Nyctimene

Glad, that so many members were lucky enough weather-wise to spot the ray! Was out with the 5.1" Heritage early enough to confirm, that the phenomenon had not started at 20.45 CEST. Fifteen minutes later, the clouds had left the moon invisible, and rain was starting. Ok.; I have seen the ray three times up to now, and will wait patiently for the June 15th occasion.

I didn't manage the reverse phenomenon, the Pitatus ray, up to now. The times for observing are less convenient, during the morning hours (waning moon!), but it seems worthwhile to get up early; have a look:

(c) Frank Mc Cabe; https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/554510-craters-pitatus-and-hesodius-during-lunar-sunset/

http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/animation/Pitatus.gif

Next occasion will be May, 2nd, 03h 26min; the moon will be very low, so you'll need a free horizon to the SE. More data here:

http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/pitatusp.htm

Stephan

Hesiodus crater ray this evening (18.54 UT). Weather forecast not promising here in SW Germany; best wishes for clear skies to all of you in other parts of Europe!

Stephan

Just came in from a short (30 mins) observation of the nice triangle: thin crescent moon - Jupiter - comet Pons-Brooks. The APM 16x70 MS ED gave crisp views in the clear evening sky; Moon and Jupiter fitting in the same field of view (4.1°). A tad to the W, the comet's coma and star-like false nucleus came into view. Brightness of the coma around 5.0 (a tad brighter than the defocussed Pi Ari (5.3 mag) close by). Tail visible for 15-20 arc min, but several times, especially during moving the tripod-mounted binos, even longer in averted vision, up to 1.5°(?). Three totally different objects of the solar system, almost in the same field of view; fascinating.

Stephan

Jean-Henri Fabre's book on astronomy from 1872, in the German translation by astronomer Graff 1918. Fabre was a famous entomologist, one of the beginners of behavioural research. He earned his living as a teacher in southern France and had to care for seven children, so he wrote several didactic handbooks, to improve his financial situation, including the astronomy book. The "Homer of Insects" was proposed 1912 for the Nobel Price in literature. A very interesting personality; modest and introverted, nonetheless friend of some famous persons, e.g. John Stewart Mill. His house, now a museum, close to Orange in the Provence, is well worth seeing.

Stephan

Another favourable occasion to observe the Hesiodus ray will be in about two weeks, Wednesday 17th April, during the evening hours. The given time 18:54 (UT) may vary a bit, so have a look an hour before or after this time. The phenomenon itself will last for several hours, and will start as a bright patch on the W wall of Hesiodus, slowly expanding to the crater floor, and finally showing the triangular form, as shown in the drawing above.

If you miss this occasion, the next one will be June 15th, 19:12 (UT).

On 18/02/2024 at 21:05, Nik271 said:

It looked  to me like a bright door opening on the crater rim and letting the light in.

Exactly my impression; so let's hope for clear weather to "open the door" for many of us!

Stephan

Just came in after a very pleasing hour, observing the moon with the 18" Obsession. Some high haze, but the seeing was rather good, and the Docter 12.5 mmf/82° gave at mag 164x crisp views (the whole moon fits in the field of view!). Hesiodus A showed it's concentricity distinct and permanent, the Rima Hesiodus was easy, the same with Rima Birt, close to Rupes recta, the Straight Wall. E of the crater Kies, the dome Kies Pi was distinct, even the summit craterlet. (Lunar 100 No. 60). Copernicus and Bullialdus crater wall terraces were marvellous. No sign of "Gruithuisen's City", even when adding the 2x Abbe Barlow to give 328x.  Plato's floor showed the four "largest" craterlets (was too lazy to try for the smaller ones). The Alpine Valley remained invisible. Very satisfied  - no hassle with "floaters" even at high magnifications, and a smoothly tracking Dob - hard to beat.

Thanks for reading

Stephan

Spotted Triton in September 2021 with the 12" f/5 Hofheim traveldob, using the hints I found in Phil Harrington's book "Cosmic Challenge" (No. 156), mainly, to observe during Neptune's opposition, and Triton in greatest elongation (max. 17"!). Mag 330x showed  the 13.6 mag moon clearly with averted vision.

Stephan

Without doubt, the 8" f/4 Hofheim Instruments traveldob. Weighs just 8kg in toto, and can be taken out, fully assembled, in one go. Allowing mags from 27x (field 2.9°) up to 400x.  Sadly, no longer in production.

Stephan

1 hour ago, Astronomist said:

Another thing you could try is using a planetarium software on a laptop or phone (with a dim red screen filter) to help you star hop

+ 1 for that. I'd suggest the widely used SkySafari app (the Plus version). With it, your device's display can be set to give you exactly the field of view and the number of stars or other objects as will be visible in your scope's eyepiece.  Star hopping is very easy with it (start with an eyepiece, that will give you the lowest magnification); and, as Wim pointed out, start with brighter objects to get some practice and experience. Enjoy the journey, and welcome to the forum!

Stephan

I'm owner of the smaller Heritage 130 P Flextube, and the compact Baader Q-Turret 2.25x Barlow works very well with this scope. Small and lightweight, giving sharp views with the 66° UWA 9 and 6 mmf (244x mag!), as well as with the 26 mmf/62° ES LER. Compared side to side, it is not much behind it's famous brother, the Zeiss Abbe VIP 2x Barlow. Reasonably priced; but you'd need some patience, when ordering from these:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5503_Baader-1-25--Q-Turret-Barlow-and-photo-converter---2-25x-und-1-3x.html

Hth

Stephan

6 hours ago, Merkhet said:

I believe that your APM 16 x 70 do not have filter threads.

I wonder how the moon glare is with the APM 16 x 70 as I am thinking of buying a pair?

Hello, Merkhet,

you are right - there are no filter threads in the APM 16x70 MS ED; the only downside I've found up to now. So, no dimming moon filters (no problem for me, as the full moon's glare is IME very well tolerable), but likewise no narrowband  (UHC, O III) filters, that would be fine for extended DSO's.

All in all, the 16x70 binos have been my best astro buy during the last ten years. I was somewhat concerned about the individual focusers (had only central focuser binos up to now), but totally unfounded. All the adjustments are running smooth, but with enough tightness/resistance, and it's easy to find the "snap" focus. Flat field, star images sharp for more than 90% of the field of view. Vivid colours, almost no chromatic aberration (only very bright objects, e.g. lunar limb). Very good eye relief, no "kidney beaning" etc. Lightweight and rugged.

It's a real joy to use the 16x70, just look and forget the rest! (the same applies to daytime use, which can be addictive with this Porro).

Stephen Tonkin, our binoculars guru, was quoted by a member of CloudyNights: If he would be allowed to own only one binocular, this would be the APM 16x70 MS ED.

Hth.

(of course, no affiliation etc. etc., just a pleased owner)

Stephan

Just came in from a 30 minutes Lunar session with the APM MS 16x70 ED, having repeated another session two days ago - full moon was yesterday. Despite some haze and high cirrus clouds passing by, I got astonishingly good views. The different tints of the lunar maria floors were distinct, as were the large crater ray systems of Copernicus, Kepler and Tycho. E of Grimaldi and Riccioli, I spotted the small craters Lohrmann A (12 km), Grimaldi C (9.3 km) and Damoiseau E (13.6 km) as a line of three bright spots. Reiner Gamma could be made out, even it's "tail". Sinus Iridum gave a great view; and S of Promontorium Laplace, the two craters Helicon (24 km) and Le Verrier (20 km) showed faintly. To my surprise, even the tiny crater Helicon B with just 5.4 km diameter, was visible - with a 16x magnification!  In Mare Imbrium, I spotted the mountains M.recti, Teneriffe, Spitzbergen,  Pico and Piton. In M. Fecunditatis, Langrenus was distinct. I got glimpses of  the double crater Messier/Messier A, but not of the ray system. All in all, very pleasing views with the excellent 16x70, tack sharp, with almost no chromatic aberration (I had to look for it), relaxed viewing even with glasses. Added a Manfrotto video fluid head and a tripod with center crank column (very important!), I'm glad with this grab-and-go set (under 5 kg).

Many migrating birds due South crossing the moon disc, flying fast - and twice another winged creature, with a zig-zag movement pattern, very small, I'd guess a high flying bat (-or a halloween harbinger - ?  ;-))

Thanks for reading

Stephan

Thank you, Nik271, for the excellent information. Where did you look it up?, seems to be a very useful website!

I'll try again, and will wait for a very low angle of illumination.

Patience is a virtue - just spotted for the first time Rima Sharp (!) with the 12". Rather good seeing, allowing mag 250x (6mmf UWA). The Rima was visible for five to ten seconds in moments of very quiet air several times, clear, but at the limit of vision. I'd compare it to the search for Rima Messier with the 18". Pleased and content!

Stephan

Observed the waxing gibbous moon yesterday evening with the 12" f/5 Hofheim traveldob. Slightly hazy/cloudy (cirrus) skies, average seeing (concentricity of Hesiodus A flashing up at mag 167x). The terminator was very close to the two lunar domes  Montes Gruithuisen Delta and Gruithuisen Gamma. Once again, I tried to spot the summit craterlet at the peak of Gruithuisen Gamma, about 900 m diameter (Rükl; other sources say 2.2 km), with magnifications of 167x and 250x, without success as usual. A small, but bright albedo spot at the NE slope was misleading me first (it's not visible in the LunarMap HD app); but after consulting the Luna Cognita handbook, I found this spot mapped well (fig. 16.27). So, one of the lunar nemesis features (for me) remains unresolved still after many years of trying. Has anybody on here spotted the summit craterlet? (should be possible with 12").

Thanks for reading

Stephan

Was out with the 18" f/4.5 Obsession last evening under sub-average skies (NELM 4.8; SQM-L 20.68). Started with M 27, that gave a good view already with the 24/82°, but way better at 164x (12.5 Docter) with the OIII. Beautifully shaped rugby-ball, gleaming bright, with a slightly brighter S part and some embedded stars (viewed without filter). gc M 71 close by presented as a compact, but readily resolvable cluster in a slightly triangular shape. gc 6934 in Del appeared similar, but with more and fainter stars. A longer starhop led me to the small, but rather bright (10.4 mag) planetary 6891. A small disc with a faint greenish hue, with high surface brightness. The central region appeared a bit brighter, and the central star (12.4) was flashing up with AV at mag 400x (10 mmf Ortho+2x Barlow). Saturn was disappointing deep in the horizon murk, the Cassini just visible in the ansae. Finished after 1.5 hours at 22.20 CEST. A lot of disturbing road traffic - farmers using the favourable weather for harvesting corn, until almost midnight.

Thanks for reading

Stephan

Had another look at comet Nishimura yesterday morning with the 5.1" Heritage Flextube. Extremely deep down in the ESE, but well visible at 25x mag. Slightly brighter than g Leonis, about 4.8 - 5.0 mag. The tail was almost invisible. This morning, again from 05.00 to 5.30 CEST, with the 16x70 binos, I spotted the comet in the lion's neck, not brighter than yesterday, with a 15-20 arc min plasma tail, only visible with AV. The green hue was more distinct than yesterday.

Stephan

Had another look at comet Nishimura this morning from 04h 50min to 05h 40min CEST with the 16x70 binos and the 8" f/4 Hofheim traveldob. With the 8" at 27x mag (30 mmf/77° Wild-Heerbrugg), the comet appeared small and round, with a coma diameter of about 4 arc min; DC= 5-6. No false nucleus, nor inner structure details, even with increasing magnifications of 64x resp. 128x (12.5 mmf/82° Docter + 2x Abbe Barlow). Magnitude of the coma 5.3 (compared to g Leonis). Short tail of about 10-15 arc min. The greenish hue was less distinct than yesterday. With the binos, the view was slightly less conspicuous than before (observed later in the morning). At 05.30, a plane crossed the FoV in the binos, and at the same moment, three Starlink satellites appeared - a nice spectacle at the session's end.

Thanks for reading

Stephan

Spotted the comet for the first time this morning 04h 50min CEST with the APM 16x70. Starting in the astronomical twilight from Talitha, I found the comet after a five minutes star-hop deep down in the NE. Small, but distinct; magnitude about 5.4 (fainter than Lambda Leonis (4.3 mag) close by, but brighter than HR 3804 (6.3), using the SIDGWICK approach). Narrow and short tail. Conspicuous green hue, reminding me of comet Holmes. Small, but rewarding; will try to spot it with the 8" f/4 tomorrow.

Stephan

Another vote for the Manfrotto 502 AH fluid head. I'm using it for my excellent APM MS 16x70 ED  (1.9 kg) on an ancient lightweight center crank column (very important) aluminum tripod. Perfect handling, smooth movements, safe and comfortable locking, the counterbalance system IME just  correctly  dimensioned. Panning around with it is pure joy, without flaws.

Works also fine with the ancient Wachter Gigant 14x100 (3.1 kg), not shaky.

Stephan

Was out this morning with the 8" f/4 Hofheim traveldob from 00h50m to 02h10m CEST.  Sub-average conditions (NELM 4.9; summer haze and upcoming clouds).Had a short look at Saturn, but went rapidly to some targets low in the south, before they disappeared behind the barn.  gc M2 showed with mag 133x some stars in the outer regions, but remained a bit flaw. A star hop of about ten minutes, starting from Delta Aquarii, led me to the large planetary NGC 7293, the famous Helix nebula. The disc was invisible without filters, the trusty Thousand Oaks O III revealed it readily, showing the central hole, some embedded stars and a slightly brighter N segment. The "coil" structure, easy in better nights, could not be made out. Best views were with the 12.5 mmf/82° Docter, giving 64x mag. Upcoming clouds in the S prompted me to the N skies and the never disappointing M 81/82 duo. Some dark band structures in M 82 could be made out, as well as the 10 mag galaxy 3077, visible easily with direct vision. Coddington's nebula close by remained invisible, as expected. A very warm late summer night, around 20° C, fortunately without mosquitos.

Thanks for reading

Stephan

16, including two zooms, + two barlows.

6 outdated ones (old German  Lichtenknecker brand with 31 mm barrel; only in use with the 6" f/6 Wachter EQ Newton).

Stephan

Spotted the conjunction just now with the APM 16x70 binoculars, in about 12° elevation above the local horizon, dimmed by the astronomical twilight (23.30 CEST) and the almost full moon. Still a nice view; the red planet just N of the "Heart of the Crab" asterism, a sidewards tilted "V", the tip pointing to the SW (shown in the OP's screenshot). I was able to count about two dozen stars, and got the impression of a very faint glow of more background stars. So, not the usual splendid look of the Beehive, but more of a very sparse open cluster. Nevertheless rewarding; and a good start of a sunny weekend.

Thanks for reading

Stephan

My "medium-large" setup - the 12" f/5 Hofheim Instruments traveldob  (with added counterweight) on the EQ platform, ready for observing the third-quarter moon this evening:

It's always stored in the shed at ambient temperature, so very convenient to carry out and observe within minutes. The sturdy  astro chair adds to the comfort.

Stephan

Spotted the "Miyamori Valley", unintended, yesterday evening, during revisiting the Grimaldi/Lohrmann/Riccioli/Hevelius region with the 5.1" Heritage. At 19.00 UT, the Colongitude was 71.2,  Libration in Longitude -4.1°, and Riccioli's crater rim just beginning to brighten. At 130x-150x mag, and moderate seeing, the "valley" presented as a deep black triangle, narrow based, starting from the W flank of Lohrmann and extending, tapered, to the W, with a tiny bright spot in the middle of the triangle (the valley way more distinct than shown in the photographs above, where Riccioli is fully illuminated). I'd guess, that it's an easier catch, when you try to spot it, before Riccioli gets illuminated. A nice addition to my collection of peculiar moon formations; many details can be found in the "Luna Cognita" handbook, 18-17.

Thanks for reading

Stephan

In line with most answers given, I'd go for the 10". It will show you targets that are 0.5 mag fainter, than the 8" does. Tube weight of 16 kg and base weight of 13 kg are acceptable, especially if  you observe from home and can store the dob (preferably at ambient temperature). Still transportable in a car. A lifetime scope; no need to upgrade (but to save for good eyepieces). All else you'll need will be a nice 3" to 4" grab-and-go frac and a decent pair of binoculars....

Stephan