John

I've just packed in for the night after getting some nice glimpses of Sirius B. The seeing stayed steady - earlier I had a tight but clear split of 52 Orionis, which I'm aways pleased to get 🙂

My record of this conjunction was a snap with my wife's compact digital on full optical zoom with the exposure compensation set down 2 stops. I've no idea what other settings the camera chose 🙂

The transparency has improved a lot here and the seeing is still holding steady so I'm still observing in between warming up sessions inside 🙂

6 hours ago, Celts88 said:

 

Hi

I’m new at Astro photography, etc. and not overly experienced even when it comes to photography as a whole but have got into it more over the last year in preparation for our big caravan trips (I live in Oz and just recently retired so going to be doing some big trips in the van).

I got a WO GT-81 to get me started (I haven't even unpacked it from the box yet) and happened to be looking on Astromart and saw this LZOS 105 f/6.2 Carbon Fiber APO (I was actually looking for an Esprit 100). I've an Avalon M-Zero mount and the LZOS 105 f/6.2 looked a good option as a lightweight scope to take away in the van (believe the scope is about 4.5kg).

There's no certificate with the scope (the previous owner to this one didn't have it on hand) and there doesn't appear to be any manufacturer's marking on the scope. The lens does have the same marking as other 105 f/6.2 lenses, but no mention of LZOS or APM (it does have the LZOS logo). I've got no worries about the seller, he's well known and respected on Astromart, so there's no issue there.

If anyone has any info on the scope I'd be very grateful.

https://imgur.com/WLdIv93

 

Looks like a genuine LZOS objective and Feathertouch focuser in a custom tube. It might be something that someone has put together themselves - you can buy the objective and the focuser separately and supply your own tube. Perhaps they wanted a lighter overall scope than the ones that APM supply with the objective ?

As long as the tube has light baffles correctly installed within it (no reason to think that it would not) then it should be an excellent performer.

Here are a couple of reviews of LZOS 105mm F/6.2's in the tubes supplied by APM in Germany:

Review of the APM TMB 105 f/6.2 Triplet Apo Refractor | Alpha Lyrae (alpha-lyrae.co.uk)

Buyer's Guide to Four-Inch Apochromats (scopeviews.co.uk)

These weigh 6.6kg which is quite heavy for a 4 inch class refractor so maybe that is what the originator of your scope was looking to achieve - same optical performance in a lighter tube ?

I hope you enjoy it 🙂

The lunar features are so sharp tonight, even at very high magnifications for the aperture 😲

The Hyginus rille actually looks like a series of crater chains and I've been tracing another long chain of craters across the lunar surface - the Catena Abulfeda which terminates right alongside the crater of that name. 

The sky transparency does not seem that good so, unless things improve, it's probably not going to be a good DSO night.

The high resolution targets are excellent though 😁

Nice views of the moon and Jupiter this evening with my ED120 refractor. GRS is currently in transit on Jupiter and on the moon, the Hyginus and Triesnecker rilles are looking great 🙂

Both targets close to each other in the sky so it's easy to skip between them taking in a mix of lunar and jovian sights 🙂

Snapped this with my wife's compact digital and, it came out OK I think:

5 hours ago, Nikolai De Silva said:

Thank you very much for the explanations @josefk and @bosun21! They are very helpful. We didn't get get clear skies yesterday. Will surely try today for the pup star. 👍🙂

If you have a clear night, before you try Sirius, have a look at Rigel (bottom right of Orion) and see if you can see it's companion star. That is a useful test of the seeing conditions and also gives you a guide to how far away from Sirius the Pup star is in the eyepiece. Rigel's fainter companion star is on the other side of Rigel than the Pup is from Sirius but it's separation from Rigel is very similar.

2 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Seeing was ok tonight but not as good as a couple of nights ago. Jupiter's NPR was distinctly mottled in appearance then, whereas tonight it was much smoother. Still a good show though.

I agree. That mottling of the NPR is a sign of really good seeing as well as really good optics. The latter we can do something about, the former, we live in hope of !

I've bought the scope in now as well. Still very clear and sparkly out there but too cold to be enjoyable now.

My last target was Sirius but it was too sparkly so I knew from almost first glance that the Pup was going to stay hidden behind its glare tonight.

It was great to give the big refractor a proper go at Jupiter earlier though. With the rotten weather that preceded this colder stuff, the big frac has been bypassed in favour of the grab and go rigs. 

I owned one of the Russian (Intes) 150mm maksutov-newtonians for a while and that was the closest thing to quality refractor performance that I've ever had with a reflecting scope. I reckon it was as good as an apo refractor of around 5 inches aperture. But the mak-newts are heavy and are slower to cool than a refractor. Optically very good indeed though.

I have read great reports on the Russian mak-cassegrains but I've not used one myself. 

4 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

OK, it's done. This is probably my first and last drawing, and most likely as bad as artwork and accuracy gets. Stuff kept moving around plus my fingers don't work so well in -4.0° 🥶

I might call it a night. I'm absolutely frozen stiff.

Very good indeed I think Michael 👍

Loads of detail - excellent !

2 hours ago, Alan White said:

This is the Practical Astronomy Show, that has moved venue from Kettering. 
This is not the IAS that is run by another team and has also moved venue.

Both are fine shows and in reality a shame they are both now close in location, the geographic locations in the past influenced some.

The PAS was attended by a group from SGL last year, we met up, talked Astronomy and twaddle and encouraged one another to buy things.

 

Thanks Alan - I'm confusing the 2 shows. The last IAS that I went to was at the venue that the PAS is going to use in March this year - hence my confusion, plus my brain is addled from observing on a cold night tonight (lame excuse I know 🙄).

Is there an Impractical Astronomy Show I wonder ? 🤔😁

I'm more inside than outside just now even though there is a superb 130mm refractor all cooled down outside. Although the sky is still clear and the seeing is decent, an annoying blustery wind has sprung up lowering the temps further and seemingly buffeting the scope just when I have a critical high power target in the eyepiece that could do with still-ish conditions to make the best of 🤨

It's still been a good session though, despite that 🙂

2 minutes ago, Captain Scarlet said:

In to warm up after also watching Europa’s shadow transit through my SV140. I could clearly see the shadow at 94x with my BGO 10, I could not see it with my Tak LE 5 at 188x, and I could quite easily see it with my Delos 4.5 at 208x. Dinner beckons then I’m out again later.

M

My supper beckons as well.

I felt that Europa's shadow got less and less distinct as it crossed the disk. Maybe it elongates as the angle between Europa, the Sun and the jovian cloud tops changes ?

I might come along as well, that is OK 🙂

I've not been to the IAS for a few years so it would be good to have a look at the latest developments in equipment, even if I don't really understand them !

Do they still make scopes with glass at one end and a place for a human eye at the other end ? 😉

7 minutes ago, globular said:

That looks like a countdown until someone suggests a SVBony 3-8 zoom.

😅🤐

17 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Just come in for a finger warm after an extended session.
Fascinating watching Ganymede's shadow move across Jupiter. Lovely and crisp in the 12" at x217 (7mm Nirvana). I might try a drawing later when the GRS is about - though be warned my planet drawing isn't so good 
The other interesting thing is watching shadows move across Aristoteles. First one bright peak appeared, then two. 
I'm not sure what to look at!

I really need a 6mm eyepiece! I go 8, 7, 5, 4... I might dig out the old TMB Planetary II later. I haven't looked though that for about ten years... lol.

Good stuff !

I think that shadow belongs to Europa though 🤔

I've found 6mm spot on for Jupiter with the 130mm refractor this evening - 200x with that scope. 7mm and 5mm have been doing a good job as well though.

10 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Hi John. Just been following the moon dance at Jupiter. 
As per S&T predictions I was in awe of watching Io come into view from being eclipsed by Jupiter. Took about 80 secs to go from - can’t see to full illumination - at 17.06 from my location. 
Great stuff. 
Did I mention it’s cold again. Sure I’m turning into one of the “Powerpuff girls” -  can’t hack the frozen feet. Only out for 50 mins. Lightweight 

John 

It sure is cold John !!! 😬

Good observing though. I missed that 80 seconds as Io cleared the jovian shadow - I must have been looking elsewhere. So it seemed to be "now you don't see it, now you do" to me 😁

I'm popping in an out of the house this evening - I can't stay out for too long before the cold starts to seep in.

I've been looking at the jovian show at a rather silly 600x but the moons show very distinct disks that look spherical. With Jupiter in the centre and Europa's shadow skimming the cloud tops, the sense of seeing a 3-dimensional view is very tangible. My 130mm rocket ship has taken me into orbit around the giant planet, while I can handle the chilly earth air, that is 😁 

Thanks @CraigT82 - I'll look forward to that 🙂

Io has just popped out of Jupiter's shadow to join Ganymede and Europa. Quite a show !:

I've got the 130mm triplet refractor out and cooled. Super start to the observing session with a beautiful moon, steady seeing and interesting moon action at Jupiter 🙂

Highlights so far are seeing the darker material "tyre tracks" running across the floor of the Messier crater (right hand one in this image) at 350x:

And Europa's shadow transit with Ganymede and Europa itself in close attendance (Stellarium generated image):

Much more to come, I'm sure 😁

The forecast is this for the next 2 days:

So my largest refractor, the 130mm triplet, is waiting expectantly 🙂

I have replied to your query on this in the other thread but I think it is unlikely.

Some information on the true field of view covered, the imaging equipment used and the orientation of the images (eg: where N, S, E and W are) would help a lot.

The key thing is assessing the extent, on the image, of the glare around Sirius and the orientation of the other star shown. The Pup star is usually within the glare surrounding Sirius A - it lies around 11 arc seconds from Sirius to the NE. 

Sorry to be picky, but if you want to be sure, some precision is needed. There are a number of other stars around Sirius which I would expect also to show on the image.

41 minutes ago, Nikolai De Silva said:

Hello @John this was what I got. Is this the pup star?

 

I'll be honest and say that I think it is unlikely. Sirius B visually appears within the glare from Sirius A and that is for visual observing when using low scatter optics at around 250x magnification or more. The camera will be adding glare to the star as well I think.

I did a sketch a while back of the view of Sirius A and the Pup star and the surrounding visual stars with a 120mm refractor at 257x magnification. North will be at the bottom with your scope (a newtonian ?) but these other stars will be visible if the Pup star is to be seen:

Some small gaps have started to appear between the clouds so I've put my ED120 refractor out. I need to star test it following an objective clean so even a few stars will do. More than that would be a bonus - I wasn't planning on any observing this evening 🙂

I agree. If I could not observe with my scope a couple of paces from a warm room, I would not be doing it. Thank goodness for a patio and french windows !