paulastro

See link below. https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/393598-april-16th-potentially-large-and-very-active-sunspot-group-just-visible-on-ne-limb/#comment-4234494

Notice from spaceweather.com below, and current view from SpaceWeather Live below - the latter grabbed about ten minutes ago, and shows two sunspots have just come into view. You'll have to zoom in to see the edge of these two sunspot. Let's hope for another good show! 😊

Thanks Mike. There actually was a Tak in sight, the telescope was mounted on the Teegul mount 😆.

I observed with the Tecnosky 102ED F7 and as well as the X and V I'm going to claim a C as well ! The single frame and crop below were taken at 21.05pm with the Olympus. You can find the C just a little S of the X. Well, I'm claiming it, no doubt about it 😊.

I had some good seeing for a while on the evening of 7th. I observed with the Tecnosky 102ED F7 on the Scopetech Mount. In the N there was great broken detail in the rims of Aristoteles, Eudoxus and Alexander as the sunlight started to illuminate them. Further S the 'Spread Eagle' was showing well. This is not a named feature of course, but a group of features which with the right illumination combine to form what to me has long resembled the shape of an eagle, with its wings spread broadly. Menelaus forms the head, the Haemus Mtns the left wing and mountains spreading out towards Plinius the right wing. The eagle's talons clutching Julius Caesar. Well, you need a little imagination 😊. The single frame below, with three crops taken from it, were taken with the Olympus E-M5 Mk11 at 21.18pm. The first crop shows the crater rims, the second the Spread Eagle towards the N, and the third the Southern Highlands down to the cusp.

The Tecnosky 125, which is one of the other versions of the Altair Astro, weighs 7.6 Kg. As it happens, I use a Tecnosky 102ED F7 on my Scopetech and It works well. However, I suspect the 125 would be a bit too much on this mount. It may take the weight, but I don't think it would be good enough at higher powers.

Mike, I knew already you didn't have a binoviewer when you had the FS128 and FS152. That's the point I was making - it's not really a fair comparison when one is used with a binoviewer and the other without.

Mike, if you had used a binoviewer when you had the FS128, I'm sure it would have given better planetary views than your DC and DZ do with a binoviewer.

I don't know who you could mean Jeremy? 🤔

I paid a visit to Mike yesterday and had the pleasure of seeing this scope. Here's a link to a post I put on another forum.

Yesterday, I went to see Mike, mikeDnight, to see his recently sourced six inch f10 refractor and heavy duty (possibly H.N.Irving) mount. From the outside Mike's run-off roof observatory looks like a rather unassuming shed, though with a very smart white laminate finish. It's very smart inside too, with the walls covered in some of Mike's drawings, charts and photographs. I've been lucky to have observed with Mike many times, and it's always a pleasurable experience. Mike has had to 'spruce up' both the scope and mount and he has made an excellent job of it. The Telescope is an original bespoke build with a lovely heavy gauge tube and lens manufactured by Edmund Scientific in the USA. The mount is quite a monster, being a two person lift and having a 1.5 inch counterweight shaft, a 10 inch bronze worm wheel and beautifully engraved 8 inch setting circles. The supplied drives were no longer serviceable, and Mike intends to source an RA drive at some time. Overall, the scope and mount are a class act, and I'm looking forward to observe with it some time soon.

Mike, I remember the time you pointed out Laurel and Hardy to me on the Moon, but I can't for the life of me remember where they were or what the lunation had to be to see them.

That is a beautiful image Nigella. Thank you.

Well done Mike, I know how difficult it is to hold a phone's camera to an eyepiece - I'm absolutely useless as it. That's why I mostly use prime focus for my snaps, or very occasionally the Celestron xyz adapter.

Yes, saw them earlier Alan. I've seen them both many times, but this time the X seemed to rather resemble a spider to me 😄.

Mike is quite right, it is a case of trial and error. You also have to remember that you try it out with the accessories in different positions with the scope pointed to different altitudes.

I always pay close attention to your posts Mike, they are always so interesting 🙂.

That looks and sounds a great telescope Mike. One thing though, it's not a Vixen is it!? 🤔 😅

Fabulous sketch Mark, thanks for posting it 😊.

I quite agree Stu, it certainly does.

It was good early evening Stu. Had some great views through the PST, and grabbed this image from GONG when I came indoors.

I'm pleased you had a good view Peter. 😊.

Went out a few mts ago to observe the sun in the PST. Some fine filaments and prominences. The prom in the SE had more detail in the PST than in the screen grab from GONG below, which I grabbed after I came in. A lovely active disc.

Who knows Alan, but it will be great to see it all unfold. Thats what I like about solar, in WL and HA, you never know what's going to happen next 🙂

The latest news from spaceweather.com is potentially great news for all solar observers. Solar activity is accelerating past the predictions for the current solar cycle. Fingers crossed, if it keeps on going like this we could be in for a real treat 😊.