Of course your minimums are warmer... you're never more than 2ks from the ocean in NZ! ... its not like you have any real mountains over there either
Al.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroID
I thought Aussie was all warm all the time? You guys keep telling us how cold NZ is but I'm wandering around in shirt sleeves at night with no heating anywhere. Was out at the scope in just a T-Shirt last week for an hour or so.
Geez, you guys must be getting soft or something ...
1 degree here. First clear night in ages! Didn't come in until I was shivering so much I couldn't focus! Well after midnight and my fingers were stinging!
But such a clear sky and with my new Light Pollution Filter, I wasn't gonna give up until I really had to!
hi al
i don't get as cold as you but last night it was getting down in the lower single digits only had a jumper and shorts...looks like the winter clothes are having to come out..
Winter seems a far better time to be imaging in Australia. It seems seeing is far better, sky is clearer, far less cloud and of course the nights are much longer.
Where I image from is about 80-100kms from Oberon and it got to about 4C minimum. But the seeing is divine and you can image to 5:30am and its dark by around 6:30pm. So that is 10-11 hours available imaging time.
US astrophotographers seem to get cloudy skies in winter.
There is an interesting cloud by month summary at Bureau of Meterology I think that shows numbers of cloudy nights and clear nights per month. As I recall July/August had the most number of clear nights on average.
We in the midst of our 3rd good snow shower for the day. Visibility has been down to about 200-300m during the snow showers, but nothing selttling yet. Fingers crossed it'll settle tonight!
Well its dry here, clear skies and the stars are a bit twinkly. Cool but not as cold as Coota . Must admit I miss those real cold clear an dark nights over there. Think me freezer suit is in permanent storage now though
I like the change in seasons, I find that hot sticky Queensland heat in summer far more unpleasant than a bit of cold. First snow on the mountains here in Tas this morning, our heat pump packed it in over a week ago and we've been suffering the cold, huddled over a fan heater in the lounge room with the doors shut. Our overnight temps are usually above zero, with only a handful of mornings below zero each winter, days are usually 10-14 during the coldest months.
I was up at Mudgee last weekend at the Sutherland Society's star party and while it was mild and blithe during the day, the moment sol dipped below the western horizon, so too did the mercury -- rapidly.
On the Friday night / Saturday morning and Saturday night / Sunday morning it was -2 when I hit the hay around 4am and dropped another degree after that before sunrise. I could hear my mate Gary in the bunk opposite (in our old van), who had a heap of clothes on, in a sleeping bag and with another sleeping bag on top shivering as I was drifting off to sleep.
Fortunately, I invested in a Kathmandu goose down sleeping bag about 2 years ago and even though I only had a tee-shirt and jocks on, was as warm as toast. Kathmandu sales are wonderful things. This bag was very expensive at $280 after 60% off the full retail price, but is worth it.
I remember waking up at about 6am on Saturday morning and my nose was numb and cheeks (on my face) tingling with the cold. It was not easy getting up to um ... you know ... irrigate a thirsty-looking tree (as you do) -- in thongs and tee-shirt ... in the dark.
While it was very cold, it was also dry and there was no condensation on the optics all night. Just some frost on the 'scope particularly on the shroud.
Was out doing a surveying prac with the uni class today at Yarra Bend. According to BOM, it hit 10C for the max at Viewbank, (close enough to Yarra Bend Park) and bloody hell at times you could see your own breath it was that cold. Don't even ask about the wind chill
Last edited by pgc hunter; 12-05-2011 at 10:40 AM.
Been cold here, snow on all the hills. Falls creek could open for skiing if we get another dump of snow like 2 nights back.
Takes some getting used to again. John is correct. White mud...... If you have to work in it there is no way to stay dry. I like the cold but hate the snow.
Visibility has been down to about 200-300m during the snow showers, but nothing selttling yet. Fingers crossed it'll settle tonight!
But the skies are clear. 
