Observing stats – how was 2016 for you?

[Jeremy Shears]

It’s time once again to review observing stats for the past year – and since it is forecast to be cloudy tonight, I’ll make my submission a little early, on New Year’s Eve.

In 2016 I observed on 109 nights (30%), which is a little below my average of the last 12 years of 118 nights (range 94 to 149 nights). The best month was March with 16 nights and the worst was June with only one (June has been poor the past several years). These numbers don’t include the nights I was away and thus unable to observe from home.

How did everyone else do?

Best wishes and clear skies for 2017!

Jeremy

[Gary Poyner]

Can’t believe it’s been a year since we last did this…

2015 numbers in brackets

Clear Nights (50% or less cloud) 33 (24)

Partially Clear (50% or more cloud)  62 (80)

Total 95 observable nights (104) with 37 of these nights under Moonlight.

I missed 10 nights due to various reasons.

On 40 occasions the BBC weather forecast for cloud cover was incorrect.

Total hours at telescope 223.33 hours (206.88h)

Best month August with 13 nights – 10 clear and 3 partially clear (June 16)

Worst month June with 2 nights – 0 clear and 2 partially clear (Dec 4)

Total visual Variable Star observations 8,022 (7,741).  Only 598 single CCD observations made this year.  This is due to the demise of the BRT and a lengthy Monsoon in the SW of the USA where my AAVSOnet instruments are based.

Happy New year to everyone

Gary

[David Boyd]

Hello,

 

For me 2016 has been the best year as far as useable nights for observing is concerned since 2007. I work out my observing statistics as a percentage of the number of nights on which I was available to observe, so not on holiday, away from home or whatever. I managed to observe on 121 out of 267 available nights (45.3%). Best months were August and September, both with over 60% while May, October and November were over 50%. January was the worst with only 28%. In total 18950 images were recorded and measured during 609 observing runs, and 2856 spectra recorded during 144 runs.

 

Clear skies for 2017 – my last night of 2016 is distinctly overcast!

 

David

[Peter Carson]

Here in Essex there were 99 clear dates in 2016. I count clear dates, so a morning and evening observing session on the same day count as 1 clear date, but a nights observing session that spans midnight counts as 2 clear dates. (It would be easier if I used the Julian calendar).
January, February and August tied first with 11 clear dates each, June was the worst with just 2.
I made the largest number of comet observations in November (58) although there were only 9 clear dates, presumably because of the long nights.
I achieved 410 comet observations in total via CCD. Those observations generated about 1200 astrometric measure submissions to the Minor Planets Centre.

[Tim Haymes]

Hi, I dont keep regular stats but the best month was November in terms of clear nights. Imaging took place on 11 clear evenings, and a number of Lunar occs were timed in Jan, Feb, Mar and Nov.  My tally for asteroid occultation observations over the year indicates a success rate of 8%.  I have also monitored more low probability events (small objects) this year than in past years.  All timings were reported to IOTA

In all 46 Negative (no occultation) and 4 very nice Positives asteroid events have been recorded.  So a good year for me.
Tim H (nr Reading, UK)

[Denis Buczynski]

Hi all,

I was able to observe on 100 nights over 10 months in 2016. This excludes the months of June and July when the night sky is too bright at 58dN latitude for imaging. I was able to observe 75 individual comets and report 1800 astrometric postions to the MPC. Comets are my main observing interest. I also operate two automatic meteor cameras which work all night every night to produce monthly reports the BAA NEMOTODE network. I image any displays of Aurora and report these to the BAA Aurora Section. During the bright Summer months Noctilucent clouds are observed and imaged an reported. I also use some observing time to make time series observations of HADS stars which I report to the BAA VSS. In addition I image any bright Novae and Supernovae and any bright NEO’s. In all a good year for NE Highland Scotland for my observing year.Recorded rainfall was 713mm for 2016 here at Tarbatness.

Denis Buczynski

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