Ed in UK

@PeterStudz Thanks, really appreciate it. It's on order now so hopefully here soon. Much like you I hope that it will reduce the 'Fiddling' with the scope in order to stay on target, especially at higher magnifications. Happy to gamble the £35, hopefully for the better. 🙂

Bagged a couple of Geminids last night whilst doing end of day jobs. Hopefully it'll be clear tonight, even managed to persuade the wife to join me outside tonight. Let's hope it's a good one.

Thanks guys, really appreciate your feedback.

Don't dismiss it, everything has to be discovered by someone...

I understand that tonight there was a GRS Transist this evening and tried to see it. Managed to get Jupiter in the 25mm EP (x36) all good, then onto 8mm EP (x112) then x2 Barlow on 8mm EP (x225). Felt something drop off scope into my hand, it was the retaining screw for the knob on the end of the RA flexi controller. All fixed, and clouded over. 🙄 Managed to get Jupiter again later down to 8mm with x2 Barlow. Couldn't achieve good focus but saw Jupiter much bigger than before. Clouded over by 7pm so called ita day.

Here's to a speedy recovery for you. Hope you feel better soon.

Yes I see. Thanks fort that. 👍

This is the side of my mount, where your drive motor is fitted.

This is my Mount.

Sort of ?? It fits where your flexi control is attached. Looks very similar though.

RA Single Speed Motor Drive for EQ-1 | First Light Optics I can't find the one now that shows the photos of it fitted. Basiclly it replaces the flex control on the opposite side to the large silver disc. It's secure by a screw on the mount to hold it in place.

Interesting the ones I've see attach to the opposite side where the flex cord/control attaches. I'll see if I can post a link.

Thanks Peter. Won't be using it for imaging, just making life alittle easier whilst observering. 🙂

Looking at possibly making a small investment in a RA Drive motor for my scope that fitted on a EQ1 Mount. Had a quick search and can find some single speed ones for just over £30. These are battery driven, which I'm happy with so as not to have power cables drapped on the floor for a trip hazzard. Any feed back from anyone is welcome please. Single speed OK ? I did notice there are some with multispeed drives for double the price worth looking at or not ? It would be nice not to keep manually moving the scope especially at higher magnifications. Any drawbacks with using them. I'm assuming RA can still be adjusted manually with motor switched off. TIA Ed

Wow that's a handy little link. Thanks for posting.

Just keep practising and follow the useful guidnace and advice others are posting. I read loads about moon & shadow transists on Jupiter, GRS transits, details on/in storm belts, barges and festoons....... but I'm still yet to seen any details as good as this. For me I'm still practsing myself but one day we'll both get there. Imagine the satisfaction you'll have after that session. 🙂

Nice report, thanks for posting. I recall my first siting (and only) of M1, it was an a blob of blackness that wasn't quite as black as the surrounding space...... Just like you could really only make it out with averted vision. Going to start on my Messier List soon, thanks for the inspiration 😁.

If I recall my first observation of Jupiter through my scope, all I saw was a small pale creamy disc. The moons stood out very clearly. Ocassionaly the disc would show two very feint redish lines across the disc before the disappeared again. I had seen the banding but didn't realise it at first. It's like any other skill, it takes time to develop, keep practising and eventually more detail will emerge. Keep looking and watching as your eye slowly adjusts you'll start to see more. Good luck and post again if you need more help.

Thanks Mr Spock.

Thanks Mr Spock. I'll have a Google 🧐

Thanks John, I'll have a look at that tonight.

Does anyone use this software to look at targets on the moon before observing ??? I've just downloaded it and had a little play with it and it seems quite good. Would be interested to hear what experience others have had with it. At least It gives me a chance of finding and knowing what I'm looking when I look at the moon. Here's a link to it: https://www.ap-i.net/avl/en/start

And Santa's coming soon 😉 Hope that you've been good.....🤣😂🤣

Just got back in from doing my evening outdoor jobs. Whilst Outside at 5:30pm I saw the Starlink Satellite train go across the sky. I'm assuming that I must have missed a few but it seemed to be broken into two line. First line had 6 satellites and then 11 in the second. Last time I saw it here in Lincolnshire it was one continous line. Some hazy high level cloud around but much better than other nights of recent. Pity my scope is buried behind a load of boxes as a result of having a new kitchen fitted...🫤🙄🙄😒

About 10:15pm I had a look at the Aurora App which had gone to yellow/amber , so just out of curiosity I took a peak out side to find a large break in the clouds. Nothing seen for the Aurora (checked with a quick photo of the sky) but Jupiter was visable along with Orion's Belt. Anything with a magnitude greater than +2 wasn't visible. Moon was out but it all looked pretty hazy but decided to give it ago. Scope out and onto Jupiter by 10:30pm. Practised focusing on the planet to try and see more detail. I got down to my 8mm (x112) but it was all starting to go a bit hazy in the EP. I'm assuming this was due more to the cloud than my inexperience. I did notice that Io seemed to slowly disappear behind Jupiter, so I'm guessing that I saw my first Occulation of a Galilean Moon ???. Stand to be corrected on that one. All in all a surprising and unexpected interesting 40 mins at the eyepiece 🙂.