last imaging run before astrofest and all is

[h0ughy (David)]

turning to runny poo - there is smoke, fog, terrible seeing , coastal cloud, neighbours lights, the dog track and next door now has a brazer open fire - brilliant eh!!!?

oh how i long for dark clear steady unlightpolluted skies - something like what ponders lives under.....

[Ric]

Thats a real bummer Dave, sounds like they are throwing the lot at you.

Hope you get another chance soon with better results.

[pgc hunter]

That's no good. Sounds like "one of those nights". Time to pack it in and crack a 6-pack. Seeing has been absolute rubbish this year, incidentally turned to tripe the second the so-called drought ended.

This morning I could barely see the two main bands on Jupiter with an 8" scope. I'm over this year as far as weather is concerned.

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by Ric

Thats a real bummer Dave, sounds like they are throwing the lot at you.

Hope you get another chance soon with better results.

well here is the kicker - i shot myself in the foot to start with as i somehow forgot to turn off the dome rotation from last i used it. with the cloudy rainy skies we have had it certainly did not recharge the battery to rotate the dome - in an emergency act i have a trickle charge battery charger on the battery recharging it while it is moving the dome.

Originally Posted by pgc hunter

That's no good. Sounds like "one of those nights". Time to pack it in and crack a 6-pack. Seeing has been absolute rubbish this year, incidentally turned to tripe the second the so-called drought ended.

This morning I could barely see the two main bands on Jupiter with an 8" scope. I'm over this year as far as weather is concerned.

well i have thrown caution to the breeze - the dogtrack has finally turned the lights off - two neighbours have gone to bed and all there lights are off, but the bugger with the fire is still going - even cheering when i was just out to check and position on NGC 6559. just did m17 in spite

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

You have my sympathies.
When I lived in Cloudbourne my neighbour's wife would invite a bunch of screechy wimmin round for "midnite tennis" and turn her floodlights on full-bore (she was a dreadful "climber"!).
Alas trying to heat/light the entire planet from one patio seems to be an inalienable right here.
Have you thought of setting up a remote observatory somewhere? A fair few landowners would probably be happy to rent you a few squares for next-to-nothing.
Heck, I would. That way I can call the property a "science and nature centre" and get all kinds of grants.
At any rate - Good Luck and may your neighbour's briquettes go soggy!

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Hang in tere Dave - dark skies beckon you, I hear the mantra "come to Astrofest", "come to Astrofest" dark skies will soothe the savage beast... LOL

Cheers Petra

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

We've got a practice run this week for Astrofest.
Clear skies all week, culminating in 4 days of sub zero weather starting at the end of the week.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

turning to runny poo - there is smoke, fog, terrible seeing , coastal cloud, neighbours lights, the dog track and next door now has a brazer open fire - brilliant eh!!!?

oh how i long for dark clear steady unlightpolluted skies - something like what ponders lives under.....

Oh Dave its so terrible, I just couldn't do another night out there. 3:30 closed the lid last night. I need some sleep.

[Osirisra (Ken)]

I feel your pain.

It hasn't been any good over this side of the blue rock for almost couple of months. Nothing but cloud, wind and rain. When it does manage to clear up for a bit the humidity has been around 80 and 90 percent so it may as well be raining as the dew is shocking.

Two months with a brand new QHY-8L and not one good night to use it

Just went and got a Canon EOS 600D so I think the garbage weather is not going any where soon

Astronomy is such a long painful and fustrating adventure with such small bursts of exhilaration, wonder and amazement. It's sure is those precious moments that make it all worthwhile tho ...just be nice to have a few more of them

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Oh Dave its so terrible, I just couldn't do another night out there. 3:30 closed the lid last night. I need some sleep.

now i am crying after being there and seeing the dark skies during the lunar eclipse i know what i am missing.......

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

always open for business Dave

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

always open for business Dave

yeah you know me - can go anywhere on a whim (especially if i am allowed to go LOL)

[alan meehan (Alan)]

Counting down Dave 017:12:50:30to go dark skies are waiting.
AL