Astronomy: an exercise in frustration

Posted on February 08, 2007 in Stargazing. - No comments

I live in Bristol, England. That poses a few problems when it comes to my chosen hobby of astronomy. I’m going to vent a few of my frustrations…

It doesn’t start well. Family life and work pressures do their best to limit opportunity right from the outset. I guess this explains why it seems that the majority of people you see pictured in astronomy magazines (such as the excellent Astronomy Now) look as if they are either retired or students!

When I do get the chance, it is with some eagerness that I get my telescope out, a highly recommended Meade ETX-90 that doesn’t see the light of day (or should that be the darkness of night) as often as it should.

Having prepared the telescope I then turn out the lights and wait for my eyes to become adapted to the dark. Even though I know that this is going to be an exercise in futility I do it anyway in blind hope that tonight there is a perfect observation session on the cards.

There I am, at the end of the garden, with my telescope, dark adapted eyes and most unusually, clear skies for the first time in months and what happens? The neighbours high power security lighting comes on and instantly blinds me (and gives me a suntan at the same time). Forget the dark adaptation! Forget seeing those low magnitude objects! I think myself lucky if I haven’t fallen over my tripod landing in the hedge and sending my eyepieces straight into the muddy delights of the back lawn.

Once thing are up and running what wonders await. The Autostar jumps into action, slewing round to each of “Tonight’s Best” and what do I get now? I’ll tell you what I get! I get a tour of every tree, rooftop and chimney around. Oh how I dream of clear horizons!

It’s normally about now that clouds appear from absolutely nowhere and it becomes a frantic race to see if anything of interest can be observed before being obscured from view for the rest of the night.

So, for now, I’ll just have to sit here in front of Starry Night and look at everything I would be able to see if it wasn’t for the clouds, light pollution, the neighbours security arrangements or the two year old who won’t go to bed.

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