Clear night, cloudy night

When we get to October I always look forward to photography trips out into the night air. Especially when it is cold, because then it is sometimes clear skies. Something so far we have not had a lot of recently. Just one so far, and guess what we had already made plans to go out so that was one lost. The weather forecasts always seem to get it wrong, often they indicate a clear night , then having made all the plans to go out to get some photos the cloud rolls in and another opportunity hits the dust.

It must be great to be in Australia or the desert area in America where the dry air gives rise to clear skies on many days, but we have to make the most of any opportunity in Britain.

When we do get a clear night it is often when the moon is full so the sky is filled with light, again far better when the moon is small. With general light pollution another problem you may well ask why bother.
I can only say that once you have been out, even to an area close to a city, which is not the best, the sky takes a hold on you.

You cannot avoid looking up and seeing a multitude of stars and hopefully planets if you can pick them out. It may take five minutes for your eyes to get accustom to the darkness then you see even more. So although I may get out on only a few nights but each one becomes extra special and you appreciate it even more and don't take it for granted.

With so much to see, and in Shetland with the chance of seeing the aurora you have got to make the effort to venture out. The time always passes so quick and having done so little photography its then a time to look back on what we have captured and what we plan to do next.