don´t forget a tarp

[NorthernLight (Max)]

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 haven´t 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 hadn´t had in Melbourne.
Full of hope to find the pole, get perfect alignment and be eventually able to get dead centre goto´s 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 wouldn´t 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 haven´t 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

[TrevorW]

I bet you where absolutely devastated

[pgc hunter]

painful, painful reading. Hope your gear survived. And then it clears out like nothing happened, what a kick in the cherries. My mortal fear is having all my stuff caught out in the rain.

Check your sat pics, forecasts and radar before going out, they provide a good indicator about the type of clouds approaching and if they are likely to contain rain.

[NorthernLight (Max)]

absolutely, and I cant find the boom radar for Auckland to check if there is more coming or if it remains clear. Apparently the only radars available are for Aussie even from the NZ weather homepage...
Oh boy...I think I have another beer and try seeing the whole thing as a little success on my way to perfect gotos and endles exposures.
WA btw looks pretty good weather wise. I think Ill move to WA when I return to Aussie.

[TrevorW]

Rain this year has been very slim at least you are getting some

[pgc hunter]

Originally Posted by NorthernLight

absolutely, and I cant find the boom radar for Auckland to check if there is more coming or if it remains clear. Apparently the only radars available are for Aussie even from the NZ weather homepage...

Oh boy...I think I have another beer and try seeing the whole thing as a little success on my way to perfect gotos and endles exposures.
WA btw looks pretty good weather wise. I think Ill move to WA when I return to Aussie.

For NZ, you can find radars on the Metservice site here http://www.metservice.com/national/m...ain-last-6-hrs

but compared to the BOM's, they are pretty rudimentary, but you'll be able to see if you got some crap threatening.

Bloody Perffffff has been basking in their usual sunshine and warmth all winter, same deal with their cousins Sydney. Nothing but sun sun sun for several weeks now. But no surprises there, it is Perf and Sydney after all.

[NorthernLight (Max)]

mate, you´re a stunner. that´s the page I was looking for. thanks a lot for that.I bookmarked it immediately.
and from the radar it becomes clear that it isn´t worth settin up again. but hey maybe I practise rescuing my stuff a bit and see how fast I can get, he. the next star party should include some competitions like who runs faster with his mount
cheers and thanks again for the radar!

[pgc hunter]

Originally Posted by NorthernLight

mate, you´re a stunner. that´s the page I was looking for. thanks a lot for that.I bookmarked it immediately.
and from the radar it becomes clear that it isn´t worth settin up again. but hey maybe I practise rescuing my stuff a bit and see how fast I can get, he. the next star party should include some competitions like who runs faster with his mount
cheers and thanks again for the radar!

no worries buddy

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by pgc hunter

Bloody Perffffff has been basking in their usual sunshine and warmth all winter, same deal with their cousins Sydney. Nothing but sun sun sun for several weeks now. But no surprises there, it is Perf and Sydney after all.

The only time in recent weeks there have been clear skies in Sydney have been 7am-5pm or when the wind was strong enough to blow the scope off the mount.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Sab,

Your avatar is an absolute corker.

Tell me, is that pure 127,127,127?

H

[pgc hunter]

Originally Posted by mithrandir

The only time in recent weeks there have been clear skies in Sydney have been 7am-5pm or when the wind was strong enough to blow the scope off the mount.

That would then explain the 8.6 hours average per day this month. Now if only the BOM could invent a moonshine recorder to tell the real truth

Originally Posted by Octane

Sab,

Your avatar is an absolute corker.

Tell me, is that pure 127,127,127?

H

the phrase "funny coz it's true" has never been more appropriate! Do not know what pure 127 127 127 is but yes, my avatar does confirm to said values.

[NorthernLight (Max)]

I remember the russians using silver iodid sprayed from planes into the clouds to make them collapse and rain down what they had before they could reach the cities with the big parades. that is why there was always blue skies on the first of May (labour day in all non-commonwealth-countries).
We should make a petition here and get the UN to accept clear skies as one of the fundamental human rights. Our government would than have to do everything to give us clear skies every night from friday to sunday plus public holidays. special occasions should be possible on request.
I´d be happy paying a few bugs more taxes for guaranteed clear skies

PS: it can rain all day long when I am at work...

[pgc hunter]

Originally Posted by NorthernLight

I remember the russians using silver iodid sprayed from planes into the clouds to make them collapse and rain down what they had before they could reach the cities with the big parades. that is why there was always blue skies on the first of May (labour day in all non-commonwealth-countries).
We should make a petition here and get the UN to accept clear skies as one of the fundamental human rights. Our government would than have to do everything to give us clear skies every night from friday to sunday plus public holidays. special occasions should be possible on request.
I´d be happy paying a few bugs more taxes for guaranteed clear skies

PS: it can rain all day long when I am at work...

Brilliant idea. A cloud collapsing agent is just the ticket. Anyone who shows the initiative to turn such an idea into a portable hand held device with a range of 10,000 miles will instantly be my hero.

Paying bugs taxes... don't know about that, the local mosquito population is already making massive profits from my blood. Apparently, my sugary, alcoholic blood is appealing to them. Damn.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by Octane

Sab,

Your avatar is an absolute corker.

Tell me, is that pure 127,127,127?

H

Gimp says 128, 128, 128

[Liz]

Cracker of a post Max ...
The things we do in the dark of night, trying to stay safe, and optimistic as cloud masses, and drops fall.
Perhaps we all need to move to Perf.