I was observing on LaPalma on the Canaries island under the new moon week in December.
That was my 4’th trip to LaPalma in December.
On my first trip I used my Zeiss 2060S bino and I was up on Roque several nights at over 2.000 meter and on the second trip I rented a Mead 16” at 650 meter on the west side just south of Tijarafe.
I also rented a German made Dobson 20” f3.9 that I had up near Roque at 2.000 meter.
I brought my own Ethos EP and Glatter collimation tools.
Third trip I rented the 20” scope again and a 16”.
I had it both outside the house at 650 meter and several nights at Roque.
This trip I rented a 25” f3.2 and used it at 900 meter outside the house. ( located north of Tijarafe also on the west side )
The 16/20/25 was same brand ( Spacewalks )
I had on this trips observing at most nights but I had also both calima as clouds, colder and warmer nights.
Darkness has been pretty dark and last year I had SQM 21.92 at 2.000 meter and this year at 900 meter I had 21.83, but say average is well over 21.6.
It’s always very hazy out to west on Atlantic.
I had amazing nights and this trips has been very education for me ( as I’m rather ’new’ in visual deep-sky astronomy )
I heard weather has no real ’best’ season at LaPalma, that is located west of Morocco in Africa.
But if calima come from Shara it’s no astronomy until it clears out, and it comes often when warmer weather.
Last year and so this year seeing had been a real issue.
I guess best is if winds from north come in.
As the island is very small 55 by 25 km and a crater top at 2.450 meter it is drawing clouds in.
East side has very often clouds when west is ok.
I has been inside both 10.4 meter Canaries and 3.5 meter Galileo and there are several other telescopes there and it’s told one of the best place on Earth.
This year at Canaries they told me on 300 clear nights - but what about seeing.
Ok I heard of arc seeing ’numbers’, but it don’t tell me much.
I’m little worry on the seeing issue there.
-I has plans for my astronomy later on.
This 25” scope had a FL at 2.337 mm whit the paracorr so Ethos 21 mm had around 110X.
I used most 21 mm and the Nikon HW 17/14 mm, but to go higher mag was impossible.
Ethos 6 or 4.7 mm was not to think about.
I guess I’ll just got unlucky on this trips, but this issue whit seeing has brought up my attention down there.
Maybe spring is better, but as I heard spring 2018 was terrible ( most rain )
I had my cheer around the world on bad seeing, but guess my unlock, but I been at great place to as ex in Frankfurt ? ( IVT treffen 2017 )
But LaPalma is important for me vs my plans to clear that out.
Ideas ?
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