Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post Reply
Solarscout
Ohhhhhh My!
Ohhhhhh My!
Posts: 61
Joined: Tue May 23, 2023 6:55 am
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 91 times

Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by Solarscout »

I have a friend in Niagara Falls but he isn't too confident in clear skies. Instead he is thinking of Texas or Mexico. Would you take the chance to make a booking to Niagara Falls at all?


User avatar
Montana
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 36123
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Has thanked: 20677 times
Been thanked: 9948 times

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by Montana »

I was thinking of going there as the cloud chances were 60% chance of cloud, Texas is still 50% chance so not much difference. At least you get to see the falls if it is cloudy ;)

I don't think I can afford the trip now so not going :(

Alexandra


thesmiths
Almost There...
Almost There...
Posts: 1194
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:13 pm
Location: London, England
Has thanked: 109 times
Been thanked: 1670 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by thesmiths »

As you go further south, the sun is also higher in the sky (closer to noon local time), which has some advantages. It might also last a bit longer.


dmaser
The Sun?
The Sun?
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:06 pm

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by dmaser »

I've read an article concerning the weather predictions at Niagara Falls. It stated that there is an effect from the lakes that clear things out during the day (sometimes). Again, you can also get lake effect snow. I and a few others are booked for Niagara Falls NY. Will most likely head over to the state park to set up or on a grassy field nearby. If you're planning to go, watch the hotel rates. Most have jacked up their prices for this week or have been sold out already.


User avatar
MapleRidge
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 10590
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:58 pm
Location: Cambray, ON Canada
Has thanked: 66 times
Been thanked: 5075 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by MapleRidge »

Hi All...

Early April weather in southern Ontario is notoriously not astro friendly :( Now, this past April 8th was an awesome day but I can't rely on it repeating.

I am a 3 hr drive form the Falls, but a group of us are planning to do the Texas road trip.

Brian


Brian Colville

Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums

10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/ASI294MC/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM

2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
User avatar
DanielBrousseau
Ohhhhhh My!
Ohhhhhh My!
Posts: 182
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 12:36 pm
Location: Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
Been thanked: 306 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by DanielBrousseau »

Bad stats here in Sherbrooke Brian, so we plan to do a few hundred km toward west (by car).

The 8th of April week in 2023 was sunny and Texas was bad.
340465205_5685285288244596_1012741429059806148_n.jpg
340465205_5685285288244596_1012741429059806148_n.jpg (577.81 KiB) Viewed 4671 times
Last edited by DanielBrousseau on Thu Jan 11, 2024 8:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.


Phantom 140 f/6.5, SW newton 254mm f/5, Quark Chromosphere, Lunt 60mm Universal, Baader ceramic wedge, ASI174, ASI294 mono, ASI290,
User avatar
MapleRidge
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 10590
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:58 pm
Location: Cambray, ON Canada
Has thanked: 66 times
Been thanked: 5075 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by MapleRidge »

Hi Daniel and all...

My close group of astro friends have since decided to combine a winter getaway with the eclipse, so have booked a week at a resort in Mazatlan Mexico. The plan to drive to a site in Texas was changed to have spouses involved and be more appealing to them ;)

Brian


Brian Colville

Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums

10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/ASI294MC/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM

2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
User avatar
astroshot
Almost There...
Almost There...
Posts: 951
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 8:24 pm
Location: Kildare, Ireland
Has thanked: 453 times
Been thanked: 359 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by astroshot »

Interesting article here on the potential effects on EL Nino on cloud coverage during the 2024 eclipse:
https://www.space.com/how-el-nino-may-a ... 24-weather
In short, may help improve the odds of seeing it.


Michael in Kildare, Ireland.
TEC140
Coronado Solarmax 90
Daystar 0.6A T-Scanner
Baader Cool-Ceramic Safety Herschel Wedge
User avatar
DanielBrousseau
Ohhhhhh My!
Ohhhhhh My!
Posts: 182
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 12:36 pm
Location: Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
Been thanked: 306 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by DanielBrousseau »

Good idea Brian but here in Sherbrooke, Quebec, we got 3 min 25 sec. of totality. I can't miss it so we will decide to leave by car 48 hours before....

My shot in Wyoming 2017:
Montage eclipse 2017-couronne.jpg
Montage eclipse 2017-couronne.jpg (532.01 KiB) Viewed 3953 times


Phantom 140 f/6.5, SW newton 254mm f/5, Quark Chromosphere, Lunt 60mm Universal, Baader ceramic wedge, ASI174, ASI294 mono, ASI290,
thesmiths
Almost There...
Almost There...
Posts: 1194
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:13 pm
Location: London, England
Has thanked: 109 times
Been thanked: 1670 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by thesmiths »

DanielBrousseau wrote: Thu Jan 11, 2024 8:45 pm My shot in Wyoming 2017: Montage eclipse 2017-couronne.jpg
Hi Daniel, did you post somewhere how you made your montage? If it's not too difficult, I may try to do something like that (from Texas). I was thinking of using an Askar FMA180 with an APS-C mirrorless camera (very light and simple but good optical quality).


User avatar
MapleRidge
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 10590
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:58 pm
Location: Cambray, ON Canada
Has thanked: 66 times
Been thanked: 5075 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by MapleRidge »

Hi Daniel...

It is great to have the ability to move if your first choice observing site is forecast to have less than ideal conditions.

Best of luck in your quest for clear skies!

Brian


Brian Colville

Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums

10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/ASI294MC/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM

2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
User avatar
DanielBrousseau
Ohhhhhh My!
Ohhhhhh My!
Posts: 182
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 12:36 pm
Location: Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
Been thanked: 306 times
Contact:

Re: Is it worth going to Niagara Falls, Ontario for April 8 or will it be too cloudy?

Post by DanielBrousseau »

Hi thesmiths,

I used my Televue 85 with a 0,8x reducer (f/5,6) and a Canon 60D, on a motorised equatorial mount.

I used Magic Lantern intervalometer to take 12 bracketed pictures at each session. I just press the remote button to start the session every 10 minutes, so I could talk and enjoy the eclipse in Casper, Wyoming.

At the totality I took off the Astrosolar front filter. The best pictures where taken at around 1/5000 sec. but it depend of your setup of course.
With the filter off I took longuer picture (1/5000 to 3 seconds) for the corona.

The composite image was made in Photoshop with the layers......Your equipment look fine for me, need to practice under the sun before.

My last 0ne:
Éclipse 2017 Wyoming.jpg
Éclipse 2017 Wyoming.jpg (246.72 KiB) Viewed 3605 times


Phantom 140 f/6.5, SW newton 254mm f/5, Quark Chromosphere, Lunt 60mm Universal, Baader ceramic wedge, ASI174, ASI294 mono, ASI290,
Post Reply