NorthernLight
30-08-2010, 08:54 PM
Hi Guys,
I am so angry that I have to write this to get over it.
Today was the first day after an endlos month of cloudy skies. The sun was shining and the day ended with a perfectly clear appearance of the stars.
Since I moved from Melbourne to Auckland I havenīt been able to set up my gear but was looking forward to it as the new house has a backyard with clear view to the SCP (one of the reasons why I chose it) something I hadnīt had in Melbourne.
Full of hope to find the pole, get perfect alignment and be eventually able to get dead centre gotoīs I started making my preparations.
20:00 - I make coffee for a football team and start drinking one cup after the other to stay awake all night long
20:30 - tripod leveled, mounthead fixed
20:40 - eyes adjusted, polfinder clear
20:50 - no clue where to search, get binos out
21:20 - clouds appear and pass by nothing harmfull, seeing 6 out of 10
21:30 - octans is everywhere, after I looked long enough all stars somehow form a trapezium
21:35 - get the camera out, put it on top of the mount, start exposure
21:38 - picture shows that octans is excatly in the centre of view
21:39 - clouds move through the field of view and disappear, I drink more coffee in the meantime
21:49 - fine adjustment done, mount alinged and ready to go
22:00 - extension cord rolled in place, power live
22:05 - telescope mounted, handcontroller ready
22:10 - transformer go; notebook booting
22:11 - cloud movement intensifies and covers all south to zenith but it looks as if it is moving away, I drink more coffee
22:13 - notebook ready, the sky running, mount ready for 3star alignment
22:13:15 - I notice a few drops on my head but decide not to think about it and proceed instead
22:14 - it starts raining, there is no more optimism possible, it just rains
22:14:10 - I introduce myself to my neighbors by screaming all the words you wouldnīt teach your children very loud into the night
22:14:30 - I remember the green tarp in the garage, run for it and throw in the last second before the big hammering over the telescope
22:15 - I remeber that the camera is still lying in the rain and freak out completely, the coffee has now reached the brain leading me to yell at the clouds as if they did it on purpose
22:20 - the deck has become very slippery and I almost fall down the 2 stairs whilst running to get the camera in
22:33 - after I brought everthing in, I decide to always have that green tarp close whenever Im going to set up
22:35 - I start drinking beer to compensate the coffee excess and decide to write this
22:50 - the clouds have disappeared, the sky is clear and beautiful, I think about going out again but first:- more beer!
PS: you havenīt been to Auckland if you think Melbourne is 4 seasons in one day...
Clear Skies and no rain after set up to all of you!
Cheers
I am so angry that I have to write this to get over it.
Today was the first day after an endlos month of cloudy skies. The sun was shining and the day ended with a perfectly clear appearance of the stars.
Since I moved from Melbourne to Auckland I havenīt been able to set up my gear but was looking forward to it as the new house has a backyard with clear view to the SCP (one of the reasons why I chose it) something I hadnīt had in Melbourne.
Full of hope to find the pole, get perfect alignment and be eventually able to get dead centre gotoīs I started making my preparations.
20:00 - I make coffee for a football team and start drinking one cup after the other to stay awake all night long
20:30 - tripod leveled, mounthead fixed
20:40 - eyes adjusted, polfinder clear
20:50 - no clue where to search, get binos out
21:20 - clouds appear and pass by nothing harmfull, seeing 6 out of 10
21:30 - octans is everywhere, after I looked long enough all stars somehow form a trapezium
21:35 - get the camera out, put it on top of the mount, start exposure
21:38 - picture shows that octans is excatly in the centre of view
21:39 - clouds move through the field of view and disappear, I drink more coffee in the meantime
21:49 - fine adjustment done, mount alinged and ready to go
22:00 - extension cord rolled in place, power live
22:05 - telescope mounted, handcontroller ready
22:10 - transformer go; notebook booting
22:11 - cloud movement intensifies and covers all south to zenith but it looks as if it is moving away, I drink more coffee
22:13 - notebook ready, the sky running, mount ready for 3star alignment
22:13:15 - I notice a few drops on my head but decide not to think about it and proceed instead
22:14 - it starts raining, there is no more optimism possible, it just rains
22:14:10 - I introduce myself to my neighbors by screaming all the words you wouldnīt teach your children very loud into the night
22:14:30 - I remember the green tarp in the garage, run for it and throw in the last second before the big hammering over the telescope
22:15 - I remeber that the camera is still lying in the rain and freak out completely, the coffee has now reached the brain leading me to yell at the clouds as if they did it on purpose
22:20 - the deck has become very slippery and I almost fall down the 2 stairs whilst running to get the camera in
22:33 - after I brought everthing in, I decide to always have that green tarp close whenever Im going to set up
22:35 - I start drinking beer to compensate the coffee excess and decide to write this
22:50 - the clouds have disappeared, the sky is clear and beautiful, I think about going out again but first:- more beer!
PS: you havenīt been to Auckland if you think Melbourne is 4 seasons in one day...
Clear Skies and no rain after set up to all of you!
Cheers