paulastro

I was lucky to have a couple hours of sunshine early this morning, so had a second look at AR2916 with the Altair 80 ED - R. Again Seeing not great and some cloud, but pleased to have any sort of view. Two single frames below taken with the Olympus EM-5 Mk11 a little before 10am.

Many thanks John, you're very kind. Yes, let's hope it's a portender of things to come. 🙂

At last I managed to see AR2916 after days of snow (Cristmas day!) fog and mist. Mind you, I had to wait until the sun's altitude was only 6.5 degrees, and even then the sun was only out for two minutes with cloud interfering! Still delighted though, and I grabbed a handful of single frames with the Olympus. I could see (from the E) AR2919, 2916, 2918, and another AR NE of 2918 near the limb which hasn't got a number on the spaceweather image. I couldn't see anything where 2920 is marked but I might have missed it, or it's faded away perhaps? (Or I have the numbers mixed up 😊) STOP PRESS!! . I just enlarged my pic below and it looks as if AR2920 is peeping through the cloud, I hadn't noticed it visually, though I didn't have a lot of time! Best frame below taken at 2.50pm, 1/50 sec at 400 asa.

Yes, I'm so excited I can hardly sleep at night 🥱

And the free edition of the SkySafari app if you have a smartphone 🙂.

Fingers crossed for this, I hope it's not too spectacular! Certainly a lot better than anything else on Christmas TV! https://www.nasa.gov/content/live-coverage-of-the-james-webb-space-telescope-mission

This is easy for me to decide as I only have three eyepieces, not counting the two pairs of orthos I use with my binoviewer. The 17.5 Morpheus, 24mm Hyperion and a Baader Mk111 zoom. I do cheat and use a x2 and x3 barlow with the three single eyepieces though. Mm, am I missing out on something? 🤔 😊

Blimey Mike, it must take you half an hour to decide which eyepiece to choose. That is judging by the 15 minutes it takes you to decide if you want tea or coffee, as you've already admitted. 😁.

I agree with you Dave. Just imagine having a wonderful thin crescent moon high in the evening sky every month 😊.

Dixie, I live in Yorkshire but I don't have any pain for you to feel because of any bad weather that comes my way. Over many years I have learned to be grateful for the observing opportunities I have, rather than becoming upset when my plans might be thwarted. The universe isn't there for my convenience, and it owes me nothing.

Keep the faith Dave, and YES there is! Good skies will come however bad you think it is now, and you'll be glad you hung in there. Much as in life generally really 🙂. PS If you have a grab and go set up ready to roll, it's amazing the number of brief clear periods you will have.

Thanks Nigella, lovely photo.

Well, it's a start 😊.

Well, it is better for solar observers. A nice sunrise this morning, though the forecast indicates I'll be lucky if I manage to see the sun again until after Christmas 🙄.

Fabulous, thanks Stu.

Many thanks Stu. Is PS Express an app? Most of my snaps are lunar and solar so if it is an app and is good enough for you, I'll take a look at it. Thanks again 😊.

Many thanks that's very helpful - I'll take a look at Snapseed 😊.

Thanks Viktise. Yes, I did mean phone apps - I'm already ok for my currently indisposed laptop 😊.

I was pleased to see the Moon, its been a rare event recently. People tend to to avoid obseving it at this time, mainly because many sources say its the least favourable time to observe it. Of course, apart from being the best time to observe the ray systems and some albedo features, it has a wonderful stark beauty when full. I observed with the Altair 80 ED-R, and then took some single frames with the Olympus, the frame below taken at 9.38 pm. Because my laptop is having a nervous breakdown, I had to process this with the phone's software. I'm not sure if it's any better or worse than my usual offerings 😄. Any suggestions of any, preferably free, image manipulation apps which are good would be appreciated 😊.

I hesitated buying this when it came out at £9.99 with all the other 2022 syy guides available, but happily paid £6 for it when I saw it in Works. For a hardback with 272 pages it's a bargain.

Mm, perhaps I shouldn't be carrying my eyepieces around in a cloth bag with a drawstring then John? 🤔

Yes Mike, quite right. As you know, I have the 17.5 Morpheus, and with a field of 76 degrees it's the ONLY eyepiece I've come across with a field of over 70 degrees where I can see the whole field in one go without scanning across the field. For a spec wearing astigmatised person it was a breakthrough eyepiece for me when I 'discovered' it. Mind you, it has taken me fifty years.

Thank you Chris. Sorry about you being cloud ridden. I just got lucky - despite the no-hope forecast.

Thanks baz, I hope the weather improves for you.

I'm very pleased you managed to see them Peter. As you indicate, it's very striking the way they are processing across the sun. We are urrently enveloped in fog, but I'll still have my scope set up nearby for the next few days 😊.