The WDAS weekend events started in fine fashion, Saturday 8th was the warm, sunny Regatta day we had often hoped for. Mark, Keith, Brian and Lee met on the West Cliff for the afternoon solar-viewing session, setting up the gazebo and telescopes—despite the strangely breezy “calm” conditions—and arranging the poster boards while trying not to trip over the guy ropes.

Mark checking scope alignment on a sunny, warm Saturday. Image - Keith D

For once, there was little need to scan the sky in frustration, searching for gaps in the cloud. The real disappointment was that the Sun was almost spotless: only a couple of tiny sunspots were visible, and even then, only with careful viewing through the neutral-density filtered telescopes. Through Keith’s solar scope, however, the Sun looked far more active, with several flares and prominences on display.

Brian taking shade under the gazebo. Image - Keith D

Even so, the long sunny spells kept public interest steady, with visitors asking about that evening’s star party and whether eclipse glasses were available to buy. With the partial solar eclipse only a few days away, interest was clearly building, and it was just as well the Society had bought 50 pairs—though, in hindsight, 100 would have been better.

The sky was not cloudless, but even when the Sun hid its almost spotless face, it did so behind attractive iridescent clouds. As the afternoon drew on, we decided to take down the gazebo rather than trust the unpredictable breeze and left the cliff for a few hours before the evening event.  

Saturday evening, Mark sorting out handouts on the camping table.
Image - Keith D. (Click for full image)

Saturday evening proved frustrating. High cloud had formed and was slow to disperse, and even when it did, the transparency remained poor. Brian, John L, Keith, Lee and Mark staffed the equipment: two 250mm Dobsonian telescopes, one 150mm Dobsonian, Lee’s 150mm Newtonian and John’s SCT.

Mark gave a sky talk, pointing out the brighter stars, while the telescopes targeted some of them along with a few double stars. Deep-sky objects, however, stayed hidden behind the thin veil of cloud. Disappointing, yes—but at least some visitors departed armed with eclipse glasses. We should have bought 150!

Scanning for clearer skies, Vega visible, Lee tinkering with scope. 
Image by Keith D. (Click for full image)

Sunday proved the most compromised of the three days, with the Sun barely appearing all afternoon—it was more a day for ship spotting than sun spotting. WDAS members did their best to make the most of it, and at least the gazebo provided shelter during an unexpected shower as well as a hub for selling eclipse glasses. We should have bought 200!  There was precious little solar observing to be done.

That evening’s event was already looking doubtful—the Regatta curse seemed to be striking again.

Brian, Keith and Mark waiting for the Sun. Image - Richard R (Click for larger image)

                                                            

Mark and Richard waiting under the gazebo. Image - Richard R (Click for full image)

Despite the unpromising forecast, Mark, Brian, Lee, John and Richard converged on the pitch-and-putt area on the West Cliff and set up under a sky that looked like a biblical doomsday painting. Brooding cloud, colour and clear patches, all lit by the setting but obscured Sun, swept across the sky.

Sunday evening - Richard, Lee and Brian with deployed equipment arranged ready for use.
Image - Mark D. (Click for full image)

Conditions teased us: clear gaps opened, only to fill in again, and as the cavalcade of fairground vehicles headed along the West Cliff, we wondered whether anyone would come along. A few groups did, but with only a handful of stars visible, it was a star party in name only. People stayed until rain suddenly swept in, sending members scurrying to reload the equipment. Classic Regatta weather!

A strange, brooding sky. Image - Richard R. (Click for full image)

Regatta Monday was much like Saturday: very warm and predominantly sunny. Mark and Keith set up the solar-viewing stand beside Grovers Optics for the afternoon, with just enough space for the 120mm refractor, Keith’s solar scope and a few poster boards. It was also great to catch up with Marcus and Tarn and learn of their year.

Grovers Optics stand with WDAS solar viewing on Regatta Monday. 
Image - Mark D (from previous year - but it looked very similar !)

Monday afternoon was busy, with many people keen to buy eclipse glasses. Leaving Keith to hold the fort, Mark headed up to Whitby Abbey for an interview with an ITV local news reporter and cameraman about the solar eclipse from a local astronomer’s perspective. To his relief, the interview went smoothly, and within an hour he was back on the West Cliff speaking to Ivan over the Regatta Tannoy system about the eclipse, the Perseids and the now-sold-out eclipse glasses. Marcus had also run out—both he and Mark wished they had brought a truckload.

And so, our involvement in Regatta 2026 ended: two good afternoons, one poor one and two rather disappointing evenings—Regatta weather in a nutshell!

Special thanks to WDAS members; Brian, Lee, John, Keith and Richard, and Mark’s wife, for helping with transport on Monday.