Frostbite observing Pennsylvania style

[gary]

Pennsylvania based observing friend, Robert W., a member of the
Chestmont Astronomical Society, has sent us a link to some photographs
he has just loaded onto the club's web site.

Entitled "Frozen Pennsylvania Dutch Wonderland", the series of 14 photographs,
taken during a recent observing outing where the temperatures dropped to
as low as -15.6C, might give some Australian observers reason to appreciate that
summer here may not be that bad after all.

Robert observes with an SDM Telescope equipped with Argo Navis and ServoCAT.

Thank you Robert for the pictures!
http://www.chesmontastro.org/?q=node/7975

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by gary

Entitled "Frozen Pennsylvania Dutch Wonderland", the series of 14 photographs, taken during a recent observing outing where the temperatures dropped to as low as -15.6C, might give some Australian observers reason to appreciate that summer here may not be that bad after all.

Gary, talk to the guys from CAAP (Central Alberta Astro Photographers). They would reckon -15.6C is balmy. Brian was saying it was -35C at his place last week.

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Just plain to cold for this little fella
Cheers

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Streuth! That's keen

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

It is "nippy" this time of uear in the north land no doubt...

[Rodstar (Rod)]

There snow way I would observe under those conditions.

[Terry B]

A bit too cold for me also. I have been down to about -5 here in Armidale when observing but no colder.
Curious that they had so much condensation on the scopes to freeze. I would have thought that there wouldn't be any dew to freeze when it is well below zero. I assume it is mostly condensation from the breath of the observers.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

I've seen -16 at my place in Cooma, but that's rare. Normally -8 to -10 no troubles in winter. Comes from being damned cold already, and having a moving water table directly under me in the orchard where I observe. Brr.... love it!

[h0ughy (David)]

thats a crispy temp

[erick (Eric)]

The views were probably great!

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by erick

The views were probably great!

You are right, if you can stand the cold the long dark winter nights tend to be "clearer" and I've had some of my best observing in the winter...but even the best here (in Connecticut) is no comparison to what I experienced in Australia. I sure do miss it!

[gary]

Originally Posted by mithrandir

Gary, talk to the guys from CAAP (Central Alberta Astro Photographers). They would reckon -15.6C is balmy. Brian was saying it was -35C at his place last week.

Hi Andrew,

There's type A blood, B blood, O blood and AB blood and then there is anti-freeze,
which is what I suspect must have to run through the veins of some of our fellow
North American observers.

What might get interesting is being atop a step ladder resting on sloping icy ground.
Sort of a Winter Observing Olympics downhill event.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by gary

Hi Andrew,

There's type A blood, B blood, O blood and AB blood and then there is anti-freeze,
which is what I suspect must have to run through the veins of some of our fellow

Looks pretty nippy indeed. Your body does get used very quickly to prolonged exposure to cold climate. Cold air is mostly dry. You've just gotta keep an eye on those extremities and wiggle them, makes sure the juice is still flowing. I remember working outdoors in altitude at -25c daily for 6 months or so and by the end of it you're walking around in t-shirt when the temp gets above 5c some days midday. I originally suffered far more from heat moving here than I ever did from cold back home. Got me off the cigarettes which was a good thing.

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by wavelandscott

You are right, if you can stand the cold the long dark winter nights tend to be "clearer" and I've had some of my best observing in the winter...but even the best here (in Connecticut) is no comparison to what I experienced in Australia. I sure do miss it!

Some of the -5degC, and lower, nights at Snake Valley provided beautiful crisp views - if your eyeball was still working!

[Ric]

Yep, thats' a tad chilly for sure.

-5º to -6º is the norm in winter at my place, that's enough for me.

but on a clear night at those temps the viewing is excellent.

[andyc (Andy)]

Very frosty! Have seen my telescope like that a few times in the Scottish Highlands where -10C wasn't all that uncommon. It's tricky when what is normally dew on the eye lens (Scottish air is almost always humid, or from your breath), then freezes, making observing very tricky! You effectively get rime ice over your gear and it can cut the observing short. The sparkly frost and snow is always nice though.

The best observing conditions I've ever seen were at -25C also in the Highlands. Only lasted a little over half an hour outside before getting inside to the warm fire, but did see the Horsehead Nebula (8" scope, UHC filter) in that time. If Aussie conditions can beat that without the frost, I'll definitely look forward to it!

Orion still looks strange as a summer constellation