Xmas Party-pooper?

[Big Dave]

Am I the only one who has noticed?
Is December the worst viewing month?

The nights are shorter and all them damn christmas lights are not helping the ambient and Skyglow in the 'burbs!

:mad2:

Merry Christmas to you all and turn all the pretty lights of before 11! :thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

I reckon turn 'em off by 9pm.

[Terry B]

Makes no difference as the cloud has been winning anyway.:shrug:

[Ian Robinson]

Yep .... most my neighbours are Xmas light fanatics .... we have never bothered deckout out the house for Xmas on the outside (some of them started decorating in early November and it looks like they spent a fortune of outside and yard decorations , we also get a lot cars and coaches driving down our street at Xmas , and lots of blowins walking up and down street , hell can't leave the front door open to catch a nice breeze without people galking in . Bloody pest in more ways than one in my opinion.

As far decorating - I have a rule - if my wife wants to lounge room and dining area decorated for Xmas - she knows where the Xmas tree is , the ladder is , and where the tinsel is , and she is perfectly capable of doing the decorations.

[Jen]

Yep they should have a 10:30pm curfew :D

[Kal]

I haven't seen many lights in my neighbourhood so far, and my neighbours traditionally don't go overboard anyway.

[erick]

I guess I'll find out - I plan to go observing Christmas eve/morning, weather permitting. :)

[erick]

You could have these neighbours :scared:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=sFLCAJn7uK8

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=ECC0A-5Ponk&feature=related

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=i6EbbVula3M

and the original and the best:-

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=IK90Ys2LhSo


:lol: :( :doh:

[Ric]

I'm spoilt being rural, the nearest neighbours are that far away it doesn't have any effect on me anyway.

Cheers

[Big Dave]

I just about have. Our neighbours have gone crazy in some kind of competition this year. The neighbours roof has a brightly illuminated santa on it, just in the right line so the light hits my observatory!

[Big Dave]

I second that motion, been cloudy in Melbourne. No rain but.

[Ian Robinson]

Sounds like that Santa might get shot between now and Xmas .... or the wire powering it cut.

Wife announced at tea time that she's decorating tomorrow - me thinks I'll make myself scarce .... what time is high tide tomorrow ???? will it be fishable up there (SE or S breeze , or a very light NE breeze) ??? wonder if the snapper are on the bite within casting distance of Nobby's Wall yet this year ???

[Big Dave]

Update: Santa was found deflated when I got home from work, shame it is raining!

[Ian Robinson]

No ..... !!!!!! Who murdered Santa ? :sadeyes:

[robgreaves]

I have to say it does seem odd that on the one hand there is the 'global warming' issue that some people believe is due to CO2 emissions from using more power than required from coal fired power stations etc., yet then on the other hand the same people are rigging their houses up with upwards of 1000 incandescent bulbs and even appearing on the news websites with their excessive illuminations saying their power bills go through the roof, but they don't care as it's only once a year for Christmas :screwy:

A tree and maybe a couple of lights in your front window perhaps is fair enough, but going all out National Lampoon style making each lighting rig bigger than last years (or your neighbours - like it's something to 'prove') is a bit hideous and tacky in my view.

Merry Christmas everyone :D

Regards,
Rob

[Ian Robinson]

Just another of example of our americanisation , rampant unsustainable consumerism , and more profits for Kmart and Woolies and Bunnings .... mind you the little kiddies love the pretty lights.

Several million $ blown up in smoke in most capital cities all over the world on NYE at midnight seems pretty dambed stupid too.

My neighbours (a lot of them) are really going over board this year with house and yard Xmas decorations , even more so that previous years . Must be spending a fortune of lights and other Xmas decorating gunk , I wouldn't want their electricity bills in the new year.

[erick]

Christmas lighting? Bah! Humbug! :D

[Ian Robinson]

I'll second that motion ya onna !!! Cheers.

[erick]

Thought you'd like it, Ian! But I'm just stirring. Actually my family doesn't celebrate Christmas, except the 25th is my birthday - you'll all log on and wish me a happy one?

But I was the first to put up our little optical fibre tree, plus flashing lights plus bright big hanging star at work:-

(OK, I'll insert link to video when Liveleak accepts it :( ) EDIT: - here it is:-

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=26f_1228886128

(wasn't really worth the wait, was it)

Pity we only have received one Christmas card so far to place with the tree. Nobody loves us :sadeyes:

[Glenhuon]

Doesn't bother me either way. My gear has just been packed away for the holiday season anyway. Between the Moon and the weather not much chance of getting any observing done anyway. We have coloured lights in the tree out front and in the rear patio. They cost nothing to run, solar powered LED's :)

Bill

[Ian Robinson]

Bummer - only one lot of pressys (all on Xmas day) and no separate day to celebrate you bd....

I don't send cards and don't expect them - all my rellies and friends know that.

Wife hasn't put the tree up or decorated - yet ....

[Big Dave]

In the Jan 09 U.S. S&T they have a 'Unihedron Sky Quality Meter' in the hot product listing. Does anyone have one of these?

When the moon buggers of in a few weeks it would be interesting to prove the theory by someone testing the sky at say 11PM in the 'burbs and comparing that to result with the next moon free night in Jan.

Would that answer the poll? :whistle:

[leon]

Come on guys, It is Christmas ya know, where's your spirit, other than in the grog cupboard, (thought i would get in early here, as I'm sure someone would have said that). :P

Anyway I do imaging, and I have my own front yard lit up, the kids love it, as do many others in our street. ;)

The Stars will be there next month, and you guys will live, :whistle: and I'm sure those extra few Christmas lights would not make the slightest difference to your imaging/viewing program.

Leon :thumbsup:

[Zuts]

Cheers Leon,

I agree 110%, I dont have many lights but what I have are already up.