I finally get how this works

[REKAU]

I think I have figured this astronomy thing out now. Every time you buy something, anything relating to astronomy it rains for the next two weeks!!!!!

I bought a t-ring to mount my camera to my telescope, and it has been rainy and cloudy ever since... Only managed to get one photo done, of the sun behind clouds.

:shrug:

[Lee]

I think if the item is somehow related to astrophotography the effect is magnified too....

[seeker372011]

But if you were to sacrifice something of value say..like a telescope, by setting it on fire... Or something equally dramatic.. The cloud gods are appeased and will withdraw leaving clear skies

Works as long as your faith holds and you are steadfast in your sacrifice

[supernova1965]

Can I go to the recycling place and get a beat up scope and burn that will that appease the astro gods?

[Barrykgerdes]

Might work if it is well insured (I won't tell).

Barry

[Baddad]

No, no, no. That is all wrong. The Astro gods have you thinking the way they want. They want sacrifices. They are greedy. They will ask for more.:(

As long as you are hooked they will milk you for all they can get. :mad2:It gives them more clewd (cloud) power. Starve them and we all are no worse off.

However I have clewd clearing powers. Forward the top astro toys to me and I will clear the skies above.:P:):D

Cheers:)

[AstralTraveller]

Do I hear chanting???

"Cleeeeewwwwds disappear!"

[RobinClayton]

I don't believe this is how it works. I think they like to see shiny new toys. The clouds are able to sense your anticipation and they come over your location to see what has gotten you excited. They really dont know they are in the way - they just want to see your new purchase.

After a few weeks, they realise they have been tricked and they cant see anything, so they move on to somewhere else where the anticipation is building - then you can use your new scope.

I suspect if you tried to photograph clouds, you would find they are happy and you are happy.

either that - or they are sneaky and they follow around the delivery vans.

[LewisM]

Don't wory, the clouds will disappear right in time for the full moon.:mad2::(:rolleyes:

[Ric]

What you have to remember Russ is that the clouds are pre-packed in the box that the product comes in.

As soon as you open the box they escape and it's all over.

Cheers

[gary]

Hi Narayan,

Regular attendees of the South Pacific Star Party (SPSP) may recollect that this
ritual was shown to be flawed.

The "Telescope Sacrifice" was a regular fixture on the SPSP event line-up
where an effigy of an astronomical instrument was burnt on a bonfire on the
Friday afternoon. My memory goes back to starting around 1996 where every year
that the ritual took place, at some point during the star party it would rain or
be overcast.

This went on for several years.

The very first year that the ritual stopped was the first year that there were
clear skies for the entire event. :lol:

I don't believe the ritual has been repeated since.

Rather than buying new equipment equating to cloud and rain, I am
sometimes apprehensive about major astronomical events, being away from
home in summer to see them and the chance of bush fires.

The ancients use to claim that the appearance of a comet foretold disaster.
Few will forget the spectacular sight of Comet McNaught with its giant
fan-tail from the top of the hill overlooking the IISAC 2007 event.
We had only arrived back from that event on the Sunday afternoon with those views
of McNaught still fresh in our heads, had not completely unpacked and
were challenged by a bush fire that broke out in the neighboring
national park. When seven fire trucks rolled out the front and the fire chief
knocked on the door and said, "We would like to begin a major backburn
and we would like to start it from your backyard", I told them to "knock themselves
out."

In the link below, I snapped the shots of the fire from the roof
of our house that Sunday evening -
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au/images/bushfire_2007/fire.html

After a weekend of little sleep at an event like ISAAC, there is nothing like the
threat of a bushfire to get the adrenalin up and to become wide awake again.

Likewise, the morning after observing the solar eclipse north of Woomera in
December 2004, we were re-fueling the vehicle to head north to Cooper Pedy
when the news came over ABC Radio National that a bushfire had broken out
in the Kuring-Gai Chase National Park here in Sydney with advice that residents
should prepare their homes. We turned around and started the two day drive
back to Sydney but thankfully a friend came and prepared our house for us
and stayed here until the threat passed.

Thus when we were in Cairns last November for the eclipse I was somewhat
apprehensive about the possibility of another fire.

The saddest news of all was that Rob McNaught himself lost his house to the
fire at Coonabarabran last month.

[Baddad]

:rofl::rofl::lol::lol:

A stranger reading this thread may be led to believe that these Astro people are twisted, uneducated, mis-informed and gullibly stupid.:P

Its common knowledge that Murphy has had his elves install cloud magnets to scope gear. New magnets are strong and after time the magnets degrade in performance releasing the clouds.;)

Often what also happens and in support of this above statement; clouds will be attracted to the most recent purchase. ;)

Robins theory is to foggy. Clouds are not dumb enough to be tricked more than once.
I challenge you to deny the cloud magnetism aspect.:D

Cheers:)
Still drizzly rain and cloud outside Hhummp!:mad2: