Jiggy 67

Just come in mid session, partly to let some clouds pass and partly to ask this.

Just been observing this very tight binary star. I’m not sure I split it. The primary is large and bright and I think I saw the secondary as a very faint and smaller star very close amongst the diffraction spikes of the primary. It appeared as a grey circle at 11 o’clock to the primary. I was viewing at x280 mag and I’m really not sure I saw it correctly, anyone confirm this??

If it is as I described then it’s a very nice and quite challenging binary 

1 hour ago, Seelive said:

Tirions Sky Atlas 2000

Lovely atlas ( and expensive) I have one, the deluxe version but it sits on the shelf looking pretty, never used it, apart from to leaf through and admire the quality.  I think phone apps and GoTo are a million times easier and more efficient, though I can see the fun in using atlas’s 

Well said!.... Happy New Year to you and all SGL members too

Many of you may know I’m a big supporter of leaving my mount outside under a tg cover. I just know that carting it in and out of the house will result in me not bothering half as much as I do.

 I have no issues with direct weather conditions, the cover is excellent at protecting the mount from rain etc. The only issue is condensation forming under the cover.

Powered dehumidifiers are not an option but today, for the first time I have placed a hanging wardrobe dehumidifier under the cover based on a post from a fellow member. We’ll see how that performs.

 I have also coated the mount with ACF-50 in an attempt to further protect the mount.

Being a born worrier, it was only when I sat down that I started to think about any adverse effects on the electronics. I haven’t soaked the mount in the stuff but some may make contact with the electrical parts. 
I know ACF-50 is supposed to be safe but can any other users put my mind at rest and confirm their experience of using ACF-50?

Thanks

Thanks John, that’s really useful, I suspected the answer re a filter. The occulting bar seems a good idea, you reminded me that I have also read that in the past as well. I might look at that as a last resort, I should find it easier with a tracking mount and the precise movement a Synscan controller allows though it could be a challenge for that even, probably end up over shooting it back and too for half an hour 😫

Beta Mon was my first triple star and it literally made me make an audible noise at the scope, it remains a favorite to this day.

Ive never had a go at the Pup but your post has encouraged me to have a go, I can’t believe it’s the same size as Earth, amazing!

 I suspect the answer to this is no, but is there a filter that could assist with screening the light from Sirius A?

It’s safe, just use the arrow keys to centre the object, the mount still records where you’re moving to and this has no effect on tracking as it will just track in RA no matter the position it’s in

Propus?? ......noted for a future session 

I found the seeing to be pretty bad last night where I am. I was also touring some doubles and really struggled, the stars appeared watery and “spikey” if you know what I mean.....unless it was too much alcohol over Xmas!

Amazing, needs renaming “The Scooby Nebula”

Try adjusting focus, that could be the problem 

Just seen your title, EQ6 R Pro so all I said applies

What type of mount and GoTo are you using

Are you putting the date in correctly, it needs to be American format ie 12/29/2020

Daylight saving is NO

If UK, time zone is 0

Are you carrying out a one or two star alignment 

Have you set your home position accurately, scope up, weights down for an EQ mount 

Have you polar aligned 

All the above will assist with GoTo on an EQ mount if that is what you are using 

Strange, can you post a picture. Odd that you’ve had the same problem with two cos it sounds like damage. Have you focused it ok?..you can focus the scope just behind where you put your eye

32 minutes ago, Milzy said:

Thanks again jiggy, do you know why the PS face is wrong on mine! , other posts are saying it should be 0 at the top because the synscan works with the polar scope that way. If that makes sense. Can I take it apart and put it the correct way or is this a manufacturing fault.

It’s just the way they are put in, they are just thrown in, I wouldn’t bother to be honest, as long as it’s central in the shaft, which it should be, I’d just leave it.

No it won’t prompt you to do polar alignment. What it will do after you’ve entered time, date and location is give you the position of Polaris on the polar scope, you can choose to use it or ignore it. I always polar align before I do anything using an app PS Align Pro.

BTW for visual, PA doesn’t have to be spot on, just approximate will do, however.......and some will disagree with this, but the more accurate your PA the more accurate your GoTo will be

Ignore the numbers, they mean nothing unless you’re going to polar align using a synscan handset.

All you have to do is copy what you see in whatever app you’re using in the polar scope.

If you need to calibrate the polar scope do the following:

Level the mount

Place Polaris at the centre of the polar scope 

Using altitude bolts only place Polaris at 12 o’clock

Rotate RA to place polar scope 12 o’clock position on Polaris.

Carry out polar alignment 

Return to home position 

5 hours ago, orionette said:

Hi! Wouldn't returning to home cancel out the whole polar alignment process? Could you please explain? I have a HEQ5 too with the same problem as OP (i.a.).

Polar alignment is a mechanical process, to place your RA axis (the axis on which your polar scope is looking along) pointing straight at the NCP. This enables you to move the scope in RA, and follow objects as they move in RA.

The process I described above enables you to calibrate the polar scope so it matches the polar scope reticle in whatever app you are using to pinpoint the correct position of Polaris. Once you have done this, you physically move the mount to place Polaris in the correct position in the polar scope. Once you have done this, it doesn’t matter what you do with the RA as long as you don’t physically move the mount because it is physically polar aligned and will remain so.

Don’t forget, you have to move the mount in RA and dec to point at objects, it doesn’t affect polar alignment 

If you had GoTo it wouldn’t affect PA but it would affect star alignment as twisting the tube in the rings always results in movement of the dec and RA axis. This is a a big downside to newts on EQ mounts and there is no real solution. Unlike KP82 I start with the focuser pointing down which does help but still involves some awkward positions.....maybe I’ll try his way next time.

 I believe there is a routine in Synscan for correcting for any loss of star alignment but I’ve never tried it 

Christmas Eve evening was a perfectly clear and crisp night so before settling in to a movie and a scotch (or two) I decided to do a couple of hours. The moon was at about 80% and high in the SouthEast moving towards the South so double stars were the targets of choice, I'm not complaining, I've developed a bit of a love affair with double stars, some of them compare well with epic DSO's. Another reason I like double stars is that i can get away with using nothing but the Baader zoom and occasional barlow......no swapping ep's!! 

Iota Cassiopeia

Strange one (These are my notes, made at the time. I have no idea why I wrote "strange one" have to remember to explain myself when writing notes).  Brilliant white primary with a much fainter secondary at 6 o’clock, faint and dark grey colour. Also able to split the primary with 8mm zoom and barlow (x281 mag), very close to the primary, very small but bright star at 2 o’clock, barely separated from the primary and only observable when fleeting good seeing allows. Made for a very nice triple.

Archird

Nice double with 8mm zoom but can be split with all zoom focal lengths. White primary with much smaller lilac secondary at 4 o’clock  

Theta 1 Tau

Very wide split. Two equally bright stars of equal size. Easy with zoom 24mm (x41 mag)

HD37013

Nice, reasonably tight double with 8mm zoom (x125 mag). Off white primary with an off white, slightly smaller secondary, very close at 11o'clock

Castor

Beautiful and bright double star. Very bright white primary with an equally bright and white but slightly smaller secondary at 5 o’clock. Easily split with 8mm zoom (x125 mag) but attractively close together.

Orion was now rising above the neighbour's house so I moved my attention there. I think it @John that mentioned recently in another post just how much there's to see in Orion, other than the obvious......I have to agree, you are literally falling over double and multiple star systems in this constellation!!

Mintaka

Lovely double split at all zoom focal lengths. Bright white primary and a fainter blue companion at 7 o’clock some distance away. Primary also a binary but unable to split even with 8mm zoom plus barlow (x281 mag)

The view of the night was Sigma Orionis......literally stunning!!!.....

Sigma Orionis

Beautiful quadruple system with a large white primary and 3 other stars of mixed colour. Two closest stars, faint and bluish and a bright, whiter star at 5 o’clock. Very nice at 8mm zoom plus barlow (x281 mag) Also in the same field of view at x281 mag, another binary system, HD 294271 (recorded separately). Very satisfying to get two multiple star systems in the same fov at such high magnification

HD294271

Nice double star, both faint and white but split easily at all focal lengths of the zoom. Most pleasing about this is that it can be seen in the same fov at high magnification, 8mm zoom plus barlow (x281 mag) as Sigma Origins, another multiple star system (recorded separately) making for a nice high powered view.

A very nice couple of hours and I only really came in because it started getting very cold....ice was forming on the scope......and it was Xmas leave and time for a very nice Glenmorangie

Merry Xmas everyone

Brrrr!!! It’s cold outside.....just come in after doing a few doubles myself, I have to say, I’m becoming a bit of a double star specialist. Had a good look around Orion, where you’re literally falling over double stars and came across Sigma Orionis by accident, a lovely quadruple system. 
I got a few tonight so may write a report after dinner tomorrow 

2 hours ago, AndyThilo said:

I hang a wardrobe dehumidifier from the DEC clutch leve

Fantastic idea, Just ordered some from Amazon, under a tenner for 10 so got to be worth a try. My mount and scope are more or less permanently outside under a TG cover. I’ve never had any major problems 

Sorry, no chance 

I’m in the green as well.....but you’re getting a delivery......so that will probably change!!  😪

Beautiful!

Great stuff Nick.

 I think my highlight would have to be observing the Ring Nebula under truly dark skies at Galloway in October. Might seem a bit boring and I have observed it a few times at home under very light polluted skies where it is just a smudge. Galloway‘s very dark skies were a different story all together!! It truly blew me away, the observable detail was outstanding!!