Bad astronomy weather
The last few days has seen every type of weather. Rain, heavy snow, mist, fog and intense cold. However, astronomy weather has been in short supply for a couple of months.
I don't think I've been out imaging for a couple of months. The good spell of astronomy weather we had in late summer led into a long period of poor astrophotography weather. November is historically a bad month for astronomy, but the country has been in claws of an unseasonably long a deep cold spell that has seen heavy snow in most parts of the country. Here in Southampton where it "never snows" we had 8 inches of snowfall in one night.
Long hard cold weather at this time of year is often attended by high pressure, clear night and good astronomy - however, the recent cold weather has been accompanied by lots of cloud and snow - clear skies, especially those long clear nights vital to good narrowband imaging have been non existant for weeks. Maddeningly the occasional good night has been stubbornly joined by a very bright moon. Almost every full moon has been clear, whilst every new moon is greeted by a fresh wave of cloud and murk.
I am sure it won't las forever, but in the meantime we get out of practise and out of the habit. Roll on sume crisp clear nights in the new year.
I don't think I've been out imaging for a couple of months. The good spell of astronomy weather we had in late summer led into a long period of poor astrophotography weather. November is historically a bad month for astronomy, but the country has been in claws of an unseasonably long a deep cold spell that has seen heavy snow in most parts of the country. Here in Southampton where it "never snows" we had 8 inches of snowfall in one night.
Long hard cold weather at this time of year is often attended by high pressure, clear night and good astronomy - however, the recent cold weather has been accompanied by lots of cloud and snow - clear skies, especially those long clear nights vital to good narrowband imaging have been non existant for weeks. Maddeningly the occasional good night has been stubbornly joined by a very bright moon. Almost every full moon has been clear, whilst every new moon is greeted by a fresh wave of cloud and murk.
I am sure it won't las forever, but in the meantime we get out of practise and out of the habit. Roll on sume crisp clear nights in the new year.