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Blasted weather!


Guest Jamie S

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Guest Jamie S

Got in from work at 6, nice clear sky, spent some time with the kids and ironed their uniforms, still clear so put the scope out, read the kids a story and put them to bed, come down, thick cloud!!! 😡

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Clouding over this way now but still a few wholes. Least the wind has died down - for now. Better luck another day.


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I went out early, around 5.15 to take a photo of the crescent moon, then again after tea when it was dark with bins as well. Every time I looked up to find a clear bit, by the time I'd bought camera round and tried to focus on the star, cloud had covered it. Gave up after about an hour and went in, only to keep wondering if it was clear again and should I go back out!

Checked the forecast this morning - cloud/rain/cloud/rain. Grrr, arrrgh.

Great moon detail in the binoculars though.

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The moon was fabulous last night - between the clouds.


 


Lovely thick crescent and lot of Earthshine showing up the dark part. Best views when it's like that are along the terminator where you get all sorts of features between the dark part and the light side. That's where the shadows are longest so you get a real sense of depth of the craters too. :)


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Guest Libby's

I was lucky by the sound of it. I got out about 9.30 after the children finally went to sleep and had a wonderful couple of hours mesmerised by Jupiter. Did not want to come in (hubby dragged me in in the end) and I'm really disappointed to see how cloudy it is today and forecast to be for the rest of the week. At least my scope got to feel some fresh air after the long wait! :)

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Great stuff Libby - at last you've christened the scope with a "first light".


 


Wait till you see Saturn - currently available from 4am in the "south / south east" - quite low. It's a jaw dropper. :)


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Guest Libby's

I can't wait. It was the site of Saturn through the Cambridge university observatory scope that got me hooked so many years ago. Though I came in last night thinking I don't think I'd be too upset if I never got to see anything other than Jupiter!

I'm looking forward to Saturn being visible earlier in the night later in the year. Motherhood is seriously getting in the way of this hobby as the children are very disgruntled if I fall asleep regularly during they day and seeing as they are home educated their education would suffer a bit too!

I am going to have to find some places to go with the telescope I think. The only area of my garden that is practical to use is a little yard and has got a building close by on each side so I can only really see what is in the east/north east of the sky which is going to get frustrating very quickly.

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You would be very welcome to come along to one of the dark site meets. The first visit is free, to see if it is what would suit you. After that it's £20 a year, which goes to the upkeep of the forum and the dark sites.


 


Keep an eye on the announcements section. If you want help with directions or any further info, feel free to ask! 


 


You will be amazed how much difference a dark sky makes to the scope, it brings out the faint fuzzies you can't get at home. Just wrap up really warm, and when you think have enough on to stay warm, put more on, as it gets really cold very quickly. Particularly at Belper, as it's on a hill above the river valley, it can be 11 degrees colder than down in the valley.


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Guest Libby's

I'm hoping to get to a dark site meet when the next one happens. I'm only half an hour from both and I'm sure I'll probably want to become a member.. I'm checking for meets! :)

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It's always nice and clear the night before I am working :'(

I can't do much astronomy at home. I have no back garden, and lots of street lights.

But on a sunny day I can do some solar observation, so its not all bad news ;-)

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I'm getting in some sunspot views through binoculars but it's quite poor down here in Wiltshire.


 


I can see most of the sky where I live by moving the kit around our close. I think if you live somewhere where the view is restricted, portable instruments are best. My largest 'scope is a 127mm Mak, as I also have a bad back.


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