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Lee
24-08-2006, 05:25 PM
A new moon, going to a dark sky.... CLOUDS!!!!! I think the chances of rain are directly proportional to the effort you go in packing all your gear when going observing! :mad2::tasdevil::tasdevil::tasdevil :

h0ughy
24-08-2006, 05:34 PM
its fine where I am - not!

Jupiter
24-08-2006, 06:13 PM
Rain here:mad2:

mickoking
24-08-2006, 09:09 PM
I recently bought all my stuff back in. It clouded over before I had a chance to look at anything. Such is life :)

RAJAH235
24-08-2006, 09:19 PM
Hopefully it will clear by the W/E. :prey:
Hey micko, welcome to the 1K klub...Congrats..:D L.

sheeny
24-08-2006, 09:34 PM
:lol:
Last night, all was clear... Great! Had everything packed in the truck. Looking forward to a night out with the scope knowing clouds and rain were coming...:thumbsup:

I get out to my dark site and start setting up. Just the finest high clouds to the east over Sydney. That's OK, too much light to bother looking that way! Just keep an eye on it...

Get all set up...start drift aligning...Altair fades... oh no! Look up and sure enough, thin high cloud right across the sky.:mad2:

Not to be put off easily, I continue drift aligning... can't see Altair with the naked eye, but I'm drift aligning on it! Jupiter is just a little glow through the cloud, but I persevere!:whistle:

Just about got my azimuth spot on... Altair is just visible in the scope - I have to turn the reticle illuminator on an off cause I can't see it with the illuminator on!

Yeah, now what???:screwy: :rolleyes: Jupiter is nowhere near visible so neither is any other star...

Oh well, pack it all up and go home...

Just get the scope packed up, when a clear patch develops to the north west... not enough to make me get it all out again though!!!
:rofl:
There's some message there... something about "character under construction"...

Al.

Lee
26-08-2006, 07:02 PM
I got here on Friday afternoon, set up scopes outside, mainly to make sure finders were aligned and to cool.... clouds shot across instantly....
Got back from a job - clear skies about 80%.... cool, Dob ready - put outside on the grass, lined up on Sagitarrius (wanted to see Lagoon) - got it in finder.... cool, by the time I focused the EP - 100% cloud cover..... UNBELIEVABLE!
That's one of the hurts at 2000 feet - things change really fast!

Lee
26-08-2006, 07:05 PM
Also, I forgot - this month the farmers/town can burn rubbish without a permit! Lucky I have a sense of humour! I'm sure they know I'm coming - the farmers must love seeing me and the scope - it means rain is on the way!- soon....

mattweather
27-08-2006, 03:41 PM
GRRRRRRRR cloudy days and the moon is coming back to visable this week!:(

h0ughy
27-08-2006, 03:47 PM
WOW :eyepop: :eyepop: has the medication worn off,:P that would have to be one of the sanest statements I have seen from you Mattweather,:thumbsup: congratulations!!!!!!!!! Please keep up the good work. And yes its typical wit the moon coming out, but get thee a hydrogen filter and thee will image through the full moon!!

sheeny
27-08-2006, 07:04 PM
I hear ya, brother! I'm at 3000 (1100m actually). A sense of humour is important!;)

Al.

Lee
27-08-2006, 07:17 PM
Yep - when it's clear here it's AWESOME :eyepop:, otherwise it is total mush.... like tonight, and Fri and Sat.... :mad2:

Omaroo
27-08-2006, 07:48 PM
I just bought my first scope this week... and have not been able to see a thing. Now I'm told it's going to be this way all week :sadeyes:

Oh well.... time to watch another few episodes of New Gen...

Ric
28-08-2006, 12:30 PM
Ah yes, clouds glorious clouds.
When I bought my new scope I was clouded in for a fortnight.
I think the clouds form inside the box your scope and lurk there until you open it. this also applies to any piece of new equipment you buy.
Just looked out the window at work and its clear, might have to set up tonight, probably just put the mockers on myself though.

cheers

ving
28-08-2006, 03:57 PM
lately its been either cloudy or i have been too busy... things are working against me. if the clouds stay away tonight i might have to miss coldcase :(

mattweather
28-08-2006, 04:52 PM
Bad weather is expected to clear on Thursday and then good stargazing time afterwards:)

Jupiter
28-08-2006, 06:26 PM
Perhaps if all farmers bought telescopes, there would be no droughts.

Starkler
28-08-2006, 07:07 PM
Not one usable viewing night this new moon. :mad2:

Melbourne has to be the most astronomy unfriendly location in Australia:sadeyes:

mattweather
28-08-2006, 07:11 PM
You know what, Melbourne is Australia's cloudiest city. Bad spot for stargazing:(

Lee
28-08-2006, 08:19 PM
I spent a few reasonable viewing nights at home last week planning charts for the weekend at a dark site - it's even darker there when its cloudy!! I have learnt in this hobbie - never put off viewing until tomorrow if you can do it today.... it WILL be cloudy..... at least this week is moonlit.....

astroron
28-08-2006, 11:21 PM
I have been doing a fair bit of observing this last fortnight, seeing not always brilliant but observing non the less, so I am quite happy that I cannot do any observing :) as It is hissing down with rain at the moment and I am quite happy to be sitting indoors, because we need the rain, so send her down hughey(spelling):party2: :party: :party: :party:

jjjnettie
29-08-2006, 12:02 AM
:thumbsup: I'm with you Ron.
Our tanks were nearly empty, the creek had stopped running and the dam was dropping lower every day. So bring it on!
We've got water running down the driveway and heading for the dam. Yippee!
:D :lol: :thumbsup:

GrahamL
29-08-2006, 07:39 AM
hope you get plenty of it jjjnettie.. theres some heavy falls moving through coastal nsw right now .

Its been one of the wettest years I can remember on the coast here
which is very cruel when so many just a little north and west arn't getting any rain .. 210 mm overnight back a few months and a few other
heavy falls was such a waste to dump all on one little area .

good luck

astroron
29-08-2006, 01:49 PM
:D The rain filled my tank up:) so I can relax for a while :) but we could do with a bit more:thumbsup:

ving
29-08-2006, 04:04 PM
well i skipped my usual coldcase night inside last night to do some observing.... glas i did cause i dont know how long it'll be before i can get out again the weathers so variable!
managed to get my next double star challenge 90% done :D

mattweather
29-08-2006, 04:44 PM
LOL rain still going and going!!! Clear skies up in SE QLD atm:(

mickoking
29-08-2006, 05:16 PM
They even have a suburb called Mc Leod :P Having a suburb called sunshine is perhaps a bit optimistic tho :lol: I lived in Melboune for 4 years.

jjjnettie
29-08-2006, 05:27 PM
We pick up 20mm in the last 24hrs. The dam has increased by 1cm and the creek is now trickling.
I'm looking forward to watching the paddocks green up.

mattweather
29-08-2006, 05:32 PM
Mickoking, it only a town name. It doesn't refer weather anyway. Hope you do know:) Imagine if you lives in Sunshine. there is a really a sunshine lol. Mc Loud doesn't tell you theres clouds? LMAO this topic is now turning into town comedies!