GordonD

Excellent sketches - remarkable detail. Sounds like a great session.

Despite the jet stream forecast thought I would get the refractor out as it was initially clear. Jupiter was better than expected. High cloud started building though, so turned to Mars which was still clear. And lo and behold with a bit of patience it looked really good. Settled down enough to show the polar cap with a dark ring around it, and grey areas against the Martian ochre with clear shark tooth shape extending northwards. One thing that might be my imagination and was probably an artifact of the seeing but I thought I could see a white area rather like a small less distinct polar cap on the Western(?) limb right at the edge about equator level. Probably nothing but just putting it out there in case any one else sees it. After maybe 45 minutes the high cloud had thickened enough to make it not worthwhile continuing. But fun while it lasted.

Nice sketch and well done for catching the transit. Reading round it seems many people tried for it but not many succeeded.

Just come in from 90 minutes with the dob. Cold now, obviously! Mars a little smeary but still showing the polar cap with what looks like a dark ring around it and distinct grey shapes in the other hemisphere. Jupiter showing a blue grey streak on the Southern (?) belt and maybe some white spots on the same belt. Also spent quite a while just enjoying the Orion nebula at lots of different magnifications - never grow tired of that.

Amazing detail - great images.

All in one night? Wow. Lovely images.

Terrific animation. So much detail.

That has great contrast and detail - brilliant.

Wonderful images. The Aurora is brilliantly captured.

Tried for the transit as well, also the ED120 which usually manages the seeing very well, but, like others, Saturn was just a mush. Even when the scope settled briefly from being wobbled by the wind despite being in the shelter of the house. Ah well .. Have given up for the evening which is shame as it is actually clear!

Great sketch.

12" out and cooled during the evening meal, ready for an hour watching Jupiter with the transit showing a sharp shadow when the air steadied and then the moon becoming clear as it approached the darker limb. I love watching how quickly the view changes as the moon moves off the limb. Celestial clockwork.

My goodness that will be a heck of a bargain if it lives up to the specification. Just in time for Christmas. Hmm ......

Lovely report. Sounds like you had a very successful night. But I, like the others, am shivering just thinking about temperatures like that and I admire your persistence.

They do have a fabulous reputation. so quite envious. Roger Vine rated them as the pretty much the bet you can get http://www.scopeviews.co.uk/Swaro8x42NLPure.htm

Spent an hour out under what have been very rare recently - dark clear skies. Air was steady so views of Saturn and Jupiter were splendid in the 120ED with Bino viewers. Unfortunately also very damp and a little misty and the lens dewed up something rotten. I do have dew bands but they are a bit of a pain so I had not put them on. To be honest I was cold anyway. But great views for a while so very happy.

Lovely report.

It has been a beautiful sunny afternoon here so had high hopes but is now completely clouded out with murky kind of cloud that is unlikely to be going anywhere soon. Darn. I was looking forward to giving this a try never having seen a transit on Saturn before.

Looks great. Well done.

Wow that's great well done! I dream of actually seeing that much detail. One day.

Not far away from you John but different seeing. It was very poor earlier and now just not very good. But a bit of patience and I could watch Europa moving on to the disk and the shadow showing occasionally. Well worth a look though. Just fun to be out after so much recent cloud cover.

A couple of hours out this evening. What a relief to actually be able to see the night sky. Feels like the first time in ages. Lots of detail and quite reasonable seeing for me with the 120ED + Binoviewers on the moon, a crisp Saturn and pretty detailed Jupiter. Lovely!

Oh my, that's a beauty. Love it.

Good view in binoculars this evening - not naked eye though. In the refractor the nucleus and surrounding coma were clear and well defined. But I think the wide field of view in binoculars sets if off better and the tail goes further. It disappeared into increasing murk after a little while.

Managed to catch it with binos when the clouds cleared briefly this evening just after 7. Not visible to the naked eye as the sky was still too bright. Got the refractor out and just got it on the comet and ..... yep clouded out. Ah well, hopefully it will stay bright enough as it continues to rise to get another chance.