Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

SIDO

Members
  • Posts

    890
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by SIDO

  1. SIDO

    Earth's Moon

    Nice shot, things are coming along then...alot of patients required in this hobby even if you just doing visual ?
  2. Power trip job for a light pollution disliker like myself, very cool there are places on this sphere that regulate for our cause ?
  3. Need to get some wheels on my dob and get it to the garage, man I miss it...

    1. Alan White

      Alan White

      Why, does it need an oil change? ?

  4. Perpetual cloud and rain for 5 days and another 5 to go, stormy 2018 it was...is.

  5. 4300 megaparsecs, 81,700x1,000000 > 8.17e10 trillion miles...Wow.

  6. I am a bit stuck in the driveway now and my observing site is what most would consider a dark site but as good as this is years ago I would travel to darker sites which were only slightly darker as sites go and driving around in my car with a trunk load of gear for miles to be out in the stix and afield so to speak made everything seem darker than I think it may have been so back then for me a dark site was a place to go and gamble on the transparency, thermals, bugs, fog and cloud while acting seemingly like I was on holiday and at least knowing that the destination was dark and an awesome start to achieve the game changer needed to succeed a higher level of observation than I could have if I just stayed home and observed from there...but boy what a great and wonderful experience it was and truly some great adventures were logged. Just wanted to get that out there before moving on to answer the question or at least give my answer to it. I think when one first implies "Dark Site" he or she has concluded that ones current site is not dark enough and a dark site to this individual is any site darker than the current site and at least that much darker so to exceed observations at ones current site making it worth the extra effort and expense not to mention the time. For me there has never been any guarantee the Milky Way would even be visible as transparency varies even at a dark site as does thermal energy transfer, high thin cloud and fog so for me a dark site is just that, a place to go that is darker than my current site, a place where if the variables wind up in my favor the trip is made worthy, a good dark place to throw the dice and hope for the best.
  7. Taking for ganite the assumption of difficulty and jumping right in I found success once again....

  8. Best skies all summer this last week, I am so indulging myself it's just awesome ?

  9. Just sitting watching Saturn & the Moon slice stars all around and the MilkyWay overhead. Sweet spot...indeed.

  10. Wow what a change in plans last night after a clear forecast turns to bad transparency and a soaking dew, I quickly tossed the Touptek and HP laptop in the house and came up with an alternative megshift plan. Seeing was limited to about mag 9 so in saving face as my daughter had arrieved and she was looking forward we went on an open cluster marathon starting with C28 then moving to the Double Cluster and down to the Heart and Soul to begin our journey from 20° NE and followed the Milkyway SW hitting every available open cluster along the way with the Spiral the Sailboat and many others as we easily hopped our way to the zenith and beyond at wich time the wet had overcome the observations and the cloud moved overhead but all this not before our cluster marathon had bagged over 40 beautiful and worthwhile objects with my daughter left amazed by what can be achieved under such horrid sky conditions. What an awesome session and to have company for the experience was an added bonus. Love it...

    1. Knighty2112

      Knighty2112

      Well done. A very nice haul indeed! :) 

  11. Clear finally! Set the gear up at 2pm, get to test my new eaa rig again tonight... Excited? Yea ?

    1. Knighty2112

      Knighty2112

      Hope all goes well for you! ??

    2. SIDO

      SIDO

      Thanks, if you seen my next status update you will know it went very well, not exactly according to plan but had an awesome session. The sky is a nice dark blue today and a cool clear forecast is predicted so round 2 may be in the works ?

  12. 50° and clear forecasted, chasing the terminator tonight. Maybe take some snaps ?

  13. I was a telecommunications engineer for a couple decades and almost got into amateur radio a couple of times, still a shortwave radio fan and these off the grid communications networks are important backup systems for society and those who take part indeed provide a service to the rest of us I do hope we never need. The goal of ISS with a low amplitude signal is a lofty one, best of luck...Kn4fty
  14. Awesome skies here last night, definitely refreshed ?

  15. Another promised clear night turned into a foggy fogfest, just getting the moon and planets before the clockwork midnight fog rolls in and soaks my optimism. Better nights ahead I hope ?

     

  16. Just completed an ultralight friction fit waterproof paperboard dew/light shield for My Z200, black flooring underlayment, 2" stickon velcro, 2" stickon felt and a Razer knife...One more to go ?

    IMG_20180816_035006_1-01.jpeg

  17. Next forecasted clear night here in Wisconsin is Saturday, I have a flocking job on my old C150-HD Newtonian to complete as well a dew shield for the scope. By then the moonlight will be creeping back in to be seen. 

  18. Just read this very interesting space weather article from phys.org

    https://phys.org/news/2018-08-historic-space-weather.amp

  19. Awesome paint/scope refurb, looking fantastic.
  20. Last night I bagged 9 of the brighter Perseids, M31, M32, M110, Saturn, Mars transparency about a 6 so not much worth going after but it was worth getting to be outside all night, My favorite part. Andromeda and it's companions were quite detailed though for the seeing dust lanes just hinting, maybe some colour to be seen this year I hope. Tonight is my final attempt at the Perseids ?

    1. Knighty2112

      Knighty2112

      Well done. Next time also see if you can see the small Galaxy Mirach’s ghost close to Mirach. Quite easy to see (although small) when the seeing and transparency are good. :) 

      135B4F84-ED5D-44DC-8558-9D15D2CA4999.thumb.png.ca563ed3427b27e66fabd15deb7ec5a8.png

    2. SIDO

      SIDO

      Thanks Knighty, I will have a look...maybe tonight. The seeing seems to be improving and the dob will be set out shortly. I have been cutting across the grain the last few nights, bound to hit it sooner or later I think ?

  21. Third try for the Perseids tonight, Comet 21p and the last night I'll attempt Jupiter as too much atmosphere has come between us. All this and more if the midnight fog that has been the last two nights does not roll in. High pressure systems usually this time of year have better returns and getting night fog before September here in Wisconsin is odd in itself. Optimism slightly fading ?

  22. Finally, clear sky's after 8 days of cloud and rain, a whole lot of catching up to do ?

    1. Knighty2112

      Knighty2112

      Hip Hip Hooray! :) 

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.