Amateur Astronomy during a Canadian Summer

[Startrek (Martin)]

I’m currently travelling across Canada for a couple of weeks with my wife after retiring.Talking to various Canadians about amateur astronomy, I can understand why it’s a part time hobby for them as during summer the sun sets around 11.00pm and rises at 4.00am ( you only get 4hours or so of night sky and even then it’s frequently cloudy )
Us Aussies grumble about our weather etc. but I tip my hat off to the Canadian amateur astronomers, they are a dedicated lot, short cloudy summer nights and sub zero winters
On another note Canada is truly a beautiful country to visit , and warm welcoming people

Cheers from Banff Canada
🐿🐿

[glend (Glen)]

Martin , enjoy your travels. As a Canadian who lived in various provinces over 35 years, I can assure you there are places where summer nights are not cloudy and winters extensive darkness can be managed. The spring and autumn shoulder seasons are very doable astro wise. Winters in the Calgary area are dominated by the Chinook winds that blow across the Rockies from the Pacific, they create a relatively warm dry micro climate on the eastern side of the ranges. It was not unusual to have a +12C winter day in Calgary when it was below zero in Edmonton to the north. Your perspective on what is cold also plays a factor. If you can keep equipment from freezing up, and I grant that is an issue, then the night's can be wonderful - and very dark if you don't mind the pesky Aurora.
However, from a night sky perspective, the southern hemisphere offers astronomers so much more.