Gfamily

That's what I'd say - a brief illumination from the centre of the fuselage illuminating the landing gear and the engine pylons.

They say they hope to have an update next week. Given the weather we're having, I don't see any way I'd need an update any sooner.

Just after midnight today, they sent an email request to try a couple of tests, and also asking for Android version etc, as they couldn't replicate it on their devices. Then, about 3 hours later they sent another email to say they've identified that it has a problem with the Android GBoard keyboard app and they advised that I should download the MS SwiftKey keyboard app. I've asked them when the fixed version will be available from Google Play

Another tip when using an app is to go to a known region of the sky and work out the faintest stars you can see through the 32mm eyepiece. Then, in the app, use the 'magnitude' slider so that those stars just about appear. That way, you'll be able to match what you're seeing to what's visible in the app (particularly when you have the circle showing) and that should make star hopping easier.

When I had a chance to go to the Mount Palomar Observatory in 2001 (regrettably, just as a visitor I have to say), I think I was most struck by the cold cold air streaming out of the vents between the dome and the visitors' gallery. It struck me as (belatedly) obvious that it would make sense to keep the dome air conditioned to roughly the forecast temperature for the upcoming evening, so that there wouldn't be thermal air currents between the dome air and the outside air once the dome is opened.

One issue with Cats (such as SCTs and Maks) is that the light travels 3x through the OTA, so the effects of any internal thermal currents are triply emphasised. As Olly and AKB say, insulation can help reduce the effects (and is often mentioned on other forums) - though in both cases using a Hyperstar or RASA will by their design tend to show less effects as the light only travels 2x through the OTA.

I've held off from updating from SS6+ to SS7 - there doesn't seem to be much gain, and I read a lot of significant complaints with 7 when it first came out.

Got a same day reply 🤞

Skywatcher say on their Support pages... Feedbacks are appreciated: app@skywatchertelescope.net Looks like it's time to send Skywatcher some feedback

Same here - but I also find I can't enter the catalog number for Deep Sky Objects such as Messier 32. Is it the same on your phone?

If you've already got Version 1 of any of the apps, you can get the full suite with an additional 25% off - so £71.99 for Photo, Publisher and Designer (plus a bunch of extras). Might be tempting. The only thing that concerns is when they might be thinking of releasing Version 3 (as, once again, there won't be an upgrade path).

The shower is known as the Andromedids, and there's a decent Wikipedia article about them https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromedids

Wasn't that a good evening* at the Autumn AstroCamp! Those walkers really appreciated your showing them the highlights. * though it turned out the only really outstanding evening of the weekend, it was still a great time. I hope you enjoyed the impromptu talk I gave the next evening.

This Friday's talk at the Mid Cheshire Astro Group is being given by one of our best astrophotographers, and you'll be very welcome. We meet at Norley Parish Centre which is near to Delamere Forest. Doors open at 7pm, for a 7:30 start. It's not the closest astro group to Stockport, but it's not too far. Though the M56 can be busy on Friday afternoons. https://www.midcheshireastro.co.uk/ Owen

For those not on Facebook - the dates for the 2024 Spring Astrocamp have been announced as April 6-9th This is the weekend after the Easter weekend. Bookings haven't opened yet - but if you're interested, it's a good one, taking place in the Bannu Brycheiniog National Park near to Crickhowell. No guarantees of course, but the 2023 Spring Star Party enjoyed a rare auroral display. Details, and booking when opened, on the Awesome Astronomy website https://www.astrocamp.awesomeastronomy.com/

if you're a Android user, the DSO Planner app (various versions exist) has a built in voice recording capability as part of its observing list functionality. This allows you to link your recordings directly to the targets. I'm pretty sure that neither Sky Safari nor Stellarium have this direct connection to audio recording available. You'd have to work out your voice to text process at a later date.

We bought next door to Astrofarm and attempted the Messier Marathon from there last spring*. Being at 46° N makes it a lot easier to see the low southern ones. *No great success I'm afraid - we started with some cloud, and then had a lot of dew falling out mid evening, which then tried to freeze up towards midnight. My commitment didn't survive the cold. We'll try again as we're there again next April. This might be useful though - it's a Google Sheets list of the Marathon in order that can make it do-able in a single night. It should be viewable, and you can download a copy for your own use/records - Credit to Dan Machholz who originated the sequence here . https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L2jp_22MnaoI4cD_hnvzZvcM8z2pLOATz35xKsvpAwE/edit?usp=sharing

When I tried to Run the exe (Win 10 machine), I got the 'woah, this might be dodgy' pop up warning, but there is a 'more information' link, and that gives you the 'run it anyway' option to install the programme.

I find they're there anyway - presumably background refreshed from the MPC - at least, I haven't done any downloads and yet, if I search for (for example) C/2023 T2 (Borisov) it locates it. I'm using Stellarium Plus.

If you read the book "First Light: Switching on Stars at the Dawn of Time" by Emma Chapman, one of the questions that needs to be determined about the very first stars (the Population III stars) is what was the Initial Mass Function of stars formed when the primordial gas clouds collapsed. As there's only Hydrogen and Helium (and possibly a very little Lithium), only 1 molecule (H2) can exist to be implicated in the cooling required to allow collapse. The Initial Mass Function gives the size distribution of the stars that were produced - and the larger the stars that were formed in the first generation of stars, the more rapidly heavy elements can be created and (importantly) dispersed back into the interstellar medium to form the next generation of stars.

Croeso i gymru cymylog (as they say)

The egress was clouded out, but I got a moody view a few minutes later

Told you so! 😃

My tracking wasn't perfect, and my trees were getting in the way, but I just about managed to capture the start of the occultation Occultation 720p 2.mp4

The sky cleared just as I thought I'd not have any chance of seeing it. Now tracking to hopefully capture the egress later