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wookie1965

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Posts posted by wookie1965

    Great scopes and great friends

    in Observing - Reports

    Posted

    On 11/01/2024 at 21:57, Littleguy80 said:

    It had been several months since I last visited my local dark site at Seething, the home of the Norwich Astro Society. Clear skies and knowing that some friends would be observing there was all the reason I needed to pack up the car and head out. I took both my 10" dob and Tak FC100. These scopes sat alongside @Cjg's Astro Physics Stowaway and a stunning 20" Dob. For a bit of fun we pointed the Tak and AP at the Eskimo and Blue Snowball planetary nebulae. The views were just fab in both. Such a treat to look through two top notch refractors. 

    With the dob now cooled and my eyes dark adapted, it was time for some serious DSO observing. Starting with the beautiful green glowing M42 with the Running man nebulae. Next came the Flame nebula. Faint but I was soon comfortably picking out the dark lanes. The 25m TV Plossl and HB filter came out and I began tracing the edge of IC434. For 10/15 mins, I traced up and down. The notch of the Horse Head seemed to come and go. I called over T, the owner of the 20" dob. She looked and then swapped the TV eyepiece for her Pentax. Some more careful nudging and then came confirmation of the sighting. I took a look with the Pentax. It took some time to adjust to change in the FOV but eventually I got it again. The big dob was also pointing at the Horse Head. The HH was, as you would expect, an easier spot here though not an easy target. The view in 20" gave me more confidence of what I'd seen in my 10" dob. After the joy of great refractors came the joy of great reflectors. I sat happily with a foot in both camps!

    The rest of the evening was filled with touring some other less challenging targets. With the HB filter still in place, I swung back to M42. The view was nothing short of breathtaking. It was like seeing a whole new object. It seemed to extend so much further than I've ever seen it before. No doubt the dark, transparent skies helped. The cluster M46 with the planetary nebula, NGC 2438, within it was awesome in the dob. The PN showing so clearly without needing a filter to see it. M1 showed as textured oval, so much more impressive under dark skies. 

    We all took a break and enjoyed cake, homemade soup and some laughs in the clubhouse. It was a great throwback to the times spent observing pre-covid.

    The Rosette with a UHC filter easily filling the FOV with my 30mm UFF eyepiece. Thick nebulosity around the bright cluster at its centre. The Christmas tree cluster raised a smile as did Hubble's Variable nebula, the 37 cluster (NGC 2301) and Hagrid's dragon (NGC 2169). I grabbed the Tak and moved so that the tail of Leo sat above the trees. From there, I was able to find Comet 62/P. A small but fairly brightly circular fuzzy patch. For a final hurrah, I pointed the Tak at the Leo triplet. M65 and M66 were bright and easy. With a bit of averted vision came NGC 3628. A really lovely night of observing made so much better by sharing it with some lovely friends.

    Wish I had a dark place to go to an hour away and some observation friends to go to. 

    • Like 2

    Opinions on Synscan WiFi Dongle

    in Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice

    Posted

    14 hours ago, MikeAa said:

    Oh, now you've prompted another question! You sent your mount away to be tuned: Any idea what that involves? I have never heard of that before.

    They strip it down replace bearings if needed, regrease it with better stuff then put it together and fettle it so there is no backlash as much as possible. cost me I think £130

    • Thanks 1

    I'm too old to get this cold

    in The Astro Lounge

    Posted

    Home bargains sell feet warmers and hsndwarmers, the feet ones are very thin stick them to your feet they keep your feet really warm. 

    I tuck a hand warmer in each glove. 

    I wear a hat and a neck warmer there are things called skins my granddaughter wears them to play football. They are close fitting I wear one then a long leaved T Shirt and a quilted coat. 

    I use long John's and linen leggings I find they are warmer than jeans. 

    I have insulated boots (go outdoors) £35 and heat holder socks. 

    I am toasty then, a good flask of tea or coffee doesn't go amiss. 

    Opinions on Synscan WiFi Dongle

    in Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice

    Posted

    I used it on my EQ5 Pro goto it worked really well although I use android I believe it can be a bit tricky with ios. 

    I had to tell my phone to forget my home wifi as your phone searches for strongest signal the dongle kept dropping from the mount until I did the forget the wifi then it worked brilliant. 

    I went back to the handset as my mount wasn't that accurate, I sent it away to be tuned and actually forgot about the dongle until a friend mentioned it so sold it to him. 

    • Like 1

    Lacerta 10:1 focuser upgrade.

    in Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice

    Posted

    1 hour ago, bosun21 said:

    The dual speed focuser upgrades have no bearing on whether the focuser is a R&P or a crayford. It's simply a reduction gear to rotate less for each revolution of the fine focus knob. You should ensure that the spindle is the correct size for the dual speed upgrade.

    Cheers for that appreciate your help I would never of thought about spindle size. 

    • Like 1

    Jupiter x 2

    in Sketching

    Posted

    34 minutes ago, John said:

    What's this ??? 

    Two sketches from me during a Jupiter observing season !!! 😲

    Well the giant planet has really been putting on a show over the last couple of months and since it has actually stopped raining for a while I've even been able to observe it a few times and I've been inspired to put pencil to paper 😁

    I do these quite quickly because I've found it the best way not to get bogged down in transitory details. I've tried to sketch what was obviously there rather than what I thought might be 🙄

    Both done while observing with my 100mm refractor but not quite at the scope because the pencil and paper were on the dining room table a couple of meters from the scope, and where it is warmer !

    The first was on the 6th January (I posted it somewhere on SGL back then) and the second sketch was tonight at around 19:00 hrs. Europa and Io were just about to go behind the planet and were just off the western limb, so I included them labelled "E" and "I" respectively. I enjoyed doing these so I might do some more, if the clear nights continue 🙂

    And I do think the process helps you to see more as well 👍

    jupiter060124.jpg.0908b33696befa1d04745b9efded9022.jpg

    jup150124.jpg.c7d18ca7cc706f3359cf695df2f2cc02.jpg

     

    Brilliant John I'm hoping to get out Wednesday night but I doubt I will get views like these with my 4" Refractor. 

    • Like 1

    Aperture fever…

    in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups

    Posted

    I regret buying the 10" celestron starsense its too heavy for me with my spine. I have had it up for sale for months I'm going to use the money for a easier mount something like a Ioptron AZ pro I believe I can make it fit my EQ5 extension tube so I can easily use my F10 refractors. 

    Once I have saved up I will look for a carbon fibre tripod with a extension.

    • Sad 2

    Tube rings to big...ideas please.

    in DIY Astronomer

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