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
Can't believe it's been a year since we last did this...
2015 numbers in brackets
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.
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
Tim H (nr Reading, UK)
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