My observatory is already giving me a lot of pleasure. I bought a second-hand pier and an adapter plate over the summer so, now the nights are getting longer, my […]
Travel telescope for Tenerife July 2018
July 2018 sees another trip to Tenerife with friends from the Basingstoke Astronomy Society Exped Group. I had such a great time last year I can not wait to return […]
Venus and Jupiter with 150 Mak 6 June
Quick dodge of the clouds yesterday evening to catch Jupiter being photobombed by Europa and Venus approaching half-phase. Note Great Red Spot just starting to appear round the limb. Europa […]
2 Nights on Jupiter 5-6 May and 6-7 May 2018
It has been a few months since I lived on Jupiter. This dynamic planet is slow for the next few years, I can’t see it from my observatory as it […]
Second Light
Second light in the new observatory – the build video is here: After 2 hectic days travelling to Bristol it was lovely to relax under the stars. With the telescope and […]
Observing from Tenerife
Isn’t it strange how chance conversations can provide a new opportunity? 2 minutes spent chatting to my old friends from Basingstoke Astronomical Society at Astrofest saw me invited (gate-crashing?) an […]
Halos, aurora, the Moon & Uranus
Last Tuesday I visited the always welcoming Wiltshire Astronomical Society (WAS) for a talk by Mary McIntyre that described the variety of light shows that are created in the atmosphere. […]
Designing a New Journal
For years I have been using an A5 notepad to record my observations and sketches. This simple approach has a number of shortcomings. Older pages suffer from wear and tear […]
Neolithic Moon
The 6 June, in addition to being the anniversary of the D Day landings, is the date I had been invited to give a talk to the Wiltshire Astronomical Society. […]
Observing the NGC 1275 Galaxy Group in Perseus
My observing has been frustratingly limited this season. Working away from home (and the scope) with lots of driving plus the usual inclement weather are all conspiring against me. With […]