the Unofficial IIS Cloud Appreciation Society

[h0ughy]

:welcome: Well as the founding member of this post I wish to capitulate to the weather by starting a new hobby – cloud appreciation.

I want it to be on the record as saying I love clear crisp clean skies for astronomy and imaging - but since I cant have that (and now for several months) I will in fact move onto a hobby that is low cost, environmentally friendly and can be undertaken in any conditions. That is CLOUD APPRECIATION.

No more will I say its ruddy cloudy – no astronomy today, but I will merely be comforted by the fact that some benevolent being has granted me the ability to undertake further studies in planetary appreciation by observing cloud formations and their effects.

So as for today’s appreciation – we have NIL astronomy BUT, and i say BUT, I am simply appreciating the stratus and Cumulus cloud formations above and to the west of me with the frustrating blue portion of the sky to the east.


So how goes it in your portion of the land….surely there is something at the end of the rainbow?
:help::thanx:

[AstralTraveller]

We have an embarrassment of cloudy riches down here. At the moment it's about 95% cumulostratus coverage and I can see the top of Mt Keira so the cloud bass is over 500m. This morning it was raining and I couldn't see more than half way up the mountain.

[h0ughy]

:P what an excellent observation:question: :thanx: for the reporting :rofl:

[Octane]

Meanwhile, in Canberra...

http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/n.html

H

[h0ughy]

:question: we must be on a completely different longtitude, sunset?;) cumulus?

[mozzie]

bugger that dave i'm sick of the grey garbage......not only for astronomy but i'm not laying many bricks!!!!!!!!!! and we were flooded in again last week..
i'll be happy when we go into drought and run out of water and food :lol::lol: at lest well have clear skies,plenty of astronomy nights and work of a day..
thanks for the thread dave that's my thought's :):D:lol:

[h0ughy]

Sorry to hear that Mozzie, now there might be studies into heath issues associated with water vapour ;) perhaps we should apply for some funding into its effects on work /life issues and develop a strategy for manipulating the situation – maybe time on the scopes at La Paz?:rofl:

[bartman]

David I have been waiting for a thread like this!
Loving clouds( during the day of course:lol:).
I think a TUIISCAS ( pronounced chewey-scas;)) sticky in the terrestrial forum would be great!
Cirr(i)us!
Couple of days ago we had some cirriusley beautiful Cirrus clouds here in Perth ( they looked like Man of War jelly fish - it was even on the news!) and of course :sadeyes:I didn't have the camera handy.....
However I did get this pic on my iphone a day later.......a pano (poorly)....but panofactory did a great job stitching it:D.
I captured a similar pic a few years back ( I might have posted it b4 cant remember and cant find it on the puter:mad2:) same direction/ angle!
The line of the cloud was straight as a die visually! not so in the pic....:confused2:
I hope that we can continue a thread like this as a continuation / addition to the Terrestrial thread.....
Cheers
Bartman
Its not the best pic, but I'm just hoping it will start a new.....

[Paddy de Klerk]

Two is Company :three is a cloud ,
The Cloud Spotters Guide by Gavin Pretor - Pinney comes in handy .Founder of the Cloud appreciation Society he is. www.cloudappreciationsociety.org (http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org) . A few dollars gets one life membership. Images are pretty neat as well.
None the less they do get in the way of oter pursuits . Paddy

[jjjnettie]

The view from my front veranda yesterday arvo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkiVP-CHrMA

[pgc hunter]

I love clouds, I love them so much. Today, in the middle of Failbruary, I got treated to some incredible stratocrapulous formations, for the second day in a row (see next paragraph for indepth report). Yesterday was a corker, full overcast with stratocrapulous. Infact, the seeing was so good that I could even make out some slight differentiation in the greyness. But it doesn't stop there, conditions were so good, that at midday, the environment was illuminated in a roughly 8:30pm level of lightness, on this truly productive mid-summer day of cloud observation. You beaut!!!

This morning, it was mainly clear but by 9am, another round of stratus moved in, this time with white edges with some grey in the middle of the thickest parts of the 6/8th deck of this cloud enthusiast's wonderland. This unique effect, I understand, occurs when there is some sunshine around to illuminate the pancake-flat excitement of said cloud deck.

Very unique and intriguing and I now have to drink some red wine to cool my excitement and bubbling anticipation of yet more stratus action to come throughout the week. There is even promise of drizzle sometime in the next few days. Now we're talking :D

One of the best sessions I've ever had. Seeing was incredible and the night-during-day effect was amazing - even more so considering it is only observable on a mere 180 days per year here. Lucky for me, that's 8 billion times the average amount of clear days, so while we only get a pittance amount of cloud per year, it could be worse. Hope youse all enjoyed this report. More to come later!

[bartman]

hehehehe:D


Free it is ...to join IIS.Neat the pictures will be....as JJJ has shown thee.....

When other pursuits may be at bay, cloud appreciation may be the way....

Bartman

[pgc hunter]

Here's a sketch I made yesterday of the cloudage. Took 3 hours to draw, getting the right amount of shade and contrast was a bit challenging but got there in the end.

[h0ughy]

thats an excellent video - there is light at the end of the cloud ;)

[Ausrock]

Moz,

Just be careful while there's increased levels of Dihydrogen Monoxide about mate........it's worth reading here: http://www.dhmo.org/ especially their editorial "Truth about DHMO".

Houghy,

I'm just hoping the clouds find a way to slide down the hill from Rankin to Wallsend.........more than happy to send them your way :D

[h0ughy]

I think you might need to HDR that.

[bartman]

Me thinks you got the grey scale a bit wrong.......maybe adjust the saturation a bit to highlight the structures of the clouds.....
Or move to another part of the country....
Bartman

[sheeny]

Nice bit of spectroscopy there Dave! You couldn't help yourself could you?;):P

Grey from horizon to horizon here... not much detail in the grey either ATM.

Al.

[bartman]

:DBTW ......I actually am serious about a thread on clouds......:thumbsup::windy:
Just thinking.....
bartman

[Kevnool]

Clouds....What clouds
Come inland

Cheers

[jjjnettie]

:) I like clouds. I've got a few pics on the official Cloud Appreciation Society site.
Pardon, me, just going to close this front door. Horizontal rain, hitting the back wall of the lounge room.

[Rick Petrie]

Yeeeeep....just more freakin' clouds! :P:P:P:P:P:P

[mishku]

I confess, I confess... This morning was cloudy and I loved it. The only plus side to waking up at 0500 for work (no issues with STAYING up all night, but having to wake up at that time is simply filthy...) was that I got to witness the most glorious sunrise while I was heading to work. What started with a pale apricot shimmer turned into glorious orange and pink clouds, set against a grey and misty city. OF COURSE I had my trusty tripod with me, but was not clever enough to bring camera, so you'll just have to take my word for it :)

Cloudy days? Fine. Cloudy nights? I don't dig it!

[mozzie]

:lol::lol:what about some funding for the mortgage :D

[mozzie]

that's no a real accurate sketch i thought it would have been a little more greyer :lol::lol:

[ZeroID]

It's a matter of attitude !!
They are not clouds, it's just a big grey nebula.
I reckon you could get more detail with an H2O filter ... :question:

[Baddad]

I would consider joining if I could see the clouds.

90mm in 45mins.
This was near the height of it. The trees in the background are 60 -70 M from the back deck.

Cheers

[pgc hunter]

Time for a super cereal post:

I can see lightning from a thunderstorm down near Cape Otway 150km away.

[h0ughy]

any sprites

[h0ughy]

yes - to keep the observing pad is vital

[h0ughy]

low cloud?:lol:

JJJ said hers was horizontal:question:

[h0ughy]

bintel said that they were about to stock a cloud filter:question:

[h0ughy]

great link:thumbsup:

[pgc hunter]

I don't want to admit it, but I'm pretty adept at identifying cloud types.

[DavidU]

See my detailed eclipse image
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=84056&highlight=eclipse

[h0ughy]

did you notice it dim during the eclipse ;)

[RobF]

Hi, my name is Robert and I have to confess I've become a new member of clouds anonymous too. Lately I've realised how beautiful the swirling bottoms of low grey rain clouds can be, and the deep green hue of the lawns and trees in Brissy is something we longed for a few short years ago.

I really was beginning to worry something had snapped up top, so this thread is suitably therapeutic thanks David. :P :)

[h0ughy]

i like thunderstorms (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=11197) - this one was from a time past (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=63303) at least they cleaned the air

[pgc hunter]

Dave, that is a fantastic observation report of the eclipse, and I must say, very nice image of the event aswell, the focus and contrast are spot on.

[ZeroID]

Over here they even get their own gallery on National news

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/image.cfm?c_id=1&gal_cid=1&gallery_id=123741#8588435

Actually some quite beautiful pictures on there
Uh Oh, I'm being turned ....

[h0ughy]

well you do live in the land of the long white cloud ;)

[h0ughy]

welll this was part of a storm that has just gone through Newcastle. knocked down some trees and minor flooding

[Paul Haese]

At the risk of causing a political **** storm (love that quote, first PM to swear on TV) can I just say this.

While a bit cloudy here from time to time, I think living on the east coast is the best place for you guys to live. :P Another six months it will be winter and you can look forward to torrential down pours and more rain. :rofl:That also means more cloud. Getting depressed yet? I thought global warming was supposed to mean hotter temps and less rain in Australia.:lol::lol:

[h0ughy]

and i wish you an endless southerly front......:P

[pgc hunter]

Speaking of Global Warming, it seems that Mr Flim Flannery and his alarmist mates have completely vanished.

Wouldn't have anything to do with the flooding rains (for the 2nd year running), or this cold February all across east, SE and central Australia now would it? Weren't we supposed to not get rain anymore, and also die of heat stroke in the process? Funny that.

[mithrandir]

Someone is stealing our clouds.
There are a few dark patches with bright spots.
The clouds to the east have glowing areas as if there was some bright light illuminating them from the far side.

[zardos123]

i,ll be in the central australia around this time next month:D. here's what it looks like in my part of the world...........so if you like clouds..... iceinatmosphere :thumbsup:, from the end of my street. reversed it for good measure
brad

[pgc hunter]

^ Nice pics. Haven't seen a storm here since Christmas Day. The weather has really gone to hell since then. Coldest February EVER with nothing but slate grey wintry skies and April-like temps. Forecast has a grand total of 2 days near 30C amongst the low 20's wintry bliss. The last few so called stormy days have been a fatal fizzlah for Melbourne. Storms going off in the usual spots of Gippsland and the ranges, and even bleeding Warnambool and Portland and Cape Otway of all places, while Melbourne had it's typical London-esque stratojunk along with the usual summer fare of freezing seabreezes and southerlies, despite being less exposed to seabreezes and cold arctic southerlies as the aformentioned places. LOL Fail whale. In the mean time, summer looks like returning to Northern Vic, Adelaide and central Australia.

The storm season ended on Dec 25, and Summer on Australia Day. Pukeriffic.

[h0ughy]

todays offerings - approaching stormfront (that never came)

[Octane]

Brad,

Those cloud shots are simply wonderful. The lighting reminds me of any number of the Hudson School of painters, such as Church or Bierstadt.

I hope you make up some prints and hang 'em up!

H

[zardos123]

thanks humayun, ilove this sequence of shots i,ve added a couple more for your enjoyment. if we are stuck with clouds they may as well be beautiful, you can see why they inspired an artist to interpret them

regards brad

[supernova1965]

Here is a small tornado in Mackay today

[ZeroID]

We had two tornadoes ( that we know of ) yesterday out on the harbour. Unheard of until recently, and the big one up 10km north of me at work which killed someone last year.
Bad clouds in that case ....

[Jen]

This thread is hilarious ROTFLMFAO:rofl::rofl::rofl::lol::th umbsup:


:D ok ok i admit defeat...... i too have been bitten by the cloud clan :help:
I have even taken it up to the next level by dabbing into a bit of cloudphotography they came out better than my moon shots but ive got to practice a bit more yet :rofl::rofl:
Check out these clouds pics how sexy are they :P oh and i will be ordering one of those cloud filters for sure ;)

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[multiweb]

Some pretty cool cloud pictures in there. Love the light. :thumbsup:
Here's one (http://vimeo.com/36894087)I did last evening. I focused manually at the beginning and let the camera work out the aperture and exposure time automatically. As a result it speeds up in the end as the subs get longer and the frame rate is the same. Will have to work that one out. Transition from day to night is pretty hard to get right I reckon.

[Octane]

Another sunset in Canberra, from a while back:

http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/cgx.html

Without that floating cloud, that image wouldn't work.

We get some pretty ones up here, particularly in February.

H

[bartman]

Chuffed is certainly THE word......
Awesome.......
Love the dark to light ( top left to bottom right) and the cloudship colours.

Once again...
Awesome.(full stop)
Bartman

[zardos123]

beautiful humayun, has a very ethereal quality, these sort of shots really show the good dynamics of the newer sensors

brad

[spearo]

very nice!
frank

[gregbradley]

That's a stunner H. Is it a panorama shot?

Greg.

[Octane]

Thanks, gents.

Hey, Greg. Cheers. No, this is just a crop from the full frame, in 617 format.

At that time of day, making multiple image stitched shots is a really tough task as the light is so rapidly changing.

I do have a professional Manfrotto panorama head but I have never used it. I need to figure out how to calibrate first.

Cheers!

H

[Octane]

http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/faa.html

Same cloud, different lens, different time, different approach.

That lens is ridiculously sharp -- note the individual trees on the hills.

H

[Octane]

And, a couple more!

http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/mm-ed.html
http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/dsu.html

I don't mind clouds, really. :)

H

[h0ughy]

one shot from yesterday

[cybereye]

Hi everyone!

Going to work this morning I noticed this cloud - and yes it's real!!

Cheers,
Mario

[traveller]

Taken last Friday flying to Sydney.

[alan meehan]

My cloud from this aftrernoon looking east out over the ocean
AL

[h0ughy]

dare i say it - it was a nice sight;):question:

[Nico13]

What else do you do when the sky looks like this :question:

You get you get your camera out silly :D :lol: :rofl:

Ken.

Yes I do it as well :P

[spacezebra]

109595

Cheers Petra d.

[multiweb]

That's so cool. :thumbsup:

[FJA]

Here's a sunset cloud scape for you, taken last August. It looked like the clouds were on fire.

[FJA]

And a sinister-looking thunder cloud at the Texas Star Party in 2010...

[h0ughy]

great shot. looks like a puppy/dog sitting on all 4's:P;) for the record did you get the storm?

[FJA]

No it missed us. Now you said it, it does look a little like a dog.

[h0ughy]

:rofl:

[h0ughy]

wow thats so ethereal:thumbsup:

[h0ughy]

great lightning shots ken

[shelltree]

I've gotta say, I'm kinda torn. When doing photography, I really really want clouds otherwise it's usually a giant failgoat and not worth getting up at 3am for. The usual morning rant starts with "Wouldn't it be epic if we got there and there was orange and pink ripple clouds and dolphins swimming nearby and unicorns on the rocks..."

Of course that usually never happens and half the time we get there to observe the thin sausage like bank of cloud on the horizon, unmoving and uninspiring. I dub it nugbank.

But then astronomy makes me want to chant "clewd disappear" until they all bugger off.

Needless to say, I do appreciate clouds quite a bit. They can make or break a shot. Usually everyone is saying "What a lovely, sunny clear day." And I'm like "NOOOOO, bring back the clouds! What a c***p day!" :P




Oh my H, I am cloud envious!

[Octane]

Oh, hey, you! It's all pretty crap at the moment. Drab and grey. :(

You guys still heading to Tassie shortly? I'm thinking Pacific-Northwest in June. :O

Cheers, as per always.

H

[shelltree]

Hey back atcha :)

One more week of work then 3 weeks in Tassy, I cannot wait! I've already packed my suitcase :P

Ahh, Pacific-Northwest will be amazing! Are you planning to go as far as Alaska? I really want to see Alaska, Canada and the nature wonders of the US. Looked at some old slides my Dad took in the US and Canada from before I was born, such amazing landscapes!

I really want to visit Iceland but New Zealand is definitely on the cards for next year :) We are thinking Dorrigo at the end of the year too!

Anyway, hijacked the thread... clewddddd reappearrrrrrr ;)

[supernova1965]

This cloud bank has a cliff edge to it. Interesting I thought.

[von Tom]

Some of my clouds. Sorry about the astronomy content ;)

Tom

[h0ughy]

OK fair go on the moon but which constellation is being partially revealed;):question:

[Jen]

Oh wow i havnt seen any clouds for two weeks now :P im going to have to go back to looking at those nice shiny bright things in the sky :lol:

[von Tom]

David, that would be the Pointers and Beta Crucis in the lower half ;) Back to the clouds!

[h0ughy]

its been a while, here is another one - these formed on Thursday afternoon then cleared leaving clear skies. After setting up to video the earth lit portion of the moon i went in for dinner - bad move!! when i came out we had a full cover of cloud - of the non pretty variety. formed up straight up after the sun set and stayed all night. now have a southerly change.

really wanted to test out the gear before OCtober11/12 for the moon meteor watch night