Cold weather observing

[kt4hx]

I'm hoping to get out tonight as this morning it is sunny and clear. A balmy 9 degrees F too. Yesterday I had 14" of snow on my steep and winding driveway that took me two hours to shovel off. As mostly a Californian I'm trying to adapt to this stuff.

You might want to invest in a snow blower Michael. For those that get snowed on regularly, sure beats shoveling.

I looked it up Alan and supposedly you can't use them on concrete driveways...there may be a type without rotors but I am not sure. Shovel, salt, and sand seems to be the way to go. Expecting more snow tonight. I did make it to the grocery store yesterday but getting up the driveway is a slippery adventure.

Also didn't manage to get out, partly cloudy and 5 degrees. I guess @JayTee has it worse though.

Concrete would be a different animal. We all have asphalt here and people use them all the time. I don't have one, but Mary did get me a power snow shovel to use. We don't get a lot of snow on average and hopefully will make my task easier. We shall see.


For sure, there are those that have it a lot worse, and I don't envy them. We will only have a rain event from this storm, and our dark site house is saying about 1" of snow.

[JayTee]

I looked it up Alan and supposedly you can't use them on concrete driveways...there may be a type without rotors but I am not sure. Shovel, salt, and sand seems to be the way to go. Expecting more snow tonight. I did make it to the grocery store yesterday but getting up the driveway is a slippery adventure.

Thank. God for my new (this fall) snowblower. I use it on the concrete portions of my driveways with no ill effects. I highly recommend one. Not only do you not have to shovel, their also fun to use.

[SparWeb]

I don't have too much to add to the suggestions made so far, but I guess I'll pipe up since it was -34C (-29F) last night and promises to be -29C tonight. Skies are very clear and stable, and air is very dry, so in that sense it's good for astronomy. But standing at an eyepiece or setting up equipment in this temperature takes quite a lot of dedication - or a special event. In conditions like this I usually do astronomy with a Mark-1 eyeball, from within the hood of a parka.

I've done astrophotography a few times in temps below -20C.
Whenever it's below -15C or so, I do take extra precautions with the camera and scope.

I haven't had any problems taking the camera (Canon 6D) outside from the house. I'm aware that it needs a cool-down period while parts inside are still warm. The case and lenses cool down faster because they're in contact with cold air. This should be a consideration if you intend to swap lenses while your camera is outdoors and it hasn't equalized temperatures, yet.

If I want to bring the camera in, I wrap it carefully in a large plastic bag and tie off the end. Any shopping bag will do, but make sure it doesn't have little holes that will let the moist air in while the camera is warming up. Keep this bag closed for an hour at least. If I am so impatient to access the pics I might download files or pull the SD card out *before* bringing the camera inside. But then be mindful that if you bring it straight in the house, or palm it in your mitt, then the SD card itself will collect frost! So that's not actually a good idea.

My scope never comes in the house so it's always close to ambient temperature whenever I use it. The AVX mount's LCD display doesn't work below -25 degrees any more, which limits my December/January observations. Nah, who am I kidding? I'm getting soft and I don't hang out in sub-zero temps as much as I used to.

All of the above also applies to things like eyepieces, which you might also keep in the house and carry outside. If you have a case or box to put them all in, and you carry that box in and out of a warm house, then check to see if the box is sealed well enough to keep moisture out after you bring it inside. A "pelican" case is great, a shoebox... not-so great. They'll need time to acclimate after each thermal transition.

Even if your equipment can't go in and out of the house when it's below -15C, you can. Take breaks from the cold, and have a mug of tea waiting for you. It can be quite a... tactile... experience.

For sure I have seen very low noise in the photos taken on cold nights. I don't think the difference between -15C and -25C mattered, but -15C sure is better than +15C.

[GCoyote]

I'm hoping to get out tonight as this morning it is sunny and clear. A balmy 9 degrees F too. Yesterday I had 14" of snow on my steep and winding driveway that took me two hours to shovel off. As mostly a Californian I'm trying to adapt to this stuff.

You might want to invest in a snow blower Michael. For those that get snowed on regularly, sure beats shoveling.

I looked it up Alan and supposedly you can't use them on concrete driveways...there may be a type without rotors but I am not sure. Shovel, salt, and sand seems to be the way to go. Expecting more snow tonight. I did make it to the grocery store yesterday but getting up the driveway is a slippery adventure.

Also didn't manage to get out, partly cloudy and 5 degrees. I guess @JayTee has it worse though.

.
On most blowers for home use, the blades have a 1-2" rubberize edge guard for safety reasons. Check them out at any big home improvement store and you'll see what I mean.

I save the desiccant packets from my wife's stream of Amazon deliveries and keep them in a sealed container. If I have to pack cold accessories for transport, I toss them in a plastic utility box with a few desiccant packets. Even if I forget them for a few days after, that is usually enough to keep anything from growing on the gear.

[helicon]

You might want to invest in a snow blower Michael. For those that get snowed on regularly, sure beats shoveling.

I looked it up Alan and supposedly you can't use them on concrete driveways...there may be a type without rotors but I am not sure. Shovel, salt, and sand seems to be the way to go. Expecting more snow tonight. I did make it to the grocery store yesterday but getting up the driveway is a slippery adventure.

Also didn't manage to get out, partly cloudy and 5 degrees. I guess @JayTee has it worse though.
[/quote]
.
On most blowers for home use, the blades have a 1-2" rubberize edge guard for safety reasons. Check them out at any big home improvement store and you'll see what I mean.

I save the desiccant packets from my wife's stream of Amazon deliveries and keep them in a sealed container. If I have to pack cold accessories for transport, I toss them in a plastic utility box with a few desiccant packets. Even if I forget them for a few days after, that is usually enough to keep anything from growing on the gear.
[/quote]

I'll go to Loews or Home Depot to check them out, I know that JT's was around $1300.

[seigell]

I looked it up Alan and supposedly you can't use them on concrete driveways...there may be a type without rotors but I am not sure. Shovel, salt, and sand seems to be the way to go. Expecting more snow tonight. I did make it to the grocery store yesterday but getting up the driveway is a slippery adventure.

Also didn't manage to get out, partly cloudy and 5 degrees. I guess @JayTee has it worse though.

You must have gotten that backwards.

Snowblowers - from the "Electric Shovel" to the "Walk-behind" to the ATV/SkidSteer/Tractor-mounted to the Truck-mounted - work PERFECTLY on Concrete (and Asphalt - and any Hard/Smooth surface material). In many cases, they can be set to clear to within 1/4" of the hard surface. These blowers will also work on "well-groomed" Gravel Driveways. And with "Spacer Skids" that hold the Blower a couple of inches off the surface, can even clear Gravel Roads with modest ruts and potholes.

[helicon]

I looked it up Alan and supposedly you can't use them on concrete driveways...there may be a type without rotors but I am not sure. Shovel, salt, and sand seems to be the way to go. Expecting more snow tonight. I did make it to the grocery store yesterday but getting up the driveway is a slippery adventure.

Also didn't manage to get out, partly cloudy and 5 degrees. I guess @JayTee has it worse though.

You must have gotten that backwards.

Snowblowers - from the "Electric Shovel" to the "Walk-behind" to the ATV/SkidSteer/Tractor-mounted to the Truck-mounted - work PERFECTLY on Concrete (and Asphalt - and any Hard/Smooth surface material). In many cases, they can be set to clear to within 1/4" of the hard surface. These blowers will also work on "well-groomed" Gravel Driveways. And with "Spacer Skids" that hold the Blower a couple of inches off the surface, can even clear Gravel Roads with modest ruts and potholes.

Thanks for the info!

[Mike Q]

I'm hoping to get out tonight as this morning it is sunny and clear. A balmy 9 degrees F too. Yesterday I had 14" of snow on my steep and winding driveway that took me two hours to shovel off. As mostly a Californian I'm trying to adapt to this stuff.

You might want to invest in a snow blower Michael. For those that get snowed on regularly, sure beats shoveling.

I looked it up Alan and supposedly you can't use them on concrete driveways...there may be a type without rotors but I am not sure. Shovel, salt, and sand seems to be the way to go. Expecting more snow tonight. I did make it to the grocery store yesterday but getting up the driveway is a slippery adventure.

Also didn't manage to get out, partly cloudy and 5 degrees. I guess @JayTee has it worse though.

Whoever told you that you cant run a snowblower on concrete lied to you lol. Nice smooth concrete is the best thing to run a blower on.

[pakarinen]

Whoever told you that you cant run a snowblower on concrete lied to you lol. Nice smooth concrete is the best thing to run a blower on.

.
Growing up in the UP of Michigan, I spent every winter running a large auger snowblower up and down our concrete sidewalk and doublewide driveway with no problems. Two feet of snow per storm was not uncommon.

[Mike Q]

The Arctic blast is here!

Along with it are potentially clear skies and life-threatening cold temps. Tonight's low forecast is -8° to -10°F (-22° to -23°C). The locals say it hasn't been this cold here in 30 years!

The observatory roof has shown that it operates as advertised in cold temps, this cold we'll see.

The big question is, do I have the fortitude to go out and brave this level of cold?

I'll let you know in 5 hours.

BTW - The wind chill could get as low as -35°F (-37°C)

EDIT: The sky never got clear enough to be called "useable". So I didn't have to make the tough call...

I remember those few days. I dont think we have had cold like that since the Blizzard of 78. The wife and I took a walk around the house when it let up a little. It took longer to dress for the cold then we were actually out. The high for the day on the 23rd was -2 with windchills at 30 below. I am getting too old for that kind of stuff

[Mike Q]

Unfortunately for me I just dont handle cold like i used to. I am pretty much done at 20 degrees. There had not better even be the slightest breeze either. I used to be able to hunt at zero but now days if it is much under 20 i dont even go outside much

[helicon]

Well, first winter storm warning and snow advisory through October 26th. I did buy an ice scraper attached to a long pole at ACE this past weekend. That hopefully will be useful. I can do the snow with a shovel but I had to use a trench spade to pry up the ice from the driveway last winter. With a fairly steep driveway it was necessary. The good news is that we got a Subaru AWD Forester to handle the winter road conditions - last year the Lexus IS250 got stuck in the snow even though we had purchased snow tires. Other SUV (Honda AWD CRV) worked pretty well.

[Richard]

The only time I experienced -29deg c is when the floor of a deep freeze at a retail store had to be repaired , the temp was around -30 deg c , we all took turns of 5 min to evaluate what need fixing for a quote , breathing was the major issue for me , so cant even imagine doing any astro stuff

[Ylem]

Unfortunately for me I just dont handle cold like i used to. I am pretty much done at 20 degrees. There had not better even be the slightest breeze either. I used to be able to hunt at zero but now days if it is much under 20 i dont even go outside much

Mike, I wish I could handle down to 20F, I'm done at 40F and then it's only binoculars I am a certified weather wimp!

[Mike Q]

Its a killer. I can dress in arctic carhartts, have 1000 milligram thinsulate boots on and will still get cold. I have tried heated socks, heated vests and hand warmers and I still get cold. Its a shame because Orion will be up at night soon and I won't get much time to really look at him or make my horsehead attempt.

[OzEclipse]

Its a killer. I can dress in arctic carhartts, have 1000 milligram thinsulate boots on and will still get cold. I have tried heated socks, heated vests and hand warmers and I still get cold. Its a shame because Orion will be up at night soon and I won't get much time to really look at him or make my horsehead attempt.

Orion is a shorts and tee shirt mid-summer observing night..........in the southern hemisphere.

Fly south for the winter.
Joe

[StarHugger]

Its been years since I observed from out doors, but back in the day when I was able my dobs would have me out to -30f for hours...

Eyepieces in my pockets to keep them clear and 2" insul board under my feet, that insul board stuff is awesome, those two tricks and a heat gun I modded with a high speed fan to occasionally defrost the mirrors.

The hair dryer was a little underpowered for the most severe cold and the insul board made my cheap winter boots seem expensive.


Best of cold weather observing Everyone!

[Mike Q]

Its a killer. I can dress in arctic carhartts, have 1000 milligram thinsulate boots on and will still get cold. I have tried heated socks, heated vests and hand warmers and I still get cold. Its a shame because Orion will be up at night soon and I won't get much time to really look at him or make my horsehead attempt.

Orion is a shorts and tee shirt mid-summer observing night..........in the southern hemisphere.

Fly south for the winter.
Joe

I wish, i may move south when i retire, but Tennessee would be about it lol