Kn4fty

Great report! Love the smoke ring description! Thanks for sharing! Rob

Thanks MK. Im a firm believer that a bad night at the EP is better than a good day at work!😂

Thanks Alan! There are so many that just mesmerize me everytime I see them. Everytime there is something I didn't notice previously! Rob

Thanks for the report and the sketches. Its taken me twenty years to appreciate double star observations. Sure are some gorgeous jewels up there! Thanks again for sharing! Rob

Great report Stu! It was nice to see a wide variety of equipment in the pictures. Sounds like y'all had a great time! The eclipse wasn't visible from Kaintuck, so I appreciate the pics! Rob

I had just the opposite tonight. Beautiful clear skies until I started observing, then heavy clouds moved in. Was suppose to be clear all night.

This report is a bit late, but better late than never! On 6/29/19, we had the clearest skies in months. Ursa Major was high above the top of the house, so I decided to chase down some Messiers near it. I set up Copernicus, my 8" Newt, and checked collimation. A quick polar alignment and I was ready to go. I set the scope on Dubhe and yhen swung the scope to my first targets RA/DEC. There in the EP was M82, the Cigar Galaxy. It was just noticable. More time at the EP did help tease out a bit more detail. I decided to switch out the 26mm/38.5x EP. I stuck in the 20mm and could not achieve a sharp focus of M82 or even the stars! Well I was viewing over the house after a very hot day, but my image wasn't boiling so it had to be the atmosphere. So I switched back to the 26mm and continued. Why not? The previous view was in no way disappointing! So I viewed a bit more and sketched the beautiful little galaxy. Next I swung the scope to Bode's Nebula/ M81's RA/DEC. I searched and searched, but could not see it. I reset the scope on Dubhe, then back to M81's coordinates. Still couldn't see it after more searching. So I did what I usually do in a situation like this, I pulled up Stellarium. I studied the star pattern around M81. I swung the scope back to the coordinates then searched for the star pattern. Once I found it, I began to view patiently. After a couple minutes there it was! It was almost imperceptible and would of missed it except for averted vision. Unfortunately time at the EP didn't help bring out a better view. I made a quick sketch of what I could see. About that time a car came up the road. I turned away from the scope and the road, then covered my eyes to preserve my night vision. When I turned back to the scope, I couldnt see it any more. Oh well, time to move on. My next target was M97 the Owl Nebula. I set the scope on Merak and then dialed in M97's coordinates. I searched for it but could not see it at all. I knew I was in the right place and the stars were right, but where was it? I slipped a broad band skyglow filter on the EP and that ball of gas just popped out!!! That beautiful little ball of haze was just gorgeous to me. I couldn't see the eyes or much detail, but I was just completely taken. Unfortunately, like earlier, increasing magnification just lost what I could see. So I made a sketch and moved on. Just outside the field of view was my next target, M108 the Surfboard Galaxy. With a surface brightness after extinction of 14.13, it was very difficult to see. Averted vision would just allow me to see it. But even as difficult as it was, it was fascinating! The stars above it looked to me like the neck of a vase and the galaxy looked like it was being poured out! Even though it was my hardest view, I spent the most time on this Messier during the session. I took my time sketching and enjoying how it looked like the vase was pouring out water. It was probably the most beautiful target of the night. My last Messier for the night was M39 open cluster in Cygnus. Cygnus was almost straight over head. The open cluster was large. It was bigger than the FOV. I started making my dots for the sketch and making and making and making.... The more I stayed at the EP the more stars popped out. After this Messier, the day caught up with me and it was time for bed. Even after more than 20 years, it still blows my mind looking at these various jewels in the sky. I'll never get bored looking at them! Rob

That was an awesome sight to see! I watched it from Bowling Green KY, an hour south of me. Already planning for the 2024 which will be an hour north of me. Rob

Thanks Stu for the information. Guess it gives me a good excuse to get a binoviewer. I never knew aperture would do that, but thinking about what you said, it makes perfect sense. Rob

Thanks for the report Stu! What is the reason that one scope does better on your floaters that the other? Just curious because i deal with floaters, but haven't had them be an issue with my scopes. If its a design thing, then maybe I've been fortunate enough to avoid a scope that makes floaters noticable. Rob

Here's my 8" Newt ,Copernicus, in action.

Welcome to the forum! Im in KY. Lived in MS years ago in Pearl River Co.

A larger scope can increase the possible magnification level. It all depends on focal length and aperture. But it also is more prone to atmospheric disturbances. The turbulance in the upper atmosphere can greatly limit a large scopes level of mag. Just wait till you have the scope out in calm skies. It'll blow you away in what you can see. Rob

The big pond called Atlantic 😂😂😂😂😂

Howdy Geo from across the pond! You're taking steps into the greatest hobby ever and have joined a great forum! Plenty of friendly folks here to answer questions from general astronomy to observation techniques to astrophysics! Plenty of "branes" to pick here! Rob

Yeah, I kinda figured zoom binoculars wouldn't be any good. Thanks for the input everyone! Rob

A bad night of astronomy is better than a good day of work! Unless your job is as an astronomer. Then your job rocks! Rob

Howdy and welcome to SGL! Enjoy the forums. Lots of "branes" to pick here!

Thanks! I'll check it out!

Howdy yall! I remember years ago when zoom EPs came out and image quality was horrible! Now a days zoom EPs have advanced and a lot of folks swear by them! Has the advancement also been good for large lense (80mm and up) zoom binoculars ,or are they still no good for astronomy? Just curious on anyone's experience with them. Thanks, Rob

I understand that as i also deal with light sensitivity. I use an ND96 filter and I get some amazing views with it since I can stop squinting. Filters are a personal thing. Some like them, some dont. Also remember if you use high mag, you might be ok without the filter. Rob

Thanks! Ill check it out! Rob

Thanks for posting the report and good luck on the sky clearing up! Rob

Apollo astronaut Alan Bean spent years painting subjects from the Apollo program. If you get a chance, look on the net for his paintings. He textured the paintings using tools he used on the moon, or boot prints, or even mixed bits of foil and heat shields into the pictures. Some even have moon dust mixed with paint. The subjects show a wide range of thoughts and emotions. He was a truly talented artist. Now that he is passed on (another Apollo hero gone), many paintings are for sale. They run 5 to 6 figures each. Lithographs can be had for much less. But even just looking at them online is enjoyable and gives a little glimpse into his world! I hate to think only a few of these space pioneers are left. Rob

I never gave much thought to quasars being viewable. 🤔 I'm gonna check some out! Thanks for the info! Rob