paulastro

As far as I know, Celestron do regular updates to the database

COMET C/2022 E3 (ZTF) NOW ON DATABASE OF STARSENSE EXPLORER TELESCOPE APP. Thus COMET is forecast to be as bright as 5th mag. https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/403657-comet-c2022-e3-ztf-now-on-database-of-skysense-explorer-telescope-app/

This comet which is forecast to become as bright as 5th mag has been on SkySafari's database for a little while, and has very recently been added to that of the StarSense Explorer Telescope App. On the latter, search for C/2022 and it will come up amongst a list of comets. http://aerith.net/comet/weekly/current.html

Single frame taken at 11.54am, Altair 80 ED-R and Olympus E-,M5 Mk11.

Here's a test of the StarSense App's ability to find objects in bright moonlight last night. Excellent!!

Last evening I went out to observe Mars and the Moon. After observing these two objects, I thought it was a good opportunity to really test how well the StarSense App finding system on my Celestron 8 inch StarSense Explorer Dob is affected by bright Moonlight. It was a frosty night, -3 deg C, with the Moon at an altitude of 52 degres and 98.7% illuminated when I finished the session at a little after 1am. Mars was 15 deg to the E of the Moon, and the SS located the Moon easily,. I noticed on the phone's screen that the Pleiades were only 5 or so degrres NW of the Moon. I replaced my binoviwer, x275 mag, I had been using with my 17.5mm Morpheus - x68, 1.1 deg field. The SS had no problem pointing me to the Pleiades, which I couldn't even see with the naked eye with the Moon's glare. I then went to several objects to test its accuracy further. From the Pleiades back to Mars. Mars to M42. M42 to HR2764 - my first view of the wonderful 'Winter Albireo' in Canis Major, only 10 degrees above SE horizon. It really is like a fainter version of Albireo, wonderful! HR2764 to Double Cluster. Double Cluster to C13, ET/Owl Cluster. ET Cluster to M44 The Beehive Cluster. M44 to Pleiades. This required the scope to go within less than 5 degrees from the Moon to arrive at its destination. No problem at all. Despite the bright moonlight, the StarSense App successfully navigated all these maneouvers. In fact the sky had thin cloud covering the Cass area and when I located the Double Cluster and the ET Cluster I couldn't see any stars in that area with the naked eye.. When I arrived at the ET cluster, in the scope I could only see two odd stars. I was a bit puzzled until the cloud thinned in patches and ET's eye and then the rest of it came into view!! In summary, the SS had no difficulty finding any object with an 87% illuminated Moon and some hazy patches of cloud as well, even when objects were close to the Moon itself. Significantly, I really couldn't have found some of the objects with a finder, it just wouldn't have been possible. Use your StarSense Explorer telescope when there's Moonlight, you shouldn't have any problems at all - I didn't!

You're welcome Stu, I hope it's clear wherever you are going to.

Sorry, I couldn't resist laughing - I've made the same mistake, more than once 😊.

This is the current Met cloud cover map at the start of the Mars occultation in the early hours of Thursday morning. Honest!

Struggled for a view early on, but I had a clearish break from 10.07 to 10.31 this morning. Took some single frames with the Altair 80 ED -R and Olympus E-M5 Mk11. The first was taken at10.07 and the second at 10.29 as the cloud closed in.

Cheers Dave, you too. Looking good weather wise at the moment 🙂.

It's times like this I'm pleased I come in the elderly category 😄.

Well, I'm choosing to believe the forecast for the Mars occultation in the early hours of Thurdsay morning, and staying at home to observe it 😁.

Just sending this in case it had slipped anyone's mind, it had mine until a few minutes ago! Weather favourable for many. Attachments from AN. Good luck.

Hopefully you'll have a chance to do a drawing in the next few days Gonariu.

Well, according to spaceweather.com it might be. I was keeping an eye out for a view of the sun this morning from before 10am. At about 11.45 there was a sign of thinning cloud approaching the sun and from 11.55 to 12.08 I managed some views of a lovely spotty sun through the Altair 80 ED-R and a few quick pics. The frame below was the only one I managed showing all five of the spot groups on display. Taken with Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 1/60 are 200asa. With frosty conditions coming in the next few days, there should be the opportunity to follow developments.

Nothing like being positive is there 😁. Really, if people take weekly forecasts seriously then they can't have been active astronomers for very long. Many astronomers moan about how inaccurate forecasts are, well they are quite right. So how come astronomers take a weeks forecast seriously? I suppose if the weeks forecast was for clear skies the same people wouldn't believe it. People who don't check out forecasts on a daily basis are going to miss out on an awful lot of good observing opportunities.

Excellent report Paul, I'm glad you had such a productive session. The alignment will only change if you manage to knock the phone holder out of position on the tube (unlikely I would have thought), or if you move the two knobs which you used in the alignment of the phone to the sky view - or the knobs come loose for some reason, though mine are fairly stiff. The only other reason I can think of is if you do not properly seat the phone properly in the cradle. Also, if you have aligned it with the phone in a case, and then don't use a case this could make a difference. Mine has never gone out of alignment for any reason, and there's no reason why it should as all the above are unlikely to happen. There is no mechanical drive which can go wrong, no computer to go wrong and the app itself will work consistently well. Do feel free to ask if you have any other concerns, either on this forum or in a pm and I'll help if I can. Regards, Paul

wookie, last night Jupiter was around 15 degrees to the W of the Moon, and I had no problem using SS to switch between the two. Previously, I recall finding Mars when it was closer to a virtually full Moon. I can honestly say, in the conditions I've observed in since buying the scope in early July, the Moon has never been a problem. In fact, in moonlight, I tend to observe open clusters as they are less affected by moonlight than galaxies and nebula and its a lot easier than finding them than it would be with a finder in the same conditions. My experience is that I look at objects in moonlight I wouldn't previously have done without SS. I can't say moonlight can never be a problem, but its certainly never been a problem fior me.

I was out last night, Dec 2nd, trying to observe Mars. I went out at 9.10pm when the Moon was barely visible through about 90% cloud cover. For the first half hour or so I only had hazy views of Mars. With my 8 inch StarSense Dob I had to user a finder as when I set up there were no stars visible. The Moon and Jupiter started to pop out occasionally, but it was really difficult and frustrating having to quickly move between the the three objects using the finder. I kept arriving just as the cloud enveloped the object I was after Then, it all changed, I had a couple of mts when I could see see a narrow field of stars. I quickly put my phone in its cradle on the tube and opened up the StarSense app. Eureka. I could then chase the gaps in the cloud whenever the Moon, Mars or Jupiter appeared. It only took seconds to go from one location to another. With the finder I would never have got the views I did. For those concerned about how StarSense can cope with cloud, the answer is much better than any finder I've ever used. It confirmed very well what I already knew. You can use StarSense when a finder cant be used fast enough, when there is a lot of cloud and you need to move quickly between clear patches . The only time I have to use a finder now, is if I'm observing a planet or the Moon when there are no stars visible for the entire session. The cloud did thin, I had fine views of Mars with Syrtis Major just showing round the limb. Jupiter, showed goid belt detail with the satellites all strung out to the west. I was lucky to see Io disappearing behind the limb at 10.35. The Moon was the star of the show though. Copernicus was on the terminator and the terraces on the inside of the E limb showed incredible detail as the sun rose, eventually the light creeping into the floor of the crater. Clavius showed fine detail, and to the S the craters Wilhelm, Montana and Regiomontanus also showed truly spectacular detail. The latter's walls adjoining the terminator were reminiscent of strands of reeds interwoven along the rim of a basket. A very memorable session.

It's nice your wife has done this for you Doug. I hope you have less serious symptoms and you're back at the telescope soon. All the best, Paul

I wrote this review a little while ago, copying it to this forum.

Yes, it was Copernicus, 🙂.

Don't think about it - just do it if you want to 😊.

I really hope not, there are far too many of them 😱