One of the highlights on the WDAS observing calendar is undoubtedly our annual visit to Hook's House Farm Campsite. After having to postpone and reschedule the initial date, Sept 13th also looked to be a lost cause earlier in the day.

A panoramic view of Robin Hood's Bay from Hook's House. Image by Keith.

(Click for larger view)

The morning was particularly breezy with high cloud obscuring much of the sky. By mid-day conditions started to improve offering at least a fighting chance of observations that evening.

Having already deposited a couple of dobsonian telescopes on site during the afternoon, Mark, Keith and John travelled to the campsite in just the one vehicle - loaded with two further scopes and other equipment. Arriving by 7:40pm we set about the task of setting up the various telescopes on the meadow in front of the farmhouse. By 8pm all was readied, site campers and visiting family groups (shout out to the Adams family) congregating behind the equipment.  

Setting up - campers start to gather. Image; Keith Deason. (Click for full image)

The smell of burning moor still lingered and a very slight smoke haze permeated the bay, however of greater concern was the tenuous cloud going hither and thither below some thicker cloud banks. Clear areas were still present.  

Stars emerged - Arcturus, Vega, Capella, Altair and Deneb, Mark doing his best to capture one of them in the eyepiece. Alberio (beta cygni) looked a good bet, a few people even managing to view the beautiful colourful double star, before the call went out from John and Keith, Saturn sighted! 

The array of telescopes for the evening. Image; Keith Deason. (Click for full image)

Hoping its visibility would persist the scopes were pointed in the direction of Saturn in an effort to acquire it, flitting in and out of the cloud low to the east as it was. The view was not immediately stunning, but good enough to draw favourable reactions from those looking through the eyepiece. The rings, although very narrow, were still apparent, as too was Titan it's major moon.

John L reviews an app to check where Saturn might be. 
Image; Keith Deason. (Click for full image)

A few deep sky objects were targeted, notably M57 the Ring nebula, and M13 - the great globular cluster in Hercules although viewing was intermittent.  Mini sky tours of those constellations visible were conducted and a good number of questions posed and answered. Saturn continued to be the chief source of interest, the image improving as Saturn gained in altitude. 

 By 9:30pm cloud cover had increased and with a few spots of rain felt we thought it prudent to start packing away. Most people by then had slipped back to their camper vans. 

It had not been the easiest of evenings regarding observing but we had the impression people had enjoyed their time, and it felt more successful than perhaps it was given the intermittent cloud.  

Thanks to Jill, Joanne and the Halder family at Hooks House and Keith and John for assisting. Light rain fell on our journey back to Whitby, and far from clearing out - as the forecast had suggested, there were some 'sharp' showers still hitting the area post-midnight. Maybe we had been lucky after all!