Welsh Valleys 4th March

[valleyman]

Looks good for the 4th,

Can you confirm your going please so I can get an idea of numbers.

Thanks

Pat

[Psychobilly]

I am having the whole day off and will be in and around mid Wales and the Beacons from midday onwards... I'll see if i can post the local weather from the smartphone..

Billy...

[valleyman]

Thanks Billy that will be a big help. Metcast shows 100% clear at the moment

[Psychobilly]

No worries...

I could actually do with a few nice fluffy clouds during the day as long as they have gone by dusk

Does the Mountain center know were are planning a late night session up there... we normally let them know

[valleyman]

I have not informed them. Did not know we had to. Will phone them and check it is OK

[valleyman]

BBMC contacted and all OK for tomorrow

Just need the numbers now

[valleyman]

Final details for tonights meet at Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre

A470 to Libanus, then follow signs to BBMC

Time from 1900hrs unwards.

Forecast. Good with 10% cloud (update at 1700)

Will give a final update at 1700 regarding weather

Map details 51.925488,-3.488224

[Psychobilly]

well at the moment it's me and thee...

I w ill be leaving for my trip around the Black Mountains and Carmarthenshire Fans in an hour or so... will be getting there around 5 ish probably

I'll only have the EQ3-pro and fixed tripod with a couple of DSLR's and some L's with me not promising an all nighter...

Peter...

Peter...

[valleyman]

Me neither Billy, will have to leave by 10pm.

My neighbour is coming with me,

That makes 3.

A few indicated a few weeks ago that they would go but not heard anything since.

[valleyman]

Latest weather report from Billy

Sunny and warm

Hope to see some faces there

[Starblazer]

Would have loved to make it, not currently got power pack for eq6 and have work to get ready for tomorrow >..< Might just end up having a quiet session here under the street lights.

[altec]

hi pat

would have liked to come but have to give it a miss this time round

hope you have a great night cu soon

steve

[bcfcciderhead]

if this was tomorrow i would be there .

sorry i cant make it, hope it goes well and look forward to hear about it

[Psychobilly]

Sunny and warm became clear and cold only 3 of us there and I have left the other two hardy souls to it...

Billy...

[Nillchill]

I was hoping to come and meet you all, however, I have conjunctivitus in my left eye, so had to cancel, here's hoping for next time

looking at the skies tonight it should be amazing in Brecon tonight,

enjoy guys

[garethmob]

hope it went ok tonight was amazing out on the lanes / mountains up bedliog when i was heading towards fochrhiw clear and bright missed ISS cos silly customer noticed me outside watching sky n i had to entertain them with their subs

wish i cud av gone!

[valleyman]

Well last night has come and gone,other than being a bit disappointed with the numbers, (Me Lynden and Psycobilly) it turned out to be good evening. I would like first of all to give a big thank you to Billy for the help and assistance he gave, not just during the day, but the invaluable information and help during the evening. As always members here have shown their willingness to pass on the expertise. The evening sky was the best I have seen with excellant seeing, just a pity my new mount had not arrived so i could test my new 200pds. This being my first time out in a dark sight made it a big learning curve, fortunatly did not forget anything, even remembered to leave the wife at home.

Was glad to see my mate Lynden get his meade sorted out and working, once again big thanks to Billy.

Even got to see the ISS floating over. And a big shooting star as we arrived passing inside Orion, hope billy got a piccy of it.

With SGL happening next month will hope to meest some folks there.

Oh one other thing, just as we was packing up, another car arrived, not a SGL member but somebody who had seen us on the web.

When he opened the boot of his car I saw a dustbin, inside and thought "What a strange way to transport your scope"

Turns out it was his scope, a blumming big 300 Dob flextobe goto.

Half hour later after we ummmmmmmmmmmmmm helped him assemble it. We got on our way. Did not take a peek through the 300 (me an apeture fever have to have a rest).

[Psychobilly]

Pat your "ethusiasm" is amazing.. It was good to meet you both last night Glad Lynden got to grips with the Meade I actrually "saw" soem objects for the first tiem lastnight as the only time theres an EP in my scopes is for alignment...

Sorry I left early but with ICE on bothe new lenses I decide to call it a night...

Looks likr I will have to "tweak" my dew heaters for the new lenses... the current settings used to "cook" the Nifty 50's but weren't up to handling the bigger lenses at least when the air temp was so low...

Lets hope a few more souls can make it next time...

It looks like we might have had the best of the weather as well... there are 60+ going there tonight "sold out"...

Peter/Billy...

p.s. Know you know the difference between the "pair" of us

[valleyman]

When you get icicles on the dangling bits you know it is time to leave

[Psychobilly]

I certainly wasn't dressed for it ... Seeing as i was out all day I didnt put the thermal on

Managed to Defrost on the Journey home though ...

Peter...

[valleyman]

BTW Peter unchecking Drizzle worked. Thanks

[Psychobilly]

Glad that worked for you...

Just a little reminder...

72x15s @ f/8 ISO 200 Canon 500D with Tamron SR AF 10-24 DiII No LP filter...

Processed in Startrails , Tweaked in CS3...

Now to go an try and find that Meteor..

Looks like the meteor was in the 10s gap I was leaving between frames...

and what might have been...

A single 2min sub through an iced up filter... the last sub before I packed up...

120s f4 ISO-400 Baader BCF modified 1000D with Canon 24-105 f4L IS USM @ 35mm

Unguided on an EQ3-Pro...

Another 20-30 without the ice would have been nice

Peter...