Summer observing...

[saturn5]

I'm in Dublin (52 degrees North) and i agree...........in the height of summer the sky to the north never really gets dark.

From my location i think in the height of summer that it is really only truly truely dark between 11pm-3am.

A few yrs ago i was at a family wedding in the west of Ireland (right on the coast) during the height of summer and i swear that at 11:30pm i could look out to sea and it was still somewhat bright.

Been lucky enough to have been round the North Cape of Norway in the middle of summer, weird to see the sun so high above the horizon at midnight.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Summer? - ah, yes, Summer, I remember! That's when the rain is slightly warmer, right?

Warmer but heavier.

[Sp@ce_d]

Hey look on the err.. bright side..

If the Daylight Saving Bill goes through we'll be able to observe till lunchtime in the winter !!

[AndyH]

I could be wrong but I think our Scottish Parliament has the ability to veto any plans to change the DST? And they will, hopefully. Hasn't DC said, it'll only happen with a concensus?

Andy.

[russ]

Summer? - ah, yes, Summer, I remember! That's when the rain is slightly warmer, right?

Yes, that's it

[shaunster]

Summer is my fav time for observing, still manage 3 hours of darkness here and its warm..

[russ]

Last summer was a vintage year for observing, at least on the south coast

[Vega]

There's no astronomical darkness at all throughout June across the whole of the UK. My DSO viewing ends in Mid May and doesn't return until Mid July.

August however is a fantastic summer astronomical month anywhere in the UK, never to be overlooked. My Fav

[russ]

There's no astronomical darkness at all throughout June across the whole of the UK. My DSO viewing ends in Mid May and doesn't return until Mid July.

August however is a fantastic summer astronomical month anywhere in the UK, never to be overlooked. My Fav

It's dark enough, even mid June, for a look at the summer sky. We were hunting extreme southerly Messiers on the 17th June last year. The Milkyway was pretty impressive right down too the southern horizon.

[AndyUK]

I could be wrong but I think our Scottish Parliament has the ability to veto any plans to change the DST? And they will, hopefully. Hasn't DC said, it'll only happen with a concensus?

I'm not sure about regional assembly powers of veto - It might be interesting for pub opening hours if you lived on the borders , but I think this is a "UK" thing, not just England (sorry). Here's a link to the story. It seems to imply that there's a way to go yet, and still a chance that it may not necessarily happen

[spaceboy]

I found Summer stargazing to be OK with a 5" slow scope. The small aperture and added contrast of a F/10+ scope tends to reduce sky glow to a minimum.

[AndyH]

Oh yeah, it's a UK thing for sure, but it needs all 4 countries to agree and at the moment, that's not the case.

The pub thing would be funny if there were 2 time zones(which of course won't happen). Imagine the increase in taxi usage at the borderlands, with folks scrambling to get in an extra hour on the beer !!

LOL

Andy.

[scouse123]

warm = bad viewing

cold = good

in this country anyway - sods law

[stolenfeather]

I find that I can find some inky black skies if I wait long enough. Usually this entails many hours sitting by a campfire nursing a Corona (or something cold and cheery). If the skies don't cooperate then I still had a good time right?

Isabelle

[Si W]

This 2 hr lark, it's just further proof that ALL politicians are, mm, how can I put this without invoking the wrath of the forum police...

...ALL politicians are nit-wits!

Mmmm, doesn't really cover it, does it, but I'm sure you catch my drift.

You've got my vote, I'm all for GMT all year round myself, the sun is due South at midday, equal hour of light AM and PM, what the problem with that, end of rant.