Extreme astronomy

Re: Coldest Weather

Matthew Ota — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:48:38 GMT

I set up last January because I heard a sunspot had appeared. It was 23 degrees outside. My cables were hard as rocks, and it was very uncomfortable. I do not like observing in the cold. Most serious astronmers in New England have observatories, but I cannot afford one.

Re: Coldest Weather

Kyle — Sat, 30 May 2009 01:50:59 GMT

Wind isn't very common here in Glendale, and temperatures rarely get below 40 degrees, if ever. I guess things are pretty nice where I live

Re: Coldest Weather

Starwolf — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:13:42 GMT

I am in Pennsylvania so we hover around single digits at night in the dead of winter. I don't know how cold it was but it was cold enough that my breath froze the focuser assembly after a few minutes of viewing.

Re: Coldest Weather

stars4life — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:25:32 GMT

I did a few hours each night 2 nights in a row for Lulin 2 weeks ago. Both nights were rather gusty with temps according to NOAA in the high teens to mid 20s. Never saw a even a hint of frost on my scope though... Gotta love that!

The coldest apparent temp record for me would be about 15 years ago. I went solo camping for some celestial event, I don’t remember which one at the moment, some meteor shower I guess. Anyway, it was about 20F and clear, but it got very windy sometime after midnight. My small camp fire started blowing flat across the ground and had to be put out. The only thing that kept my 2 man dome from blowing away as morning approached was the dead weight of my body wrapped in 2 (yes 2) 30 degree bags. At times the tent was also just about flat on the ground as the wind seemed to get worse every time I roused a bit.

When I finally got up to go home, I had a huge surprise waiting outside. There was about a half inch of crystal clear ice on everything… except the tent. I remember that I had to work to get my truck’s doors open. I guess that maybe I don’t recall the reason that I was out to the dark site… because my brain froze while I slept.

Re: Coldest Weather

Photon_wrangler — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:21:24 GMT

The coldest conditions I have observed in were about 4 degrees Fahrenheit and about -15.5 Celsius. The Celsius temperature just seems lower haha. I live in Michgan.

Re: Coldest Weather

Andrew Doyle — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:32:36 GMT

Last friday night I was out in -15 C with a 25 km/h wind. I was only out long enough to see Saturn and Lulin and then I was outta there.

Re: Coldest Weather

chipdatajeffB — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:08:28 GMT

We gave up at CSAC Sunday morning (March 1st) at 12.5 F. The batteries in my electric vest died about a half hour earlier and that was it for me!

Re: Coldest Weather

DaveMitsky — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:02:46 GMT

My lowest observing session temperature for 2009 is now 8 degrees Fahrenheit (-13 degrees Celsius). I spent 5 hours at a dark site on Saturday night. It was damp, slightly windy, and cold!

Dave Mitsky

Re: Coldest Weather

stargzr — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:16:25 GMT

A nice balmy 36 degrees F. For some of you Vikings in this post, I guess it would be shorts weather.

Re: Coldest Weather

Mark B — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:18:36 GMT

-18F Last night! Could only handle it for an hour or so! M42 was the best I've seen it. Able to resolve 5 stars in the trapezium and noticed the green color some members have eluded to. M1-Crab Nebula showed up also without a filter, M81 and M82 were awesome! That's about all my fingertips could handle!

Re: Coldest Weather

WannaB — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:08:38 GMT

zachsdad:
I think what you were talking about in Orion is M78, the reflection nebula between Alnitak and Betelguse (sp)?

Yep! That's the one. Pretty small and fuzzy. My book says it takes magnification well. Well, it didn't the other night! Seeing and transparency was the best I've ever seen. I think it has something to do with needing to upgrade the EP's.

Re: Coldest Weather

astronig — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:49:26 GMT

Re: Coldest Weather

zachsdad — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:24:01 GMT

WannaB:

astronig:

Well , .......How about posting an observing report ?

I'm afraid it wouldn't be much of a report. Searched for Uranus. Might have seen it, I dunno. M42, 43, 35 and the NGC object 1/2 degree SW of 35, made the mistake of breathing on my EP once, that took some thought of what to do to clear that matter up, searched a bit for M81 and 82. They were fairly low. I need to sharpen my galaxy hunting skills apparently. I usually can find them pretty quickly, but it was a no go last night. Oh, and looked at m 72. Or was it 75? Which one is in Orion? There's more than four stars in the Trapezium, correct? I think I saw five. Pretty sure of it.

That's about it. Said all that here because it wasn't worthy of starting a new thread in the "reports".

Any report is a good report, WannaB. I think what you were talking about in Orion is M78, the reflection nebula between Alnitak and Betelguse (sp)? There are a buch of stars in the Trapizium, but most amateur scopes can see between 4 and 6. Thanks for the report, even a brief one.

Re: Coldest Weather

Mark B — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:33:35 GMT

Johnm- You lucky dog!!

Re: Coldest Weather

WannaB — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:19:47 GMT

astronig:

Well , .......How about posting an observing report ?

I'm afraid it wouldn't be much of a report. Searched for Uranus. Might have seen it, I dunno. M42, 43, 35 and the NGC object 1/2 degree SW of 35, made the mistake of breathing on my EP once, that took some thought of what to do to clear that matter up, searched a bit for M81 and 82. They were fairly low. I need to sharpen my galaxy hunting skills apparently. I usually can find them pretty quickly, but it was a no go last night. Oh, and looked at m 72. Or was it 75? Which one is in Orion? There's more than four stars in the Trapezium, correct? I think I saw five. Pretty sure of it.

That's about it. Said all that here because it wasn't worthy of starting a new thread in the "reports".