Kelling Heath - September 2012

[Mike]

Well Petra and I arrived around 15:30. Fay, Carole, Julian and the Crayford guys were already here. So far it is cloudy but the forecast is for it to clear later.

My kit is all set up ready and waiting. Just about to cook some kebabs and pasta for dinner then it's a case of waiting till the clouds dissapear.

[MarkS]

I hope to arrive around lunchtime Friday ...

[RobertM]

The NEQ6 axes have been re-greased, worm bearings changed to decent SKF versions and paint removed from where it shouldn't have been.  I'm really looking forward to using it now.

Should hopefully be there mid afternoon as long as my job contract comes through otherwise who knows

Robert

[Mike]

The sky at the moment is clear and really nice. However its pretty gusty which is playing havoc with my guiding.

[Mike]

Well last night stayed clear till around 3am when the clouds started to roll in. But it was very windy all night long. Woke up to a short rain shower this morning. Right now it's still a bit windy but the sun is trying to come out.

[JohnP]

cool hopefully you got some good images -John

[Mike]

I had some weird issues that wasted an hour or so earlier in the night. For some reason Carte Du Ceil when syncing on a target, was thinking it was about 5 degrees above and to the left. The reticule kept appearing nowehere near the synced target. I've never had that before and it was really weird. Only a complete 'strat all over again from scratch' process fixed it.

After that I did a load of 5 minute subs of M33 then left the camera running capturing darks whilst I went to bed.

I'll process them later. Cooking a fry up right now.

[Carole]

Been a bit of a disaster for me so far.
1. Forget red torch, Fay found one to lend me.
2. Tried an idea which did not work, in putting up my tent.  thought I'd try pegging it out before putting in the rods.  Won't do that again!!!
3. Windy as previously said and at 4.30am ish (after getting some sleep went out to put it all to bed when not only did I see that most of the time it had been cloudy (why didn't PHD start beeping at me??) but my camping observatory had collapsed in the wind and was banging against the mount.  Spent half hour in the dark trying to dismantle it and had to move the mount as well which was standing on it, so lost polar alignment.  Obviously camping tent is not designed for this sort of weather!!!
4. Fridge packed up today. Julian kindly put new cigarette plug on it.
5. Came into tent around 4.30 this afternoon to find my camping kitchen had been knocked over by the wind (it was about a foot away from the walls), a kettle full of water on the floor, 13amp plug sitting in the water, luckily not plugged in or wet inside, fat from the frying pan all over the floor.  Camping kitchen is now 18 inches from walls.  Tent is getting smaller!!!

Fingers crossed this damn wind drops.
Did do some imaging last night, but guiding was affected.

Carole

[JohnP]

Blimey sounds like you are all having fun.. good luck for tonight.

[Rocket Pooch]

Well its clear and not windy here at all

[JohnP]

Same in Bromley..

[Tony G]

Same as everywhere..........except for Kelling, by the sounds of it.

Tony G

[Carole]

Wind has died down quite a bit thank goodness, but it's cloudy.  Clear skies are forecast so we're playing the waiting game.

Carole

[Mike]

Well now the wind has gone and the skies have cleared leaving a spectacular sky with a fantastic milky way. It's pretty difficult to spot what is what as there are so many stars.

I thnk this has occurred because Fay has packed up and gone to bed.

[doug]

Carole... sorry to hear about all your problems.  Solution:- put everything in a pile in the middle of the living area and move around it all. 

Mike..... I have fond memories of brilliant starry skies up there and in Northumberland.  Wish you lots of luck imaging.

Hope it all goes well for everybody ... looking forward to seeing the results on the Forum.

Doug.