghhh lol

[PARTY MARTY]

Noakesty!

I have a feeling that tonight will be your finest hour, So good luck and happy hunting!!

[The Sailor]

Watched Sat24 in amazement, at dusk there were no clouds anywhere long the east coast, beautiful clear skies. Went out and prepared the observatory and when the time came swung the scope towards Orion and went in for a hot drink. Came out 10 minutes later to find puffballs in the sky and watched in horror as they grew and an hour later it was back to normal, wall to wall clouds

Jim

[PARTY MARTY]

[removed word]!!!! I would be very disappointed If that happened to me???

However I alway's expect the clouds to come in every night, that's the my plan, and it usually works well!!!

So I never hope for clear skies cos I know my luck would probraly bite in AXX as usual!!

And why is it when you buy a new telescope, And you wanna use it on that night, THE CLOUDS COME AGAIN!!!!

SOD'S LAW as alway's????

[MontyUK]

Exactly the same as The Sailor here on the South Coast. 5minutes on Orion before they rolled in for the night. Spent longer getting the thermals on than viewing.

[The Sailor]

Yes it was bitterly cold when I first opened the observatory and did wonder if I would be able to manage the rest of the evening but when the clouds rolled in the temp rose and wind dropped, by that time I was closing up in jeans and tee-shirt!!!

Jim

[parvee]

All the weather forecast for this weekend have been great. But the problem is I dont want to observe the forecasts but the sky at night, and all I could get was a glimpse of Orion last night for about 10 mins. It doesn't look good now as well. Maybe I get better luck next weekend :/

[DUBHE]

Why dose SOD have so many LAWS!!! Has any body ever met Him, assuming it’s a Him?

The met is showing sunshine outside but I can’t see it for CLOUD….

Andy.

[Jimmy Stix]

Sympathy and empathy from me too up in Sheffield. Set out for one of my dark sites and got the Mak out to cool down. Absolutely crystal clear from horizon to horizon (well almost). Did a quick lineup of the finderscope with Sirius and then swizzed it round to the fast disappearing Jupiter. Not bad but a little fuzzy given how low it was getting.

Within 5 minutes of getting it all set up, over came the clouds and before long I could see nothing BUT Jupiter. Even that was lost within 20 mins.

Arrrrrgh...............

[SUPER SN00PER]

Hi,

I'm from Northern Ireland and I too had a look at the sky, I dont have a clue about astronomy, but the sky was so clear that I stared up at the stars for 2 hours, in that time i seen 4 shooting stars or comets? they lasted less than a second, as fast as they appeared they were gone again are they common?

Also, while looking up there i seen what looked to me like stars just moving slowly across the sky... they also seemed to just suddenly change dirrection and track back on themselves. I thought they might be satellites? I really dont think they were aircraft unless they were CIA spy planes which is unlikely lol

Can you clarify what I was looking at?

Thanks

Kevin

[garethmob]

hello kevin

the 4 shooting stars or comets you saw are actually meteors most likely a few milimeers in size (effectivly dust) from a comet, theres a fair few meteor showers through the year that coinside with the earth passing through the dust left by a comet passing through the solar system

comets move very very slowly, you would only notice it moving by pictures / observations made night after night

theres a few places to look at them (heavens above site is very useful)

im not sure what the other one could be, but no doubt there be some one along soon