How do you all cope with no dark skies for three months?!

[Moonlit]

As I realized my interest and began observing the skies in earnest late last September I was awestruck, and never gave a thought to the fact that there are in fact no dark skies where I live between the middle of May and late August, because I live at 60 deg N.

Right now it's been a month since I used either of my telescopes, though I have had good nights with binoculars and the bigger star clusters. Summer solstice is still more than a month away and I'm dreading the long wait until I can actually see a black sky again. Even Orion has hidden itself!

 

On the other hand it is the season for motorbiking, fishing and being outdoors so I'll find stuff to do in the evenings, it's just the revelation that I just can't expect to be able to see faint deep sky objects whenever I want that gets me down.

 

Do you have any specific hobbies that you alternate with stargazing? Which are they?

[TerryMcK]

I do woodworking making furniture and musical instruments. I do this year round but this year with the appalling cloud cover we have been having in the UK have been able to do much more.

[RaDec]

I present quite a few astro talks, so immerse myself in research for those.

I also re-process old data using new algorithms and processes to try to improve and keep my skills up.

 

If the old adage is true about buying astro gear borking the weather, someone must've been spending a fortune.!

[Cumbrianwolf]

I have just got back into game fishing and have plenty of river choices around me. That keeps me occupied when work is not demanding my time, of course.

[RaDec]

Lovely part of the country to do it too!

[Carbon Brush]

Summer is a good time to do the lengthy mount strip down & rebuild you I have been putting off for years.

When the machine shop is busy for a week or two, or parts are slow to arrive, it doesn't matter.

 

If like me you have a wood shed observatory, get out with the preservative and other repairs.
If you observe from the garden, does any hard standing need attention?

 

Then of course there is (affordable) white light solar and (bank breaking) Ha solar.

 

Lots to do. Which first? 🤔

Edited May 25, 2023 by Carbon Brush

[Moonlit]

Time flies when you're having fun! I've yet to pull out my fishing rod again, but since I'm staying at the cabin for a few weeks I expect I'll dine on trout soon enough. For my part I enjoy hobbies more when they're seasonal, as I get the chance to think and dream and build up expectations. This goes for astronomy, skiing, cycling, fishing, motorbiking, swimming...!
 

Shame to say, when it comes to astronomy I've pretty much done nothing much except.. shop new gear. Having a big 10" newt on an EQ mount got tiresome quickly what with having to rotate the tube when changing targets, so I am getting an Alt-Az goto mount where I can even have two scopes mounted simultaneously - luxury!

Just today I was looking at the spot where I *might* pour some concrete and install a pier with a platform around it, but since the ground there is just big loose rocks with gravel on top, I've yet to think of a good way to anchor it. 

Happy summer skies to you all!

 

[AstronomyUkraine]

I had a quite productive spell over the June and July periods. I managed 30 hours on NGC 6992, and have just completed 10 hours of Ha on LBN 179.

 

Luckily I live in the South of Holland which means I'm 2° further South than most of the UK, so I manage around 3 hours a night in June/July.

 

LBN 179

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by AstronomyUkraine

[Carastro]

I live in heavily LP skies and image.  But long ago I changed to a mono camera so i could do narrowband imaging, which apart from LP doesn't seem to suffer so much from the skies not being at their darkest. 

 

Caroie