With heavy rain showers peppering much of the country, the outlook for the annual Westerdale event did not look overly encouraging. Having packed a couple of the manual ‘Dobs’ into Mark’s Car; just in case, together with all the ‘plan B’ equipment for the indoor presentation, Mark and Keith set off for the Village hall in yet another deluge. It soon became apparent looking at the skies on the way over, that there was a chance of being able to observe something after all... [Read more about Westerdale Star Party]
- Log in to post comments
This event was requested over a year ago by the Women’s Institute, but the actual composition and likely format it would follow only emerged on the day itself. In other words the weather decided what was possible on the evening, and although the heavy rain which fell for much of the afternoon had ceased, it was still cloudy!.. 
The following three Saturday evening star party events from the West Cliff, had varying success. The event on the 6th proved reasonable, The following Saturday cloud prevented any direct observations although, the rising moon adjacent to the Abbey was a hit with the photographers until it disappeared in cloud... 
Early weather forecasts for the Hooks house event initially looked rather unfavourable, however, predicted heavy showers failed to materialise and by late afternoon it looked more likely skies would clear and so it proved. It was not though the balmy conditions we had enjoyed just a week earlier for the bank holiday, the northern air mass brought with it a decided chill, the kind that a warm padded coat only alleviated... 
Booked over a year ago – this will be held (weather permitting) on the Archery Green, West Cliff on Sept 24th from 19:00-21:00h. If cloudy/rainy we will be setting up in the Spa Pavilion for plan B or C. Plan A is to be on the Archery green for 18:45h. 
Our annual jaunt over to Westerdale is towards the end of September this year on Friday 27th. The start time is 19:00h finishing around 22:00h at the latest. If skies are clear it should be an excellent evening with dark skies and some familiar faces to meet once again. If you are intending on coming along meet at Mark’s for 18:15h. 
This has to go down as one of the warmest star party nights we have ever done, still around 23 degrees at 22:30h! It was not a surprise therefore that the west cliff was pretty busy. Keith, Mark and John manned the four scopes deployed, Keith’s 12” Dobsonian, the LX 200, the 6” Dobsonian and John’s 5” SCT... 
Another bank holiday weekend and... ‘stone the crows’... another heat wave (what is it about bank holidays and unusually hot weather this year...doesn’t seem right)
