Observing session Friday 28th August

Dave Lillis · Post by **Dave Lillis** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:13 pm

Guys'n Gals,
The weather might be on our side for this Friday, if it is who'd be interested in coming along, ?

John O'Mahony · Post by **John O'Mahony** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:04 pm

Boher or the Burren? I "should " be around.

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:06 pm

I'm game 100%
I've no work on Saturday so it can be a long one.

I'd love to try the Burren.
Maybe take a look at the site I found?
But we should play it by ear on the night and go to where
the best possibility of clear skies exists based on the sat info.

Dave Lillis · Post by **Dave Lillis** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:24 pm

ok, consensus is currently the Burren, our normal site.
Maybe if some of us leave early we could check out the new site to have a look see.

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:26 pm

Yep. Sounds good.
If your up for it we can head up early so, maybe before it's dark and
get a good look at it.

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:27 am

Dave.
Would you send out a text message this morning
just to let the members know
we are hoping to go tonight?
It's just because many had said in the questionaire
That they did not get enough notice.
Obviously they would have to wait for a 2nd text
To say we are 'go'.
Also if you could let them know about the shuttle launch
(maybe in a 2nd txt)

Thanks.

Thanks.

Billy · Post by **Billy** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:37 pm

Is this on?

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:10 pm

Yes.
We are heading to the car park by the Dolmen for 10PM.
You can contact me on 087 6775281 for details.

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:27 am

Well the weather up in the car park at the Dolmen was awful.
John & I were up there and it was very frustrating indeed.
There seemed to be a 'standing' cloud on the Northern Horizon,
the clouds were breaking up in bits but clear skies never materialised.

However on the way home I did a bit of a detour and found a spot that
seemed to hold it's own.
It's a car park by a lake between Corofin & Killinaboy.

I'll upload the coordinates soon..

John O'Mahony · Post by **John O'Mahony** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:59 am

There is some kind of micro climate at the burren site.Driving back it seemed to clear. When I got home is was crystal clear. Managed to use the new 72mm refractor to look at a few objects. M31 almost filled the field of view and the satellite galaxies were clearly visible in a 27mm panoptic. The ring nebula was very distinctive at about 50x and nice and dark inside the "donut". The double cluster was simply gorgeous. Jupiter showed 5 or six cloud belts in sharp detail. The milky way region in Cygnus was simply glowing with light. I am realy impressed with this small scope. I might be keeping the sct for imaging nghts only.
Boher would have been clear most of last night. If the weather is anyway iffy or there is a wind coming from the North or North West its not worth the trip to th dolmen. Boher has far better weather.

Billy · Post by **Billy** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:20 am

I couldn't make it in the end, but was out in my garden in Murroe last night with a six inch reflector, and there were some fine sights to see.

M31, Jupiter and moons, all putting on a fine show.
Should have kept it local lads.

Any idea of the weather for tonight?

Also, is the Boher site private property, or can anyone go there?

Dave Lillis · Post by **Dave Lillis** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 2:11 pm

Boher is a private site, so is closed to the public, but the owner is a member of the club.

Sorry I couldnt make it guys, but did get out eventually to see this new site by a lake that Frank found.
Yea, Boher would have been a better choice, nice time we'll be more cautious.
As for tonight, Its not looking good.

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:21 pm

Its totally clear here now
but I just checked the sat images and there is a bank
of cloud on the way.

The site I found by the lake is good but...
After finding it,
it has made me think that there are probably loads of potentially
great sites that could be found...
it just takes the will to go find them.

I'm usually all over the place each week doing jobs so
I think In future I'll keep an eye out...
Especailly for places like the one last night... just nearer.

For me it's only 25min away and the burren 40 but
for people on the other side of Limerick
(as John was saying)
it can be an hour and a half!

We need to really choose our nights!

Dave Lillis · Post by **Dave Lillis** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:41 pm

yea, its clear now, I'm out in the dome getting the scope alligned, gonna try some sat tracking tonight aswell as Jupiter later, presuming the clouds stay away.

Frank Ryan · Post by **Frank Ryan** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:07 pm

It's seems to be staying clear.
Might set up so...

Here are a few shots from the lake last night...
(John O Mahony look away now....)

Damn shame the rain came in for a finish.