What is the Coldest Temperature you have been outside in?

[Matty P (Matt)]

I'm interested to know what is the coldest temperature you have braved just to be under the Stars. The weather this winter has not favoured astronomers but when the clouds had cleared there had been a few clear nights where the temperature dropped way below 0.

What is the coldest temperature you have braved just to be outside?

[Matty P (Matt)]

I remember one night being close to -4 degrees. I practically froze and then defrosted when I returned back inside. Although the best thing about that night was the sky was pristine.

[Terry B]

About -3 at midnight-- but I'm well rugged up.

[Kevnool (Kev)]

About 7c sorry i,m a whooos but on the other hand ive observed up to 28c one night singlet and mossies.....cheers Kev.

[leon]

Matty it would have to be about minus 3 to 4, I remember the grass under my feet getting very crisp.

The camera and scope were well protected against the frost though, and the stars were just like diamonds in the sky, I just love the frosty nights, but my dear wife thinks I'm an idiot, she may be right.

Leon

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

-14, but that was 40 years ago when I was young and fit. Nowadays if it hits 0 I'm outa there.
You know its cold when you pour a beer and the froth on the outside of the glass freezes before it slides to the bottom LOL

[Matty P (Matt)]

Originally Posted by Glenhuon

-14, but that was 40 years ago when I was young and fit. Nowadays if it hits 0 I'm outa there.
You know its cold when you pour a beer and the froth on the outside of the glass freezes before it slides to the bottom LOL

-14!

And I thought I was tough being outside when it was -3.

If you remember, how many layers of clothing were you wearing?

[IanL]

-14 to -18 in Scotland doing astronomy.
It was so cold that the due froze up on my telescope and I had to take it inside the car to defrost it to get the scope from my mount.

It was not uncommon to be out under -0 as you usually have stable sky’s around that temp.
This winter in Brissie i have been doing astronomy out the back door in shorts and t-shirt.

Ian

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

I wasn't actually doing astronomy, but I went to Saskatoon in Canada around December several years ago, actually working for Telstra, and it was -28C. The locals said it was a good thing I didn't come last week as it was cold...-40C. I would hate to be outside at night....that was the daytime temperature! I think even the photons would freeze and drop to the ground!

I am a bit of a wimp, anything below about +5C and the electric blanket is too tempting....

[AstralTraveller (David)]

I've certainly had frost on the scope a few times. I started to become more of a wuss so I' bought a freezer suit recently and I've been nice and warm since.

I have it on good authority that a mate was stopped from doing photography one night because the photons froze in the camera and he had to bring it inside and warm it up to get an image.

[Jen]

TOO BLOODY COLD

[CoombellKid]

-25c in Waterloo, Quebec, Canada

regards,CS

[sheeny (Al)]

mmm I think it was about -10°C with a wind chill of about -15°C, though I was in a quarry so had a little bit of shelter from the wind. My breath on the back of the scope formed icicles. I was about as rugged up as I could get and it was good until I had to pack up (about a 5-6 hours session)... I had to take my gloves off to dismantle the scope and everything was sooooo cold! And once I started moving around I got too hot inside the freezer suit, so ditched that... but by the time I was packed up and in the car heading home my hands were in pain.

But that wasn't this year. I must confess to being a bit slack this year. I haven't been out very often since moving... between work, weather and other things. I guess I haven't pushed myself to take the few opportunities I've had...

I'm so looking forward to getting my POD! Not having the set up and pack up... out of the wind... it's gonna be so good...

Al.

[Karls48 (Karl)]

-41 in 1955 I think. River Elbe froze so thick that 10 tonne tracks were driving across it. We went skating on the river and as I took my boots off to put on skates my feet lost all feeling. We run back to my granny’s place and she made me to put my feet to the bucket with cold water. And the water felt very hot.
Later on when I was working as electrician, we often worked in –20 to –28. At those temperatures the plastic sheathing on electrical cables become brittle like glass. If you hit it or try to bend it, it shatters like glass.
I don’t think I would survive those temperatures today after living in Australia for 40 years.

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by Jen

TOO BLOODY COLD

LOL Jen !

I agree, if you're cold, you're cold !!!

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

15 below zero (farenheit) when I was living in Watertown, New York, many many years ago.

Didnt do any astronomy-just being outside long enough to getthe mail from the letter box was enough.

They used to joke that they have two seasons at Watertown: Winter and the 4 of July

I also- on one memorable occasion-walked around Red Square in Moscow to watch the guard changing at Lenin's tomb-oh at near midnight I think. Lots of vodke cushioned the blow, but it was January. In Moscow. And very very very cold.

I doubt I'd do anything like that today-but its often close to zero or a couple degrees above at Linden where our club observes.The hardest bit? when you have to take of your gloves to dismantle your gear when packing up and you have touch all that cold metal with your bare hands and carry it back the car. Brrrrrrrrr

[erick (Eric)]

About -6 deg C around 3-4am in Snake Valley one winter's day last year.

[Matty P (Matt)]

This thread is starting to make me feel quite cold...

I think anything below -5 degrees is too cold to be outside. I'm really looking forward to the warmer summer nights.

[CometGuy]

In the USA I've observed in conditions near 0 F (-18 C) on a 2 or 3 occassions. Remember being at 9000 ft in Idaho doing a series of hand guided 10-15 minute exposures of Comet Hale-Bopp. I had the car heater running so every couple of minutes I could leave the guiding eyepiece and warm my hands. I had trouble operating with gloves, so removed them. It was almost unbearable and after about 2 hours of that my hands were burning from the cold!

Terry

[Alchemy (Clive)]

definately below 0 , but im not that enthusiastic any more.... i wont be doing much before it warms up, so no images being posted by me for a while.