Geoff Barnes

Hi @Nicola Fletcher, I'm struggling to wrap my head around what you'll see in relation to my view down here in Melbourne which is sort of upside down to yours. It is great that you'll be able to see 47Tuc which is my favorite globular cluster, a really beautiful sight and more impressive than Omega Centauri which is bigger but lacks the brilliant centre of 47Tuc. The Tarantula is a great nebula and will look even better with a UHC or 0111 filter. I'm not sure you will be able to see the Carina Nebula or Southern Cross which would be a shame as both are wonderful, Carina has so much to offer with some magical clusters around it and again will be improved with a filter. It is easily the equal of the Orion Nebula if not better. Fingers crossed for clear dark skies for you, good luck! 😀

The main problem with the moon dog theory is they are reflections caused by ice platelets in high altitude clouds and would require a full or mostly full moon. The clouds in your photos are low altitude altocumulus, which in your summer would almost certainly not have ice in them, just water vapour. Add to this the moon is currently only a thinnish crescent, so I would rule out that theory.

Hi @sorrimen, are you referring to the circled object in this image?. If so it looks like the moon shining through the thin clouds to me.

Allow me to blow my trumpet if I may. A rare clear calm evening, just after sunset, not fully dark yet but Sirius shining brightly in the pale blue twylight and shortly to disappear behind the trees for another year. I quickly whipped the 12 inch Dob out of its outside cupboard onto the patio and without allowing any cool down (it's been pretty cool today anyway) I centred Sirius in the Baader zoom and did a quick star test. Slight fine tune adjustment completed and swap for higher power of a 5mm SW planetary for 300x. I was expecting to have a struggle but no, there was the Pup clear as day at 9 o'clock to the dazzling main star. A 12 inch Dob and a clear steady sky must take a lot of beating I reckon. I really must look through a decent ED frac one day for comparison. 😀

Cat-astrophic!!!

In typical Aussie style we have this penetrating oil... 🤣🤣🤣

I've replied to your other post Daniel, it will have no affect at all on your views.

Calm your anxiety Daniel, such a minor scratch will have no affect whatsoever on your views. It is amazing how dirty or scratched a mirror can be without deteriorating the views.

Great report Magnus. I'm jealous of your vantage point, I am surrounded on three sides by 200 foot tall trees!

He tells me he's fine, just taking a break from posting. Do miss his valuable knowledge on here! 🙂

A nice still early autumn evening down here and quite warm with very steady seeing, so I took great delight in the opportunity to have a first look this year at some favorite doubles. Tegmine just coming into view although a bit low in the sky, I was still able to get the triple split with the 6.5mm Morpheus, quite a challenge the tighter two so pleased to bag that one. Iota Cancri also coming into view for the first time and pretty as ever, distinct orange and pale blue coloring. Sirius B always a good test of the seeing and an easy split this time. Castor, Beta Orionis, Alnitak and Rigel all bagged comfortably, as were Trapezium E and F. I then switched to the southern sky where some old favorites are now clearing the tree tops. Top of my list to see was Omega Centauri the biggest GC in the heavens, still partially obscured by a few branches and leaves but enough to lose myself in a million stars filling the eyepiece completely. If only it had a brighter centre like 47 Tucana it would be mind boggling. The Jewel Box with its central traffic lights in Crux one of my favorites, and just nearby the Blue Planetary glowing eerily as a dim blue/grey disc. Seeing this got me to check out the Ghost of Jupiter which I hadn't seen for a long time and luckily it had just risen above the trees. Similar looking to the Blue Planetary but slightly larger if anything and still with that ghostly glow to it. Not a bad haul for one nights viewing and nice to still be able to do it in comfort and just a tee shirt, won't be able to do that for much longer! 😀

Au contraire Stu, it reminds us that you are indeed a nice and lovely chap! 😀 xxx

One of my ambitions with my 12 inch Dob. I tried a few weeks ago when it went right overhead but just couldn't get it in the FOV no matter how I tried. It does move fast when high up so I will try and get it when it is low down and seems to be moving slower next time and then keep it in view.

A warm still evening, 22 degrees at 9pm and great seeing gave the 12 inch Dob a chance to show what it can do when conditions are optimum. I always start with the Baader zoom and kept it in the whole session this time. There are not many nights when Sirius B (the pup) can be seen without any effort with direct vision but tonight was one of then, it was very conveniently positioned between the diffraction spikes and was as clear and bright as I've ever seen it at 175x. Likewise E and F in the Trapezium were easily seen directly at 175x. The 37 cluster always fun to see with the double at top right corner of the 3 nice and clear. The triple of Beta Mons cleanly split as was 32 Orionis, the first time I've looked for this tight pair this season. Finished with a quick look at a few of the southern clusters in Carina and Centaurus which are just starting to clear the tree tops at last before beating a hasty retreat from the darned mossies before I lost too much blood. All in all very satisfying session! 😀

It would have to be Venus I would think, especially being visible in daylight. Check the position of Venus at 9am on your Stellarium . The other possibility would be the ISS but that would be moving visibly over the course of a minute or two.

I find I see more satellites tracking through Orion than any other part of the sky, I don't think I've ever had a night when I didn't see at least one and usually several flash past the eyepiece.

Good grief, I know it's been a year since I last had a look at Orion but I didn't expect to be quite so rusty! Last night, determined to start by splitting Rigel I duly sent the 12 inch Dob up to around 45 degrees and tried to focus but with poorish seeing and a slightly mushy image I could not achieve the split no matter which eyepiece I tried. Thought it best to check the collimation, so before dark today I duly got everything spot on and got the scope into position on the lawn ready for darkness. Up to 45 degrees again as soon as Rigel cleared the tree tops and... drat, still no split. I was finding this odd as I have never had any trouble splitting Rigel before. Step back, away from the scope, bend down slightly behind the finder and look up. Oh dear oh dear oh dear, that's not Rigel it's pointing at, it's Beta Eridani just to the left. What a plonker! 😳 You can guess the rest, slight adjustment and there it was, a clear easy split. Just to do a lap of honour I moved slightly over to the Trapezium and rejoiced in spotting E and F. All is well with the world again! 😀

The oldest person I know that still observes? Hmmm, that would be me then! I wouldn't say I'm old exactly, but I just don't know anyone else who observes! 😂

Just had a twilight look at Jupiter in good seeing. GRS was centre stage on the SEB and a fine sight albeit a paler pink than in previous years. However, my eye was captured by what looked like two lunar shadows on the NEB equally spaced on either end forming a perfect triangle with the GRS. I checked with SkySafari and there were no shadow transits due tonight, so I am baffled as to what they were. I have seen plenty of barges and brown spots in the past but these appeared as small round black dots just like lunar shadows. I encourage all members to have a look next time the GRS is on show and see if the two black spots are there on the NEB. Intriguing! 🤔

It may be a bit off topic @John but as you have several top notch refractors and a quality 12 inch reflector I am keen to know your thoughts on the comparison of the quality of planetary/lunar views through both types. I only use my 12 inch Dob and have wonderful views through that, but have never looked through a quality ED refractor for comparison. May need a different thread for this?

Hi Gallandro, There is a forum member named John who does (or did) viewing sessions and presentations for his club around Brisbane area. You might like to contact him for info, his forum handle is @cletrac1922. He hasn't been online since 5 August however so hope he's okay. Cheers, Geoff.

Hi maxys and welcome. There is an experienced forum member called John who hails from the Gold Coast, he goes by the profile of @cletrac1922 but hasn't been online since August. Hopefully he will see this and respond to you. You will obviously need to head inland away from the bright lights of BrisVegas!

Alnitak is quite a tough challenge, mostly because of the glare from the main star (a bit like Sirius and the pup) but I do recall splitting it last year. I would probably have been using my 6.5mm Morpheus giving 275x in the 12 inch Dob, so similar to your success. I look forward to having another go in a month or so when Orion is clear of the trees. 😀

Oh my, now we're delving into the realms of fantasy. If I can manage to stay awake and keep clear skies I will be rewarded with this view... 😲 (Edit: Clouded out! 😩)

Me too. I don't understand how Pluto can't be classed as a planet when it has five of its own moons orbiting it. 🤔