CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.

Any Astronomers Here?

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  1. Uberuce
    Member

    I would describe myself as a beginner-yet-lifelong enthusiast of the celestial, but have been known to pop what lensed devices I have in a big bag and cycle until the skies darken from Edinburgh's lights.

    I fear the weather will make such expeditions foolhardy for some time, but now seems a good day to gauge interest in forming a group to cycle out to somewhere dark as a dark place and look at the Universe, after the new year.

    I would guess that the slickest way of doing it would involve a trailer or similar cargo-ness, and many a vacuum flask of hot drinks. I can confirm that's it's possible to ride a bike with an 80mm reflector on your back, but it's a head-bumpy pain in the posterior.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Oh yes!


    Day 11 - St Vincent Jupiter by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr


    Day 11 - St Vincent Milky Way by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr


    The Moon by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. Claggy Cog
    Member

    @anth was this St Vincent as in the Caribbean island? Are those Jupiter's moons?

    You will need to get right away from civilisation to get a really good view. There was the annual display of cosmic detritus causing meteor showers earlier this week, Tuesday in fact when the weather was so crap with clouds, gales and lots of rain. Dumfries and Galloway is reputed to be the best spot in Bonny Scotland....

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Hey Liz, nah, St Vincent, Brittany.

    Regularly in Skye and, now, the Western Isles. Lewis in March (one of the best times for aurora), planning on finally nailing some star trails.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Oh, and yes, Jupiter's moons. I've actually seen them through my 'scope in Edinburgh (and could just make them out in a photo here). Brittany, in the middle of nowhere, is truly, properly pitch black. Taken with a 500mm lens on the camera (and still cropped).

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. Min
    Member

    I can see Jupiters moons through my bins in Edinburgh.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. Uberuce
    Member

    That's a lovely set of pictures, anth. Lens envy in extremis...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. Arellcat
    Moderator

    I don't have a telescope, just my 70-300mm lens on a 6MP camera:

    Star trails at just 20 seconds:

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. tammytroot
    Member

    Sounds good. I'll sometimes cycle down to Musselburgh lagoons sea wall. You can get reasonably dark sky there.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. Uberuce
    Member

    The Dark Skies Project has a map of our local blotspots:

    From the looks of it we'd be best heading southeast, although once you're a mile or two clear of the bypass it gets pretty viable.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. Uberuce
    Member

    It just occurs to me: are those lights in the sea the rigs?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. tammytroot
    Member

    Southeast is good, but you have to get out to about Gladhouse reservoir. On the other side of town silverburn and beyond in thePentlands is pretty dark.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. amir
    Member

    How would it be by Glencorse reservoir? Possible to get there on a road bike but horizon would be a bit high.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. SRD
    Moderator

    For those not up to the nightcycling, some local folk (shandon, polwarth etc) have been given access to the community gardens at night for star watching, but I don't think they have managed to actually organise an outing on a clear night yet.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  15. Uberuce
    Member

    The tricksy thing is that any skygazing jaunt is going to have to be organised on the day, which means it's got a 5/7 chance of being on a school night, so I think we'll need a compromise between distance and light. My rule of thumb is that any time you can see the Andromeda galaxy with the naked eye, then it's Dark Enough[i].

    Posted 12 years ago #

  16. tarmac jockey
    Member

    There will be a Stargazing event at the Big Screen on Saturday 14th January 2012, 12.00 - 3.00. I will post more details when I have them to hand.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  17. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Intriguing. Live feed from the observatory?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  18. kaputnik
    Moderator

    ante or post meridian?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  19. SRD
    Moderator

    reliably informed that dara o'breen* and the annoying bryan cox are on radio 4 talking about the future of science (edit: whoops. were. iplayer to the rescue)

    *that's how they spell it where i come from

    Posted 12 years ago #

  20. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Prof Brian Cox is brilliiiiiiiant!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  21. Smudge
    Member

    Prof Brian Cox is INTENSELY annoying! Which is a shame as he does have some very interesting info to impart :-/
    Oh and while I'm on my soapbox, does anyone else look at Neil Oliver's pieces to camera and think "for heavens sake man, GET A HAIRBAND!"

    Rant off.....

    Posted 12 years ago #

  22. crowriver
    Member

    Or a haircut, even.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  23. Smudge
    Member

    or an alice band, or a hat, a hairnet, a Rosie the Riveter headscarf, ANYTHING would do...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  24. tarmac jockey
    Member

    There is a Big Screen Event on 14 January - 12.00 to 15.00 in Festival Square Edinburgh. Join BBC Scotland at the Big Screen, Festival Square, Lothian Road Edinburgh for a Stargazing event, free astronomy activities for all the family.

    13.00 to 14.00 - Images from the link up to the Faulkes Telescope in Australia

    Take part in taster star-themed activities in the astronomy marquee.

    Be a screen star and take part in the Big Screen interactive Stargazing quiz.

    Stargazing Live returns to BBC2 at 19.00 on 16,17 and 18 January 2012

    Posted 12 years ago #

  25. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    That actually sounds cool.

    And I do genuinely like Brian Cox AND Neil Oliver, so nerr!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  26. Uberuce
    Member

    I had a wee scout around Glencorse this afternoon/evening and it does look promising, although I admit I didn't hang around long enough to see how dark it gets because I'd not taken enough warm clothing with me, and didn't have my beefy lights either.

    Pros:
    -It's close enough for a short-notice weeknight trip
    -The Pentlands ought to give the effect of being further out of Edinburgh than we actually are
    -No light sources nearby once you're at the water
    -Possibility of noctural wildlife spots
    -There's a pub right there.

    Cons:
    -Tricky to find a good spot with all round visibility, between hills and trees.
    -Might not be far enough out after all.

    I'll have to make another trip with better preparation and at a better time, but that in itself will need to wait since the Moon's waxing and is going to flood everything so much for the next week or so that it defeats the purpose of moving out the city. Then again, moonlight on the reservior on long exposure ought to look nice.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  27. amir
    Member

    What's the best route out at night - the A702 or A701 with connection via Bush? Shame the Rosewell to Roslin road is still closed (work should be complete soon?)

    At this time of year, ice is usually a problem with clear nights.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  28. Uberuce
    Member

    I went A702, which I did not enjoy one little bit, so ditched it for the A703, which was almost deserted and leads to a lovely ride through the technology park and only left a wee stretch of A702.

    Looks like going from A703 to A701 would cut down the amount of A702 to be done even further.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  29. Roibeard
    Member

    As I went with my son, I avoided the A roads, instead cutting through the service roads at Straiton, then Bilston, through the Uni & SAC campuses, down a steep footpath (fun!), through a flood (oops) before picking up the A702 for a short distance to Flotterstone.

    The footpath and flood could be avoided by joining the A702 directly from the campuses.

    Robert

    Posted 12 years ago #

  30. spitters
    Member

    There's a bunch of sky watchers getting together in the vicinity of the Community Garden on Myreside
    contact janet(dot)saunders(a t)blueyonder(dot)co(dot)uk if you're interested.
    My father in law plans on bringing his 8inch scope up from Ayr some Wednesday and I will bring along his old 3 inch he gifted me some years back. Plug in laptop and webcam to the scope and take shots like blackpuddins up top there.
    (In fact this means he can sit indoors with the laptop controlling the scope and taking multiple shots over a period of hours then clever software mashes them together taking out any blur giving a better picture. I'll see if he cam mail me a few examples.

    Posted 12 years ago #

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