Summer v Winter - Page 2

robin · #21 22-02-2006, 09:44 AM

Its been so cloudy here in Warrnambool for ages that any season thats clear, be it cold or warm, is my favourite.

fringe_dweller · #22 22-02-2006, 04:14 PM

yep autumn/winter just coz of long nights and sag overhead and cooler temps=often steady and optimum scope conditions.
little difference between daytime/nighttime temps ect.
but for 'players comfort' it is summer hands down
but I would go further and say autumn/winter in severe local drought years are the best by a country mile - scarily good in fact.

sheeny (Al) · #23 22-02-2006, 08:06 PM

The biggest disadvantage with summer time for me is the shortened hours of darkness. Spring to early summer brings the winds, which seem to be so much stronger on top of the divide here. So I suppose I lean towards Autumn and Winter even if sub zero temps are the norm.

I think I have the warm clothing sorted out for cold nights - thermals, jeans and shirt, thick socks, fingerless woolen gloves and beanie, a throat coat and a windstopper jacket... then if it's really cold, a freezer jacket and pants over the top! I have managed to work up a sweat standing perfectly still for an hour or two while forming icicles on the back of my OTA with my breath...

Al.

tony66 · #24 22-02-2006, 10:21 PM

I'd prefer winter, clearer sky's, much less mozzies and no need to leave the air conditioning to drip sweat all over

my scope. Every nights a steamer up here!!

JohnG (John) · #25 22-02-2006, 10:37 PM

Gotta say I lean towards Autum/Winter, the howling NorEaster's die and you don't get the afternoon cloud down here, cold, no, not really. Cold was when I lived in Cooma and the Snowy Mountains, dew went straight to ice and your finger stuck to the mount, ever seen a white GM-8. lol

JohnG

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #26 23-02-2006, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt

Reckon we need to start a thread with pix of the most number of bites in 1 night. or maybe not

The worst place to be bitten.
a)Finger tips
b)between the toes
and my personal favorite...
c)when they get behind your specs and can't get out then they bite you repeatedly on the eyelids in frustration.

astro_south (Andrew) · #27 23-02-2006, 11:58 AM

The other advantage for you in winter Jeanette is the reduced threat of snake bite!

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #28 23-02-2006, 07:52 PM

Sssso true

yagon · #29 02-03-2006, 08:23 AM

Is there much difference between seasons regarding the objects that you can observe in the sky?

That is, is there more to see during winter versus summer?

ving (David) · #30 02-03-2006, 01:09 PM

its a whole different sky.... as you very well know the sky drifts from eastish to westish everynight... well constellations appear to be higher inthe sky thru the year moving westward till finally they disappead past the horizon... in the mean time new constellationa are apearing in the east... its a cycle you see.

Rodstar (Rod) · #31 02-03-2006, 01:37 PM

I saw an article once somewhere (?) which had a summary of average number of clear nights, month by month, for a location near or in Sydney, from many years of records.

Winter is much clearer statistically than any other time of year. From memory, the average number of clear nights in each of the months of May/June is about 15, and for December/January less than half that.

I dislike the cold, but I dislike clouds even more. Bring on winter, I say!

mickoking · #32 06-03-2006, 05:58 PM

Last night it was really clear so I dragged my 'scope out for some observing. The problem was it was stinkin hot and muggy. I did half an hour of **** weak stargazing and went back into blissfull airconditioning and beer. We have had a mild summer over here in the sou-west, now it is Autumn it is heat wave time.

Much prefer Winter observing

matt · #33 06-03-2006, 06:22 PM

I hear ya Mick.

Another 30+ degree day here and windy as all #$@!*&

Maybe I should have taken up sailing?

yagon · #34 06-03-2006, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Maybe I should have taken up sailing?

You should! My main hobby is windsurfing, and WA has world class conditions. Sydney drives me crazy with it's moderate and light winds, especially in Autumn and Winter.

Last Jan, I spent 2 weeks sailing around Margaret River. That place is heaven for me, and I hope to retire there one day.

Saab · #35 18-03-2006, 04:52 PM

Winter is probably the best time for stargazing, but with it comes almost constant dew and sometimes frost. It's not so much the cold (which is mild compared to the US and Europe) but that flamin' dew. It's there on 95% of all winter nights! One night my star atlas had a nice thick layer of frost! And on another the temp in my backyard dipped to -3.5ºC. Personally I prefer summer/autumn, because there is no dew, and it is warmer. Winter is a good time for planetary observing, as there is less heat radiation from the ground, but for all night DSO hunting I really prefer summer/autumn.

Xeelee (Chris) · #36 21-03-2006, 09:08 PM

Autumn, Winter, Spring for me. I can't stand the humidity in summer

JoeBlow (Joe) · #37 23-03-2006, 12:12 AM

Mid to late autumn is my favourite. Clearer skies then summer but not as cold as winter. Also in the evening the eta carina part of the milky way is high in the sky, while in the early morning you can get a good look at sagittarius and scorpius.