Hold the phone!

[matt]

What's this?

A massive expanse of clear blue sky...in Brisbane?

Surely, it can't be?

And on the first day of my Mon/Tues weekend?

Even the JS map not looking too bad for later tonight?

I'll put the DP 'nudey strut' on hold for the time being....but it's beginning to look a lot like a belated Xmas!!!:lol::lol::cool:

Do I dare carry the 9.25 downstairs under the ol' Queenslander to reach ambient ahead of some Mars and Saturn imaging a little later tonight?:confuse3:

[Jazza]

I wouldn't push ly luck... if you actually managed to get clear skies you don't want them to notice you noticed before taking them unawares and catching them before the clouds can come back ;)

Good to hear you Brissies are getting some clear skies again. I was out yesterday but the seing was bad (haze everywhere :( ) Found ngc 55 and ngc 253 in binoculars though :D

[edwardsdj]

Hey Matt,

Did you get any more imaging of Mars in last night?

The conditions were far from ideal but at least the cloud abated between about 10pm and 2am for me :)

Hoping for improving conditions in the coming weeks.

Have fun,
Doug

[vash]

I even thought about getting my scope out for mars, but noticed there was a lot of mist around, so I thought after about 30 seconds there would be that much moisture on the mirror I wouldn't even be able to see mars anyway. Then after about 20 minutes it was clouded over again, So a I really didn't miss anything

[edwardsdj]

No mist for me in Brisbane. Got to see some detail on Mars but seeing was not that good. On Saturn I could only see the Cassini division during brief moments of steady seeing. Dew was starting to form on the corrector by the time I packed up at about 2:15am though.

[matt]

Hey Doug.

No Mars for me last night.

After all those storms we had y'day arvo...I didn't bother setting up when I got home about 8pm after work.

Plus...once I'd had dinner and settled down on the couch I was just too tired to care:lol:

I won't be wimping out tonight though if it's clear;)

Cheers

[vash]

yeah, I did stand outside and have a look, the LMC stood out nicely but toward the east wasn't as good with cloud moving in and the reflection of the Coast. Next week might be looking better, though the moon will be on the rise. At least I might be able to get my autoguiding set up.

[edwardsdj]

Hope the weather treats you well tonight Matt :)

The detail you're getting in those Mars images is incredible :)

[matt]

Thanks, Doug. Clear skies to you too:)

Hey Vash - fingers crossed you'll get some nights soon where the weather gods are not playing misty for you;)

[vash]

eh, I was thinking of going up to Pearlingbrook falls up Springbrook, at least give my itchy photo finger a bit of a workout. Should be good with all the rain we've had

[CoombellKid]

Hey guy's

I'd hate to bust ya bubble, but there is a lot is big puffy dark cloud trying
to make something of itself, all heading north. But hell I make a lousy
weatherman :whistle:

regards,CS

[edwardsdj]

Well yesterday at this time the street outside my flat looked like the Amazon river :( but I still got about four hours of planetary viewing in last night :)

It's a shame weather is so unpredictable.

[CoombellKid]

It cleared up a bit here last night too, but the yard is still swamp land with
nowhere really to stick the scope.

regards,CS

[matt]

Let's hope so, eh Rob!:P:)

I can see some dark clouds to the WSW...but it doesn't appear to be advancing my way.

Like I said in my original post...I'm not putting the house on it being clear for tonight...but there's no harm in hoping for the best and enjoying a little excitement;)

[GrahamL]

hope you guys had some fun ..I had a good time dodging the cloud
scope seems good ..all 5 in the trap .. the flame .. m78 .. m1 .. quite a feew oc to the north all looked good. :)

[CoombellKid]

Had a bit of fun here too Graham, dodging the clouds you were sending
along :lol:. First decent look at Mars, as bubbly as it was I could still see
some surface detail. The usual show stoppers M42, N2070 and 47 Tuc
amoung others. M47, M46 with N2438, 2 or 3 meteors. Tuttle, Holmes in
the 20x80's.

It was good to get out with the scope, first session since you came out last.


regards,CS

[matt]

Managed to capture this Mars image, Rob:)

I've also posted my first Saturn image of 2008 in the Solar System imaging forum.

All in all...not a bad night:thumbsup:

[CoombellKid]

Hi Matt,

Great capture mate :thumbsup: you've certainly come along way, well done!!

regards,CS

[davidpretorius]

definately strut away!!...........this could be the last clear sky for a while......it should clear up when jupiter is well past opposition late this year :rofl: