Marvin Jenkins

Plato A still looks like a ginger bread star (keeping it in the Christmas spirit)

Amazing accuracy, takes my breath away. I have noticed one curious thing that has me puzzled. Where in the hi res picture is Plato A? There is clearly something there but it looks like a low lying mountain. There seems to be no crater structure at all and it it clearly shown on the LAC chart along with what looks like a fault line like rupes rector. M

Don’t want to get anyone’s backs up as I have replied to a thread about cone error on an EQ6 mount in the not to distant past that needed moderator imput, in this section. My question is, that this thread is posted in the beginners section. I realise that the heading getting started with equipment help and advice applies to dan-adi’s question. The level of technical know how and mention of observatory doesn’t seem in keeping with ‘beginner’ I may be wrong, but it seems to sit more comfortably in the equipment section about mounts. I was a beginner two years ago and most of this thread I do not understand now. Heaven only knows what a beginner/new member of this forum must think. I may be wrong but I am happy to take opinion. Marvin

Thank you Maniek, for starting this thread. Many links and invaluable tit bits of info. If it is clear I am going to get up early tomorrow and do a Lunar excursion off the back of all this. Marv

I have dreamed of a wall big enough to paste them on in there entirety. Then it was pointed out to me that I could take my scope outside and look at the real thing, feel like such a fool. M

Wonderfull. I have the charts saved but couldn’t find the link. Are they the same as the final image or just similar in colour and rendition?

Sorry can’t find the link but I will try to attach some of the charts. They are marked 1967. Perhaps someone else on here knows there origine, sorry I just can’t remember here source. That is the first two of many, but if the source is not found I would be happy to wipe up my up load limit. Marv

That last image in the line of pictures reminds me of something I have on file. It may not be the same but I found a set of images from early lunar reconnaissance orbiters before Apollo. I will try to find to find the link and back to everyone, as they are amazing. M

Really good to have you here. Don’t worry too much about equipment right now. Enjoy any clear nights you have and learn the sky if you haven’t done that already. Marv

Thank you for coming back to me. Obviously everyone’s conditions are different and my cloud cover was way thinner and white. I think the end result was the same, as there appears to be a large light halo around the moon then bands. My visual literally had a circular rainbow around the outside of the halo. Colour at night is always a bit of a supprise. Thanks again for replying Marvin

Living in rural France means great wine and food, clean air and very little light pollution, heaven obviously? The downside is there are no shops and the nearest town is 30 minutes drive away, hence no light pollution. The trouble is finding equipment. Live in the middle of nowhere and have access to nothing. Hopefully I will find a lense, point it to the sky, and post it on here. My problem right now is that the stock 18-55 set to manual focus has so little movement it is useless for nighttime work. M

Thank you for the info, most kind. Funny how we all seem to have a love hate relationship with the moon. I thought the picture was quite sharp, but I do know what you mean as I have posted a couple of pics and they appear way worse on here than my pc screen. I recently looked at Samyang lenses on the web, but that is a discussion for a different part of this forum. I am however going to try and find a manual focus, wide angle, prime lense from back in the day to fit my Nikon D3100 whilst in London. If successful I will post any results on here. Cheers Beulah. M

Daz you have to do it. For all of us that have not, cannot or would love the idea. Put your build on here, I would like to see it as next year I have plans for a chicken house obsy. ROR Obsy that looks like a chicken house with out door run that is actually the structure the roof rolls onto. Never know I might get some hens just to make it look authentic. Marv

Sorry to say I will be in central London for the Ursids, what a shame. Will be visiting the meteorite room at the natural history museum. Got to say, not just a great picture because of the streak, but a great wide field milky way. Any info on exposure duration ISO etc ? Marv

Did you manage to find those pics? It’s imbedded in my memory, but you know how it is, you sometimes think ‘did I really see that” M

I have taken notice of your determination over the past months, possibly year. I am in awe of your dedication. Sometimes, look up for meteors and wonder if I am the only one, right there, right at that time. Then I find myself saying out loud, “maw lod qan”. If it wasn’t for the time difference we could be looking at the same thing. The skies cleared (shock) last night at 1am. Saw an amazing meteor, burning orange from east to west and a further four small streaks in the minutes that followed. I am going to say that I am a witness to the Geminids. Keep it up everyone. Absolute meteor nut right here. Beulah. Great photo, sums up all the effort well done. Marv

The weather out there! I’m definitely going to miss it.

I am a little confused by your post as you seem to be coming from the opposite direction of most people who ask this question. If you have already been imaging using your scope and creating photos then I have to assume you have a working knowledge of the night sky. Imaging is a challenging and technical subject. As for visual, I would say remove any flatterers or photo related gear, pop in a wide field eye piece and look through it with your eye. As you already have knowledge of the night sky you should be able to see star clusters, plan nebs, galaxies but probably not that much of the pure nebulas. Marvin

JOC. I get your message entirely, well said. Perhaps I was too strong in my opinions and voicing them. If so my apologies. In a more measured way I was trying to say that the challenges can sometimes seem like an arms race. And if an SGL’r doesn’t have a bunch of post processing software and the knowledge to use it, it can seem pointless to enter the challenges. After reading my post I want to apologise to Grant. You seem to have enough on your plate without someone (me) deciding on a unilateral boycott. I have looked through the mirror the other way and decided to enter any future challenge if I can meet the criteria. It was pointed out to me that perhaps that is how the winners got their mugs. Yeh.... my wife was right. “Stop moaning and do something about it” M

Ahh nice one, they go by far worse language in my house. Heavens know why, they keep the monsters from our doors. Might be a legacy of family stories, due to the fact that my grandfather may have worked for the Richardson’s. Could just be a healthy distrust of authority. Got to keep free thinking alive. Can you imagine what Galileo must have lived through? Let alone Copernicus?

Thank you if you could that would be great. I did think about running back to the house and grabbing the tripod and DSLR but the clouds were moving quick so I knew it was just that moment in time. like a night time circular rainbow round the moon, a first for me, but I have only been at this two years so I thought I would ask the question.

Just working out who is who. Who is plod? Unless I am missing something they are are not part of this thread. I assume that Paul is Paul M, but I am still confused.

Good stuff, I hope you see a few in your lunch break. As for the question? Perhaps but the chances are that the moon and exposure rates for lunar photography just wouldn’t pick it up. Bit like trying to photograph Mercury, much better in transit or by orbiter, I would imagine it is possible with a sizeable bolide, but when does that come along and crossing the moon!!! not to mention at night in the northern hemisphere. perhaps it should be one of the SGL challenges. Could run longer than time itself. Marv

If the skies are clear you can count me in. I will stand in the freezing cold for a meteor shower no matter what. Sort of an unofficial club for night sky lunatics that don’t even need scopes. Could get you arrested for loitering in some places. Try using astronomy as your defence in court and see how far it gets you. Those binoculars will add five to your sentence. M

As a leveller the persons own back yard might Snowdonia and yours inner London, hardly a level playing field. I know there is no such thing, but I feel that software for the beginner is exclusive not inclusive.