What is Cloud Bait?

Last night I was eager to find comet Levy (p/2006 T1). Observation of comets can be tricky. Some comets are so big and washed out looking, finding them can be a challenge. Many don’t have a tail. All of them move. They aren’t in the same spot two nights in a row. Seeing them depends on good star charts, a good binocular, and good sky.

good astronomical binoculars

You are all excited because the aforementioned comet is at eighth magnitude and up after sunset. You rush to drag out your best tripod, screw the binocular to its corner, and go back inside to study the star charts while the binocular is cooling down to the outside temperature. 

screw hole

corner

Yes, binoculars need to adjust to the cold of the night. They also have a screw hole between the two objective lenses (covered by a small plastic cap) so you can screw it to the corner on the tripod.     

You are ready with your red flashlight that won’t ruin your night vision. Your little TV table is next to the tripod ready for your map, pencil and paper so you can sketch the object, and the sky is clear.

Enter the cloud bait. As soon as the equipment comes out, the clouds roll in. You might not notice at first. The sky was clear, you know; but as you stare through the eyepieces, some foggy haze obstructs your view. You check your lenses. There’s no smudge. You look up and the stars shine. In the pitch dark, clouds just don’t look like clouds. They are the will-o-the wisps that hide your comet, thin streaks of mists hardly visible in the dark.

ready

Here is a short list of some cloud bait:

            A new telescope

            A new filter for the objective lens

            A new objective lens

            A new camera for taking photos of the sky

            A lunar eclipse

An occultation of a planet

            A supernova

            A comet

Of course, other things bring the clouds out. Whether you are a backyard astronomer or a professional, you will run into cloud bait sooner or later.