Well apart from one session out at the scope in early September, the weather these last seven weeks has been dire. I’ve got to go back to December of last year when I was only able to get out once during a month. November looks as though it’s going to be even worse, with not one clear night so far. While we have had lots of clear skies during the day, the relatively high…
Observing Session: 3, September
Now, that’s much better. With August now behind us, the transparency seems to have returned and this evening it was good to be able to see some galaxies again.Finishing of all the objects in Sagittarius is still proving to be a problem. I only have M55 to go, but every time I’ve tried to observe it, either trees are in the way, or the ground hugging murk that M55 lies in impossible to make…
Observing Session: 31, August
Another really poor August session, with the transparency being only slightly better than the one I had on the 25th August. While there are only two objects listed in this session, I did try for a few more Caroline Herschel Galaxies, but failed to make them out. Session Data Date: 31/08/2013Time: 20:22 – 21:21 UTTemp: 11.0c, Air Pressure: 1025Mb, Humidity: 83%, Dew point: 8.2c, Wind Speed: 5.0 MPH . Seeing: I Perfectly Stable, Transparency: Somewhat Clear….
Observing Session: 25, August
August is proving to be an awful month for observational astronomy. While it seems clear, its been warm and very humid so transparency has been particularly bad. With the Moon up again, the light scatter, renders most things except Open Clusters, either invisible, or so poor that it’s not even worth recording.Becoming really discouraged and I find myself wishing Winter was back. There maybe fewer clear nights, but at least it is less humid. Not…
Observing Session: 16, August
Tonight was one of those Keyhole Astronomy sessions, where you observe through the gaps in between slowly moving banks of cloud. While this wasn’t a problem, the 77% illuminated Moon was! I’m still struggling to complete the remaining items in Sagittarius (M69 and M70) as these are all pretty much on the horizon when I’m able to observe them. There was a little low murk above the horizon, but this seemed magnified by the effects…
Observing Session: 26, July
Moon is up and rising in the East 77% Illumination. Conditions are quite awful. High and not so thin cloud is abundant but, there are patches through which I can observe – I think it’s called ‘Keyhole Astronomy’. Still trying to observe last few Sagittarius objects but the cloud patches weren’t playing ball for anything below 30 degrees above the horizon and other Messier objects still to be ticked off at higher declinations, were…