Only a few days before my disc operation, I have finally had it and cannot stand it any longer. The skies are clear, and the people from the Observatory have declared a picnic at Utecht. I cannot carry my own equipment, but doctor’s orders or not, I can transport myself and my camera.

Arriving at Utecht, there is only a single colleague there, and the weather seems to turn to worse. After some waiting and heavy use of my weather apps (fresh satellite pictures…) I conclude that this is only a temporary state of affairs. I take a few pictures of the moon backlighting the cloudscape.

The clouds slowly thin out, and one by one, more colleagues turn up and set up. I take a few pictures of the colleagues’ equimpent and manage to get Venus into one of the pictures. It is getting colder and less comfortable, my colleagues are busying themselves with observations (which my slipped disc makes practically impossible for me), and so I pack up and go home.