Better than 2018 for variable stars, but not for meteors

Forums General Discussion 2018 – how was it for you? Better than 2018 for variable stars, but not for meteors

#580459
Tracie Heywood
Participant

I was able to observe on 126 nights (35%) when I was in Leek compared with 110 nights (31%) in 2017 and 128 (37%) in 2016. Observing was only possible after midnight on 33 of these nights.

Whether a night is usable for observing obviously depends on that you are trying to observe. Meteor observing requires long clear spells (these are much rarer in Leek than when I used to observe from East Yorkshire or Oxfordshire), while VS observing can make use of short-lived breaks. Observing using binoculars also greatly reduces my “set up” time. VS observing is hindered by moonlight, but much less so than meteor observing.

May and July were by far the best months (if only the nights had been longer!). March and December were worst. Variable star totals are well up on 2017, but all major meteor shower maxima were clouded out.