Forecast looks good for the next few days on NSW Coast

[glend]

With the New Moon just around the corner, and the rain gone, the next few nights look very promising on the NSW East Coast. The charts are showing winds switching from SW to NW, basically offshore, so low humidity (currently 30% here on the coast) can be anticipated, along with cool temperatures. Might be the most encouraging outlook in months. The breeze, associated with the cold front passing, should die down by nightfall.
I am tempted to open up the observatory and dust off the gear. As always local conditions can vary.:thumbsup:

[Startrek]

Glen
South Coast has been clear and more to come ( about time )
Using my recently completed NexDome for some imaging ( no more back breaking setting up anymore, use to take me 2 hours ) when finished just close the door and lock up
Wednesday was clear all night seeing average
Thursday was clear all night seeing average
Last night was clear all night seeing poor to average, some wind around but inside the Dome nice and still
Tonight clear after 9pm
Monday night clear all night
Tuesday night scattered cloud clear late
Wednesday night clear all night
Thursday night not sure ......

Looks like La Niña is coming to end , consistent westerly winds now heading into late Autumn

Martin

[multiweb]

I was out last night. The seeing forecast was very average but still managed some good data at 2.1asp. Some high level haze quickly blew after 22:00 and the surface wind died. It was a really nice cool night. Got 8h of data. No mozzies. No dew either. Good transparency. Went to bed around 5:00. Tonight and tomorrow look ok too. Not sure about the surface wind. The forecast shows it blowing at 20kph tonight. I'll see how it goes.

[glend]

Great night (actually early am today) up here on the Lake. I purposely had a nap until 1:30am to allow the wonders of the Milky Way to rise above 50 degrees East. Lagoon, Trifud, Swan and Eagle Nebulae were all waiting. My first chance to get my EAA setup onto them: ED150 DX, + Reducer, ASI294MC (the non-cooled version), Sharpcap 3,2 running on the big screen in the observatory. EAA is just so easy, compared to the old traditional approach. Ran through all the targets, shooting 30 sec subs, Sharpcap aligning and live stacking as we went. Let it run between 8 - 12 minutes for each, depending on brightness, until I was satisfied with the image. Tweaked the histogram here and there and saved them for Astrobin later.
Switched over to the M22 cluster, and finished up on NGC6726, a rather dim reflection nebula, which built up surprisingly fast. All this done within 1,5 hours, at which point condensation started to settle, so closed up the observatory and retired to the house for a cuppa.
Have to dig out the heater straps and controller for next time.
I hope everyone was able to get out and enjoy the very nice conditions.

[multiweb]

Still out imaging until sunrise. It's been good here too. Bit colder than yesterday.

[Startrek]

Marc,
I don’t know how you do it
I assume your not a senior citizen yet ?
At around 2am I’m fatigued
I think an arvo nap for me is in order, might help stay up a bit longer
I use to work night shift as a young bloke back in the late 70s early 80’s but 40+ years later a different story
Last night captured just over 2 hours on the Bubble galaxy and closed the Dome at 1.00am left the scope capturing darks
Yes this has been the longest spate of clear nights for a long long time and Wednesday looks like a cracker down hear on the South Coast
Better go and open up to check the lappy and shut down the Dome , then some breakfast
Cheers
Martin

[multiweb]

Just set a run for a set time or until a meridian flip then run a timer for the duration and sleep in between take. You can go for a while this way.

[AdamJL]

how do you folks find the seeing forecast? Is there a site for it?

p.s. I hate how the weather is better during the week than on the weekends!

[multiweb]

http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/viewer/index.shtml?type=windbarb&level=200hPa&tz=AEDT&area=NSW&model=R&chartSubmit=Refresh+View

[glend]

Tonight is looking promising up here on the Lake. After tonight maybe not so good for awhile, might have to retreat to something else.

[Karlz]

There's quite a few Adam.

Cloud free night web
Skippysky web
Ventusky web and app
Nightshift app

To name a few I use.

It is looking good for tonight Glen, I need more pterodactyl data.