Tried Night time Astronomy, what a disaster

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I am totally frustrated with night time astronomy first off this evening when I went out around 7:30 I could still see Altair but it was about to go behind the trees,
Deneb and the northern cross we're already behind my tree straight overhead looking around the sky I could not visually see another star at all even at 8:30 tonigh
t I still cannot see any stars visually however with averted vision I think I saw Enif and Schaet but I can barely see them with averted vision they every so often would seem to appear,
couldn't really see Saturn if you looked right at it and kind of disappeared severe leg pollution, and then I had nothing but trouble with the scope trying to align it
and everything was dripping with dew within the first 15 minutes, for now I'm giving up a night time astronomy I'll stick to solar
I mean I'm not going to give up completely but I'm just so frustrated

Also all of a sudden my scope went the wrong way trying to do a 360 in RA and hit the mount and then a little later as I was trying to do plate solving with the Star Sense it ran away, I was pushing the RA button and let it go and it kept going! I had to shut off the mount to stop it!

IT is trying to tell me to stick to solar!! And withing 15 minutes everything was dripping with moisture, you could feel and smell the water in the air. AND did I mention that even with my 50 degrees of sky coverage between the trees I couldn't see a single star?

[notFritzArgelander]

Sorry to hear of the troubles. When I lived out east a battery powered hair drier was indispensable.

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

That is a good idea. I think based on the weather radio there was high fog, I normally have a Mag 2.5 visual limit, but Enif at 2.4 was not visible

Will try again

[KingNothing13]

The moisture in the air over here in Western Mass was bad last night - I took the dog out at about 9pm ish, and I could see the moisture in the flashlight, and the fog settling down in the street lights. That's not normal.

[bobharmony]

Jeff

It appears to be a New England phenomenon last night and today. The screens in the windows that were open overnight are saturated with water this morning and the fog is very heavy. I find that early Fall is the worst time of year dew-wise to set up for nighttime AP around here. My session last week was cut short because the guide scope dewed up so much it couldn't find a star to track.

It will get better after all the summer moisture gets wrung out of the air - I hope!

Bob

[pakarinen]

I normally have a Mag 2.5 visual limit, but Enif at 2.4 was not visible

Sounds like a good night to watch a SLOOH livestream. Did you check a wildfire smoke map? I've had nights when it looked great but Kochab and Pherkad weren't naked eye visible in the Little Dipper.

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I normally have a Mag 2.5 visual limit, but Enif at 2.4 was not visible

Sounds like a good night to watch a SLOOH livestream. Did you check a wildfire smoke map? I've had nights when it looked great but Kochab and Pherkad weren't naked eye visible in the Little Dipper.

What is the little dipper? On a normal night I can see the 3 handle stars in the big dipper but haven't seen the little dipper or Polaris naked eye in years from my yard as it is over the mall

[Juno16]

It is okay Jeff. You are just outside your comfort zone!

I know that it is really challenging trying something different. Even upgrading image acquisition software can be challenging.

You have all of the basics and will work it all out. After you do, you will really enjoy imaging DSO's. Even from a high lp environment, it is very challenging and rewarding.

Hang in there!!!

[Lowjiber]

Jeff, I feel your pain. Living in the supernova called Las Vegas, I've completely given up doing any night-time photography at home... A trip to the dark desert works. When I just can't stand it, I pull out the big Dob. However, I don't have the humidity that you experience.

Clear Skies

[helicon]

My light pollution has been getting worse over the years. My neighbor to the west installed a motion detector light that goes off every time I observe. Quite maddening and they refuse, even after my entreaties, to keep the thing off in the evenings. I guess they are afraid that someone is going to steal the catalytic converter from their Lexus, which has become a problem up in the hills. Towel over the head trick....kind of works...

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

+1 on security lights, my neighbor has the same and every time a car drives by it goes on and I can read my star charts without a red light. At least the street light that is 100 feet away and shines right into my patio observatory is burned out, I am not reporting it!

I think worse than the light is the humidity! we have fog overnight every night this week. The cars and the chair outside are soaked by late evening