Jiggy 67

Great report Nick. I’m planning on doing some doubles tonight and I know you have been known to dabble in this area occasionally......One question.....how do you measure degrees of separation through the ep??...For example if I’m at x250 mag, showing a split in a double, how do I know what that split is in degrees?...Does that make sense?

+1 for the above, the Skyliner 150P is an excellent start and the nature of the way it works will encourage a learning of the skies and how to navigate them. Should come with a couple of stock eyepieces as well. Easy to setup and not particularly technical Personaly, If you do have a bit of extra budget, I wouldn’t spend it on a 200P I would spend it on https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/turn-left-at-orion-book.html This book is a must as it will give you ideas and teach you all the basics.

The Blue Snowball is a lovely object. I had my first look at it last week and it blew me away, though it was only a very small bluish disc through my 8”. Bet yours was a much more detailed view

There are a number of different ways depending on your polar scope reticle. Yours sounds like the clock type like mine. One way is to use the handset. After you’ve put your date, time and location in, it will tell you where Polaris is in the form of a time, just put Polaris on that time on the clock in the polar scope (using the alltitude and azimuth knobs only, your moving the mount, not the scope). I use an app called polar alignment pro. This app has a number of different reticle. Just pick yours and follow the instructions. In time, accurate pa will take no more than 90 seconds Good luck and enjoy the journey

This video will explain polar alignment. Hope it helps https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PcctN4xVXnI&feature=youtu.be

Try the utilities menu for dimming the polar scope. Polar alignment is very important especially for photography. You are using a powered mount that follows the target in RA around the north celestial pole. You might not see it but it is and to do this the mount needs to be aligned with the ncp which is near polaris

Lovely

Wow

Lovely sketch, I tried observing M81 the other night thinking it would be quite easy, not the case and I couldn’t see it in my bortle 6 skies with high humidity misting my primary mirror 😪

As above, was it a night of really high humidity ?

Great reports. I love Castlerigg Stone Circle, loads of atmosphere about it. Never considered using it as an observing site but may think again, we go to Keswick a lot to do some walking,

Believe me you have an excellent mount and, although I don’t image, essential for imaging. Once you get your head around it, they are really good. Don’t know what scope you’ve got but if it’s a newt.....next problem......eyepiece position!!!!!😀

Basically yes, the home position is the starting point, the scope needs a starting point (others may disagree but that's the rule I go by). Imagine you just manually pointed it to the East, turned on and tried to do a one star alignment, it wouldn't have a clue. Just to confuse matters.....if you park at the end of the session, you might notice that the park position may be a few degrees different from your pre-marked home position (as per the video) Don't worry about that, it doesn't matter, the handset has stored the data (you can even park it to the East if you want). However, if I'm not utilising the "park" facility, I would manually return it to the pre-marked "home" position before doing a star alignment. Others may have a different routine, but that's the way I do it and it's never let me down. My setup has been out for about 4 weeks (granted, in this weather that only equates to about 4 sessions) and I only polar aligned and star aligned at the beginning of the first session....it is still bang on now when slewing to a target. Bear in mind, when starting from "parked" you still have to enter time and date.

You're confusing "park" with "home" Although they are the same position, they are used for different reasons. "Home Position" is set manual and refers to scope pointing North with counterweights pointing down. This is a good tutorial on setting your home position.......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fO6hyYtPwM "Park" is to do with the handset. After an observing session, via the utilities menu, you can ask the scope/mount to "Park" if you select this the mount will slew to the "Home" position and then save all the current data, before telling you you can with switch off. This means that, as long as you don't move anything, for your next session, there is no need to do any alignment or anything, just switch on and select your target (after confirming you want to start from park position on the handset and entered time, date etc) Regarding the polariscope calibration, you did exactly the right thing by rotating in ra, just return to the "home" position after polar alignment. You return to the home position manually, not by using the handset. Hope all that makes sense

The hour angle is for polar alignment using the handset, if you’re happy that you are polar aligned via other means just ignore it and press enter. The next stage is star alignment. Polar alignment aligns the mount to the North Celestial Pole and dictates the movement of the mount in RA to keep it on target with the object your viewing. Star alignment tells the mount information so the GoTo can accurately locate objects. Generally one or two star alignment is enough. Give it a go and see how you get on

Very professional

Lovely images. I think the reduced exposure gives a slightly better image and contrast

Impressive result

It is possible to preempt the eyepiece position during setting up. If your plan for the evening is to observe in the South, then set up with the eyepiece towards the ground (as you will slew through East to get to South) then when you slew to the South it will be in a reasonable position. The same applies to any direction, with a bit of thought you can pre-position the eyepiece and with practice you’ll find your doing it without even thinking

Scary stuff, it’s always amazed me how much artificial light we produce through the night for no apparent reason, in places where people don’t actually go, whether it be street lights on deserted streets at 2am or factories and offices that are lit when nobody is present. Not only does it spoil things for amateur astronomy but it costs the nation a fortune and harms the environment. If you were to look at a satellite image of Manchester at 2am probably 80% of those lights are serving no purpose, sorry yes they are, they are filling the pockets of the energy companies and melting the ice caps

Excellent sketch

For me or the mount 😂

No I haven’t found movement, probably because the EQ6-R-Pro is a beast and really heavy. I have a patio but it’s not in a good position. The solution above is simply the lesser of two evils, partially disturbed lawn or completely ruined mud bath 😐

+1 for the telegizmos. I’ve had everything out under all this rain and everything has remained bone dry, with no condensation

They are only for the winter, I’m hoping the grass will recover in the summer and I intend to lay them down again next winter.....but you’re right, I’ll keep an eye on it