What do you do when you have weeks of cloudy skies?

Processing
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Andy Wray avatar
Andy Wray avatar
It's been weeks since I had a clear sky, so just wondering what you guys get up to during that time?

Me personally:

* Practice my processing skills and try and learn more about my software (especially Pixinsight)
* Get on with other hobbies (photography, computing etc.)
* Spend more time with family 
* Try and make it up to my wife for spending so many hours doing astrophotography when it was clear

Thoughts?
Engaging
Monty Chandler avatar
Monty Chandler avatar
This last spell I have ordered and received the tools need to collimate my new RC8.  Finished last evening and now clear skies are predicted for Sunday!  Excited to see how it goes!  

Oh yeah, a few other hobbies keep me busy during these down times.  Love my RoadKing.  Fishing from trout streams to the surf (seasonal).  Scuba Diving is coming up in a couple of months.  A month long transatlantic cruise over the summer.  And of course our beautiful granddaughter!

Retirement can be exhausting!

Cheers!
Joe Linington avatar
Joe Linington avatar
This last weather break I bought some remote data and learned to make mosaics and process mono data.  I also spent some time revisiting my early shots to see what my lacking processing skills missed the first time around. It was a lot.
Bill McLaughlin avatar
Bill McLaughlin avatar
Build furniture and clocks.
Michael Fleischer avatar
Michael Fleischer avatar
….getting invaded by influenza virus and have to lie in bed for two weeks.  (but that's just me and my bad luck) smile
Wanni avatar
Wanni avatar
Hi Andy, similar weather conditions also at my backyard.

Because of that,  I decided some time ago to built my own Radio Telescope.

This allows me to  "see" at least something of our galaxy at all weather conditions.

The Radio Telescope can be used, f.i.  , to look at the spectrum
of the hyperfine hydrogen line transition frequency at 1.24 GHz.

Hydrogen is the most abandoned chemical element in the universe.

My Radio Telescope and first results:
https://www.astrobin.com/008fa5/?nc=collection&nce=238

Astrobin Group:
https://www.astrobin.com/groups/2650/amateur-radio-astronomy/
Helpful Concise Supportive
Nadir Astro avatar
Nadir Astro avatar
Spend more time with wife and family so that they have no argument left when the weather gets better. smile
rhedden avatar
rhedden avatar
* Get on with other hobbies (photography, computing etc.)

–> play my cello indoors until I get carpal tunnel syndrome!

I find that switching over to another hobby for a while renews my enthusiasm for collecting more photons.  I'm on my 25th day in a row with no astrophotography time outdoors due to travel, full moon, and weather problems.  Tomorrow night is supposed to be clear, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Well Written Engaging
Dale Penkala avatar
Dale Penkala avatar
Mainly reprocess images in PI and try and learn that software better then I do now. This means watching Adam Block video’s on my tv. Usually I try and watch movies with my boys just to spend time with them because I’m pretty busy doing astronomy & AP stuff.
PinealPower avatar
PinealPower avatar
I've got the same weather conditions, and it doesn't look like it will get better soon.  I've used some of the photon collection downtimes to build a new PC to store and process data on.  My old unit was not equipped for my new hobby.  Now I'm ready to install the BlurXTerminator that everyone is raving about.  Clear skies! (fingers crossed). 
Well Written Engaging
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