wookie1965

As John says M101 and M51 are quite a bit fainter I've never seen them from home I was lucky enough see M51 in a 22" dob in Buxton what a site that was.

You need dark skies to see alot of things, M81 and M82 should be easy as they are bright. Go for clusters and double stars at home go to a dark site see deep sky objects. They all look like smudges some better than others. Ring nebula M57 you can see as well as the blue snowball NGC 7662. Get a good book on clusters and double stars.

That is what I have done and it has transformed my viewing I leave the deep sky stuff until I go to Astronomy meets or camping in dark skies.

Forecast clear skies here until 1am what have you got Damian.

1 hour ago, carastro said:

Yes I agree.  I only believe the forecast nearer the time when 2 or more websites are saying the same.  Ironically the Met Office seems to me to be the least reliable.

Carole 

I`m going to check Wednesday night probably be accurate then If its raining all weekend I may not come dont fancy pitching a tent in the rain.

Paul

54 minutes ago, carastro said:

Me too. 

Just looked on my trusty website yr.no and it shows partly clear for Friday night and clear for Sunday night but some rain.

https://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/England/Hereford/long.html

Doesn't show the any clear skies on BBC weather.

Too far ahead to be reliable anyway. 

Carole 

 

 

 

I have checked 8 different weather outlets each one is different and they change daily. I had the BBC weather app in my phone this told me totally different weather to what was on the TV. On TV said be clear all night whereas the app said cloud all night.

I believe the BBC get their weather from Metoffice but when you check both they have different forecasts unbelievable. 

I use one of those with my EQ5 goto have done for 3 years got mine from Fleabay for a tenner with extra connections I use for dew bands.

Wish I had booked now but I knew I was having bi latereral tender point injections Thursday did not think I would be fit enough. 😢

35 minutes ago, FLO said:

That is 154mm diameter. I will check our stock of Astrozap solar filters when we reopen Monday. 

Steve 

Thank you very much really appreciate it.

Paul

21 minutes ago, FLO said:

We don’t stock Meade products but if you email us your telescope’s outer diameter (at the front) we will check we have a solar filter to fit. Most sizes are in stock. 

If you email us we will reply with a discount code. Then when you place your order please select the ‘collection’ delivery option. You will then be able to collect it from us at the SGL SP. Alternatively, if you prefer to order it at the SGL SP (and have it delivered to your home) we will give you a discount code at the event that will last until the following Monday. 

Hope that helps, 

Steve 

Thank you very much the circumference of the Meade is 483mm hoping sort it for the Mercury transit not sure if you have anything but I can only ask.

Paul

I was going to ask if you had a solar filter to fit a Meade LXD 55 EMC 127mm Achromatic scope,  I am not sure if I am coming yet depends on the weather.

13 minutes ago, JamesF said:

I think it's correct that street lights are excluded from the laws on light pollution in terms of being a statutory nuisance, but that's just one law that doesn't apply.  It doesn't mean t hat it's perfectly fine to install a street light such that it shines directly into the upstairs windows of someone's home, for example.

James

They came out and put a shield up second picture. First is what it's like in the bedroom with the shield on.

The very grumpy council man said the light does not fall on the second story so there is nothing we have to do.

8 hours ago, Kev M said:

I would say that information is questionable, all the council sites I looked on show the same list---minus street lights.

Contact your local councils ( start with the Parish one & work up )....then your MP if the councils cant be bothered ( probably about 50% ).

A street light can still be classed as a nuisance, in many cases councils have fitted shields to prevent lights shining into bedrooms etc.

 

 

 

I have contacted the council 3 times the last time the I will say gentleman I spoke to talked to me like I was a child and said street lights are not nuisance. I have written to my Mp twice and received no reply at all.

This is what I received on the 30th of September the 3rd time of reporting.

Hello Paul Lewis,

Your service request has been sent to St. Helens Council. Please review all the information below and keep it for your records:

SERVICE REQUEST #      4468601

CATEGORY    Light or Noise Pollution

Priority           High

Clouded out here, anything south I cannot see with that lamp post.

I will look for the others though but I feel this 5" is not showing things as good as it should, looked at Caroline's Rose with it and I was underwhelmed I've seen it better in the Tal.

Great sketches as usual.

On 07/10/2019 at 13:44, bilbo said:

Causing light pollution is now legally the same as causing noise pollution, you just don't hear of many prosecutions.

If the light is excessive, intrusive or otherwise annoying ask the council nicely to so something about it. If they then don't remind them that they may be breaking the law.

Steve

I tried that but was told street lights are exempt from light pollution I have read up on it and indeed they are so in my case I`m stuffed.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/artificial-light-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints

Scroll down to Artificial light not covered by statutory nuisance laws street lights are at the bottom of the list.

Welcome to SGL you have what I bought for my first set up. I had loads of fun with mine seeing the E and F stars in the Trapezium which is difficult.

You however went the photography route and you have turned out some cracking images.

Paul

Brilliant report just shows you dont need high mag to see so many beautiful objects.

I intended to look at a few in Draco then Ursa Major but was scuppered by the roof of the house.

16/17 Draco (SAO 0300 12/13) Lovely triple here All white stars a pair of kissing stars with a wide companion at X184

Mu μ Draco (SAO 0302 39) Haas says easy split in 60mm scope if I was looking at these I am fairly sure I was I had to use x184 to properly split these twin white stars.

Σ 2180 Draco (SAO 0304 13) Tiny twins white and a cream X184 here.

Nu ν Draco (SAO 0304 50) Brilliant twins (Dragons Eyes) white/Yellow stars.

Now I had a list of 12 Uma stars some where below the roof and a couple I had copied the SAO numbers down wrong or the SAO numbers printed where wrong either way I will try again using co-ordinates next time, here are the ones I got.

23 Uma (SAO 0149 08) Giant white star with small wide green companion.

Σ 1415 (SAO 0070 99) Nice combination of a yellow/white star and a wide white companion not very much else in the FOV.

Σ 1495 (SAO 0278 61) Lovely colours here Orange/Yellow  with Pinky/white lovely.

Σ 1831 ( 0290 74) This is a lovely arc of three stars with a close double of the end star x184 split this . Stars where white, yellow and the double where red and blue  seeing wasn't that good a bit watery so the double colours may be wrong they were wobbling at that mag.

That was it for the doubles so I just had a go at a couple of favourites NGC 457 sparkling NGC 7662 (Blue Snowball) this was lovely used my 11mm televue plossl looked superb the  Uranus lovely disc and Neptune in the FOV there was only 3 points as it wasn`t in the middle the two at the top of the FOV where nearly the same size so I guessed that it was the one closer to the middle I really should of put more mag on but it did look like a disc so I was happy with that.

Packed up came in nearly 3 hours if I had known about the Uma stars before I would of extended my Draco list.

It's a shame not going to meet up with you again but you have a great time and we will catch up sooner or later.

2 minutes ago, daaveyboy said:

Many thanks for this link it is what I am looking for.

Welcome glad to help.

Any update on long meadow with only two weeks to go.

http://www.deepskywatch.com/Articles/what-can-i-see-through-telescope.html

Have a read of this.

Great resource Nick thanks. 

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/46941-barlowed-laser-collimation-method/

You can put a Barlow in then the laser and can check it that way you will see the primary mirror and can centre it doesn't matter if the laser is out a bit.

I've had 2 laser collimators the first although I dug the gunge out where the screws were and could adjust it it never would collimate. I threw it in the bin got a new one that was miles out but managed get that collimated.

So don't rely on the laser collimator I only used it to do the Barlow method.

I used a Cheshire/Sight tube.