wookie1965

Loads of stuff in Cassiopeia you have sent me quite a bit.

Started the night early catch the Planets, Wrote a list of doubles I wanted to try and sketch. Jupiter had gone behind a tree so onto Saturn this looked quite good tried a few different eyepieces and once I thought I saw the Cassini division but may of been wishful thinking. I had entered all the details into the handset before I went to Saturn so only needed to align from here Arcturus then Vega. Why I was there checked M57 I have seen it much better than this although I was about a foot off the ground looking at it. M13 next and went down to 8mm here one of the best views in this 5" I have had the same for M92 really nice. Now a favourite to check how good my alignment is NGC457 top of the FOV so centered it and went to M31 dead centre now for some doubles. Kappa Andromeda (SAO 0532 64) This says its a triple but all I could see was a White star the a wide tiny grey companion. PI π (SAO 0540 33) A lovely white star with a tiny blueish companion. 1 Pegasi (SAO 1070 73) A lovely pair bright yellow/orange another tiny pale blue companion. Epsilon Pegasi Enif (SAO 1270 29) Bright orange primary with two companions a blue and a violet very nice triple. Σ2799 (SAO 1071 65) nice pair of yellow twins but I had to go up to x296 with a 4mm split them. 3 Pegasi (SAO 1269 40) Pale yellow primary with a grey secondary. two in Lacerta now h 1735 (SAO 0516 98) a lovely triple star here white, blueish white and a lemon stars. Σ 2894 (SAO 0722 28) white primary with a small grey companion. now probably wondering what I forgot well one of the finest clusters in the sky M15 it was only when I came in and read through my notes I kicked myself.

Use this much better, That looks a bit out I would think you should be able to see all the mirror clips. http://www.schlatter.org/Dad/Astronomy/collimate.htm

Not if you laminate them I've printed off loads of the ones I wanted then laminated them any more I just do when needed now.

Wow lucky escape when I first got my scope I dropped my BST 18mm in a bucket of water luckily the place I bought it cleaned it for me. I collect rain water for my fish tank no nasty chemicals in then I have to add drops to negate them.

I have been looking for one for my mount but I need a bigger mount this EQ5 just is not big enough to hold my Meade 127 maybe when I get a HEQ5 or the EQ6 I will get one for that. They are beautiful engineered and lovely to look at. If I took my set up to my local park Id be beat up and all my stuff nicked I would really like to move been here 32 yrs lovely when first here but they built new houses at the back of me and there is loads of yobs just hanging around. You dare not put your bin out the night before it will be pinched took over the park and set fired to. Here is my set up.

You got a a lot more than me great report Nick sketches are brilliant once again.

I used one of these for 1.25" eyepieces https://www.altairastro.com/altair-2-1.25-self-centering-eyepiece-adapter.html and one of these to make my focuser dual focus.https://www.365astronomy.com/Lacerta-Dual-Speed-1-10-Microfocus-Upgrade-Kit-for-Skywatcher-Crayford-Focusers.html The only 2" twist lock I found is one of these whether they work or not I dont know. https://www.omegon.eu/reduction-rings-adaptors/omegon-2-twist-lock-adapter/p,45635

Been waiting ans waiting get out Clear Outside said clear until 1am so I thought yes get a few hours. Set up at 9.30pm expecting to look at Jupiter then Saturn without aligning but that came to nought as both behind the street light and I have to set up behind my shed so its not shining on me. Aligned with Arcturus and Vega I like to then go for a couple of easy ones check how good the accuracy is. M81 +M82 in GSO 32mm just two blurry objects nothing stood out. M51 my Nemesis used a couple of eyepieces here the 32mm a BST 25 + 15mm not a sausage nothing no hint. NGC 457 just to the top of the FOV dragged it in unmistakable brilliant. M31 just a blur no hint of the satellite galaxies at least it was in the centre of the FOV Almach (SAO 0377 34) I was under the impression this was a triple went up to x295 but could not see it just a Orange primary and pale Blue much smaller secondary but the stars where not pin sharp. That seemed strange so I tried a beautiful cluster, NGC 7789 "Caroline`s Rose" nothing just white in the FOV I know I must of breathed on the eyepiece and misted it up took the 32mm out put the 25mm in making sure no breath went on it just the same sat back thinking what is it looked up cloud turned around cloud so that was it packed up came in 11pm 90 mins of blurry views but I got out. Here is my set up and the sky as I packed up.

Love that tripod looks rock steady. Nice report I would like dodge clouds all I have had is cloud cloud cloud.

I'm not jealous at all no really I'm not with a full cloud sky😭

Well I set up at 10.30 aligned turned around and saw this coming over so I had to pack up again not a happy bunny 🐰😬 Glad you got out and superb sketches as usual.

Tell your device to forget your home wifi, let it scan again and see if it picks up the synscan. Obviously it will pick your wifi up but dont sign in to it.

If you have your home wifi in tell it to forget that then scan again mine kept picking it up and connecting before the synscan.

No luck here, if I can get some money together I`m going to get a "yard Cannon" and sell both my other scopes just have the one all rounder.

Great picture really sharp.

You lucky duck great find.

I`m fuming now 3 nights you have had out me cloud or rain went out last night 11.40 cloud apart from one spot showing Cassiopeia and that was it. Never looked at any King before so I will give them a go, tried iota Cass a few times never managed to tease the third component out. Great post Nick I like the drawings as well.

I sorted out my lack of inward focus with one of these instead as the usual adapters. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-low-profile-eyepiece-adapter-for-steeltrack.html

Wish I lived down there full cloud here then rain. Great report Nick I will be copying your lists and mixing and matching objects thank you for posting.

Forecast clear here from 10 until 3am well you know what happened cloud as per. Great session Nick and a couple I will try apart from the 1° split never get that with my 5".

you can fill the legs with sand to make it more stable or buy a HEQ5 tripod which fits the EQ3-2 mount. This will make it a lot more stable and I believe there are a few astro photographers on here who use the EQ3-2 mount.

Brilliant I hope you enjoy it and it get used frequently.

There is only one other close to me but he has got into photography now. It's a real shame when I moved in the area 30 yrs ago everyone knew each other our kids grew up together then they knocked a load of houses then built another estate with 3 story houses and flats. so you go round now you don't know anyone and the gangs of kids are really bad only a few months back went along the path kicking side mirrors off cars.

Absolutely brilliant I could not do that on the field near me I'd get all my stuff pinched and I would of been beaten up. 😔