Favourite time of year

hi all just a fun topic was wandering whats your favourite part of the year to observe mine has to be the crisp clear cold nights in winter

hi all just a fun topic was wandering whats your favourite part of the year to observe mine has to be the crisp clear cold nights in winter

I'd have to agree. I always get excited when Orion makes it's way into evening skies, then I know the cold, crisp, long, and hopefully clear winter nights are on their way.

Bart.

This is a difficult question. Winter is good since the nights are very long and the lengthy sessions have lots of potential with above average seeing.

However, for me at least, spring and fall are the best since my seeing is usually at its best.

Summers are great due to the favourable weather but the nights are too brief and the seeing tends to be average (or below average).

For observing, Winter of course.
It's a pity we don't get 8 hour daylight days here all year round.
(whats the point in having long evenings if it's rainy and cloudy anyway!)

I have to pick 2 favourite times. November/December is the first, as it is mostly reliable weather-wise for observing. Orion, Leo, Gemini, The Milky Way... the options available for many deep sky objects are endless (unless you have a pre-programmed hand controller on your scope with a 40,000 objects database!). Also, the fact that you can head out any time after 6pm for a few hours and still get to bed time enough for an early start the next morning makes it easy, even with the extra layers of clothing.

My second favourite time is August/September. The Perseids are the highlight, but the nights in general around that time are comfortable for just taking the easy chairs out onto the back lawn around 11pm with a cup of tea or cocoa, sit back and chat with my other half while watching meteors and satellites before retiring for the night. Added that it darkens quickly as we head for the Winter months after the Equinox, observing waiting time noticeably decreases.

Simple pleasures.

Seanie.

Despite the shortness of the nights I still like the summer, there's no having to wear ten layers of clothing and there's always the sunrise to look forward to.