cletrac1922

Rich Welcome from across the ditch, Pacific Ocean John

John Similar to this

If you ever make it down under Take you along I also speak in Indigenous Astronomy, which dates back over 40,000 years Taught to me by elders, who lived on river bank, where grew up, northern Victoria, when in primary school They also taught me to read rock art Which areas are women's business, not allowed down there, and men's business Some of the rock art also points towards permanent water holes, in arid Australia Interesting stuff John

When out doing presentations with my club, primary schools, scout groups I actually use 17mm UWA Was out last night, and Jupiter was almost over head, clear skies Was able to see bands, and moons around Jupiter Saturn was not far behind Jupiter, with Scorpio splitting both planets Rings were very clear, and able to see a couple of moons also around Saturn John

Adam Assume from your comments, us have a flex Dob Have to make sure, support rods click in, when extending Also do not over loosen the three locking nuts for extension tube, as can come out, and then loose the small spring and ball bearing inside Straight out of the box, scope should be collimated. I am out a couple of times per month with my club doing presentations in primary schools, scouts groups Very rarely have to collimate When trying to image down the tube, you will never get it perfectly centered John

John Last night was out doing Space Badge for one of my local Cubs groups I like eventually get a android tablet, and project into the screen of tablet, using a ZWO camera Occasionally have kids who are physically impaired, and not able to stand with assistance, to view through the eyepiece Last night was a beautiful viewing night Using laser, pointed out Jupiter, Saturn, Scorpio, Southern Cross One of the things kids have to do is locate South Celestial Pole using the Southern Cross Unlike northern hemisphere, with has Polaris as northern star, do not have same Southern Hemisphere 4.5 times the length of the southern cross, gives you the south celestial pole Viewed Jewel Box, Southern Cross, Omega Centauri, Jupiter and Saturn Demonstrate last night using laser pointer John

Not done any viewing this week, due to full moon this weekend Couple of nights ago, Saturn was only a postage stamp distance from the moon Jupiter was almost overhead Have a go tomorrow night, as moon will be rising later Monday night, doing presentation for cubs group, and Joey's camp for 150 kids saturday afternoon and evening During the afternoon, do solar viewing, and Saturn, Jupiter and some other DSO around Southern Cross and Scorpio John

Greg Check if has screw thread in base to take a filter From what I am reading you going to use a 6mm eyepiece Not sure what going to achieve with a higher powered eyepiece I use 17mm with mine, and rings of saturn are crystal clear Use it also on Mars, same eyepiece, with yellow filter, and able to see northern polar caps John

John Was looking at ZWO ASI 290MC You saying can use single ZWO for imaging and guide camera Was looking at getting ZWO ASI290MM Mini as a guide camera I am also out couple times per month, with my club, doing presentation in primary schools and scout groups Using the ZSO app, was also looking at projecting what viewing, using the ZWO ASI 290MC onto screen of tablet, for physically impaired students Also when public viewing nights, do have people who turn up, wheel chair bound, use the ZWO ASI 290MC that as well John

Jo There is also an App for ZWO's I am also looking at the ZWO ASI 290MC, for imaging, and the ZWO ASI290MM Mini autoguider to use with PHD2 John

John Have found that the Saxon laser collimator is a fraction undersize to a 1.25" eyepiece, and can wobble a bit Have done old fashion way, and used empty film canister, with a small hole drilled in the centre John

Our club has a PST, which have had as a loan scope for over 10 years, and not had similar issue I recently purchased Solarmax11, and very disappointed in it Not much different to the PST, except for the tuner Does not have focusing knob, instead has slide tube to focus, and a fine tune focusing ring They have also used plastic, not metal thread locking screws to secure the eyepiece The attached finderscope is almost useless due to size I use but of paper, to finderscope to align Attached pic solarmax on my EQ5 mount Prior to purchasing the Solarmax, used glass solar filter on my ED80 John

Saxon Laser Collimator does similar First align secondary to dot centre of primary Then align primary, until image on target disappears, centre of target Be sure does not move off centre when securing locking screws of primary Attached shows fitted with 2" adapter John

Carole Not sure over there, but in Australia, with Compare, they only have insurance companies, which pay them a commission for advertising We have our private health insurance, through our credit union, and they were not advertised on Compare Credit Union, also has house and contents insurance, and again not advertised on Compare Compare is not all made out to be, and only has about 25% of insurance companies out there listed on their site Pays to ring around John

Sam I use a Saxon 1.25mm Laser Collimator Do secondary first, so aligned with dot centre of primary mirror Then do primary, slightly loosening locking screws Have target of Collimator, facing down the tube, so can see I am out a couple of times per month doing presentation in primary schools, scout groups with my club, and very rarely need to re-do collimation If not transporting your Dob, then be no need to touch once set John

Bluesilver and Geoff Not sure what scouts groups you have adjacent to where you live Goldcoast/Logan region has 16 groups, and I do Space badge for Joey's and Cubs Couple of weeks ago, did a Cubs camp, at Canungra camp site, and 150 kids Saturday afternoon did solar viewing, and that night did DSO, had Jupiter as well Find attached copy of Space Badge, I put together several years ago, with help of couple of group leaders The solar system doc, print out on A3, and laminate I get group leader or a parent be the Sun Step out 2 paces for Mercury, another two paces for Venus, same for Earth, Mars four paces Get the kids to tell you next planet, and get them to hold up the poster For Space Badge, kids have to make a model of our solar system. Use them as solar system Find it very rewarding, and I also talk on Indigenous Astronomy as well, which goes back over 40,000 years Make yourself know to groups in your location, and have fun The kids want to learn John Space Badge.docx Solar System.docx

Bluesilver You tried any other DSO's You should be able to make out Jewel Box in Southern Cross as well, to verify if your scope is collimated correctly Saturn is currently rising just after sunset, and should be able to see the rings on that clearly As stated previously, I use a 17mm wideangle eyepiece, viewing Jupiter and Saturn, and can see up to 7 moons around Jupiter on occasions Never viewed from southern states I use HeavensAbove, as a guide as well, and you can also download the App The attached link is set for Goldcoast, and update your own location, prior to saying to your favourites https://www.heavens-above.com/skychart2.aspx?lat=-27.92023&lng=153.29898&loc=Oxenford&alt=0&tz=UCTm10 You should also be easily able to find Antares, withing Scorpio, as almost overhead as well Within Scorpio you have M80 and M4 adjacent to Antares, and M6 and M7, adjacent to the tail https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/scorpius-heres-your-constellation If you both make it up this way, only too happy catch up for a viewing night The attached, I took about an month ago, as leaving home, around 4-30am for work Was crescent moon, unfortunately Android phone camera, do not like poor light conditions, with conjunction of Venus and Jupiter John

David Welcome from Land Down Under You travel the universe in this forum John

With my 10" Flex Dob, I use right angle 9 X 50 finderscope Easy to use, and no laying on ground, with scope pointed higher altitudes, viewing DSO overhead When day light, pick an object in distance, and align cross hairs finderscope, with what viewing through the eyepiece The attached pic taken at recent public viewing night with my club John

Darklane Welcome from Land Down Under You travel the universe in this forum John PS Early next year, NASA is sending another Rover to Mars The attached link will enable you to register, to have your name included on the Rover, and download a Boarding Pass https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-public-to-submit-names-to-fly-aboard-next-mars-rover

Where about in Oz are you, and what is your light pollution I live Goldcoast Hinterland, and shielded from light pollution from Glitter Strip of the Goldcoast Looking north, I loose lot of objects, due to light pollution been reflected from Brisbane With my 10" Flex Dob, using 17mm wide angle which got from Sirius Optics, moons really clear Couple of years ago, was out doing grade 2 primary school presentation, with my club, and using my Dob Picked up a slight blip appear, top of Jupiter, and called out to one of the other club guys, check this out We watched a moon rise over Jupiter Kids were using mobile devices to eyepiece to image it Attached pic taken recent public viewing night, parkland adjacent to Broadwater, adjacent to Seaworld John

The attached took last night, around 7pm, of a small Bushmaster, 6yo grandson was given, pointing towards Jupiter Gives idea angle Jupiter is from where I am Also aimed at quarter moon, which was almost over head Scope is a department store variety, and came with a 4mm, 10mm 40mm eyepieces, as well 1.5 and 3 times barlow Instruction book indicated use 4mm objects closer than the moon, 10mm objects further away from the moon, 40mm over land and sea Eyepieces very cheap plastic, and 0.9" instead of standard 1.25" Have managed to focus on Jupiter, using the 3x barlow John PS Early next year, NASA is sending another Rover to Mars The attached link, will enable you to register, to have your name included on the Rover, and download a Boarding Pass Bit of a fun thing https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-public-to-submit-names-to-fly-aboard-next-mars-rover

Australia has just built an SKA, with other half in South Africa The antennas are linked together via optic fiber, and able to be linked in different combinations This project is on a huge scale What size disc's you planning to use https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/Astronomy/ASKAP-and-the-Square-Kilometre-Array/SKA John

I use Celestron 2 X Barlow with my 10" Flex Dob Also has screw thread, for filters Some of the cheaper Barlows, do not have this feature John

From where I am, can see moons very clearly Around 7pm, last night, had clear skies, and Jupiter was almost over head From other forums on here, have read that in UK, Jupiter is much closer to the horizon, hence looking through a thicker atmosphere, due to angle of viewing With respect to seeing Jupiter's moons in colour, human eye will not pick up colour of DSO. Bigger is not always better I use a 17mm wide angle eye piece, when out doing presentations in schools/scout groups with my club The 17mm gives great views of Jupiter's moons, with 7-9yo's I also have a 10" flex Dob John