Whitby & District Astronomical Society

Conditions for this year's Regatta were as usual typically mixed, with nigh on four seasons summoned up in one day by Mother nature!  On the plus side, it wasn't the previous weekend when much of the UK had been battered by storm Agnus resulting in the cancellation of outdoor events across the country. 

Although conditions were unsettled, many of the scheduled programme of events went ahead for the Whitby Regatta weekend. In the air, the Red Arrows performed to huge gatherings, the Lancaster bomber flew majestically, not on one day, but two!  Even the Falcons Parachute team dropped in on Whitby Town Football club, delivering the football for the start of the new season.  At sea, rowers strained and pulled, able to see the sea, piers, and harbour, unlike last year when sea fret hid the lot! 

And yet, our tale was remarkably like last year.  Solar viewing requires the face of the Sun for successful star parties to thrive, better still in conditions that are...still.  We had at times some of these conditions, but all too often were left scanning the skies for cloud breaks or incoming rain showers. 

Saturday 12th was forecast to be showery for much of the day and evening.  Undaunted Keith and Mark set up camp next to the Grovers Optics stand on the West Cliff as usual.  Marcus was hoping for another lucrative Regatta sales weekend, we hoped for some clear skies!  Just the two safely filtered scopes were employed, the Tal 100R and Helios 80mm, roughly aimed in the direction of the cloud obscured Sun.  We waited patiently, with occasional fleeting glimpses of the Sun raising hopes.  Society member Lee joined us, before the nostalgic engine hum of the Lancaster bomber, had everyone look up to the skies.

The afternoon wore away, and following our first shower, skies began to clear, and the Sun emerged. Sunspot time!  Numerous sunspot groups were visible including one large individual spot several times the size of Earth.  People were impressed by the view, but predictably after little more than an hour cloud again hid our nearest star.  We packed away the gear, just before another heavy rain shower sent people scurrying for shelter. 

The forecast for the evening was however now more encouraging and with the Perseid meteor shower peaking overnight, and Saturn on view, we anticipated a decent gathering.  Lee assisted Mark in loading up the two cars (Mark still having to make a second journey for gear), and were on the Pitch and Putt area by 20:40hrs.  Keith had walked up carrying the Evi Scope, with John L arriving shortly after.  The instrument suite was impressive, 3 dobsonians - 12, 10, and 8 inch. Lee's 6-inch Newtonian, Keith's Evi-scope, John's SCT and a TAL 100R. The fly in the ointment was the cloud - for a clear sky, there was a definite overabundance of it!

Suddenly Saturn was spotted, and all was forgiven, people love observing Saturn, it's a ring thing I guess.  More constellations appeared, enabling Mark to conduct a partial laser pointer tour.  Stars and Saturn came and went - several 'average' Perseids did likewise, one fine example drawing exclamations from the gathering (Mark missed it as usual).  It had become an almost viable star party, but it was getting late - almost morning in fact!  We had done our best and as we packed away several more Perseids were spotted (unseen by Mark of course). 

Regatta Sunday dawned, forecast, fewer showers, more Sun and a decent cloud base, good conditions for the Red Arrows who were to perform just after 17:10hrs, but for solar viewing? Arriving on the West Cliff by 13:15hrs, we pitched camp next to the Birds of Prey.  Conditions were rather cloudy, no Sun on show, but we erected the gazebo, tied on a few inflatable planets, and arrayed the poster boards around the perimeter.  Keith and Lee were on hand again, Keith having his dedicated solar scope for the event.  Cloud cover was reluctant to break, and at times the gusty breeze meant we had to brace the gazebo legs.

Just as we thought the afternoon viewing was lost, a large gap of blue finally pushed in above us, the Sun shone and for almost an hour observing was brisk.  The Sun through Keith's solar scope was fantastic with the solar limb ringed by small flares, people were amazed.  Darker clouds appeared, people scanned the skies, but out to sea looked much less threatening and at 17:10 the Red Arrows roared overhead, performing a 20-minute show for the assembled thousands below.  Following the display, we packed away and departed, hoping clouds would break for the evening, although Mark was pessimistic, they would.

Mark found that the forecast for Sunday evening had changed somewhat, with the BBC and MET both suggesting clear skies until midnight at least.  Looking outside Mark was encouraged, skies had cleared considerably, any cloud well broken, it looked as though we were in luck.  The car was loaded once again, and we headed up to the West Cliff nervously eyeing a large cloud bank low to west.  Keith, Lee, and John were there to lend a hand, and all was set up by 21:00hrs.  People began to arrive, staring up at the rapidly infilling clear sky in disbelief.  Surely not again?  Oh yeh, welcome to another Regatta cloud party folks! 

Mark talked and pointed at locations where stars and constellation were hidden. Very occasionally and odd star would peek out, but only for a few minutes.  Saturn was briefly spotted, but hardly long enough to acquire in the eyepiece.  Mark unboxed the meteorites, and passed them around, much to the thrill of those present.  No real observations though and by 22:30hrs we called it a night, a frustrating one at that. 

Monday dawned cloudy, wet, and humid and pretty much stayed that way until early evening. No solar viewing was possible, but Mark did venture up to see Marcus at the Grover Optics stand, chew the cud and make plans for next year, before saying farewell. 

And so, our involvement for Regatta 2023 was done - successful in parts, gloriously (un)predictable and frustrating, but hopefully enjoyed.  Special thanks to WDAS members Keith, Lee, who assisted throughout, and John L who came along for the evening events.