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Ships and Stars

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Ships and Stars last won the day on March 10 2022

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  1. I don't think I've seen 3357, I looked back through some notes and I've spent a fair bit of time on galaxies in Leo, so well done! I know what you mean by blinking it into view, hoping someday night vision becomes more affordable, wanting to give that a go, but on the other hand, nothing really replaces seeing something just with the naked eye, some lenses and mirrors. I'd never be able to see so many objects without GOTO, it's a little off sometimes, but I'll use Periodic Error Correction in the Synscan menu to fine tune an area. I think DSC sounds a bit more accurate and probably easier to use in many ways than the Synscan, but it's still a real timesaver. Something over a billion light years away must be worth a look!
  2. Thank you! I get in a bit of a rut, not going out, but then I have a great night and it makes it all worthwhile. Yes sir it did! Got mildly told off for a bit of surface rust on the discs, but it's been sitting a lot lately. One less thing to worry about for awhile
  3. Great report, M51 is wonderful when conditions play along. 14.2 mag is getting seriously faint in my book, and will have to try for a quasar sometime, have never seen one!
  4. Sounds like an excellent evening and quite a few galaxies to boot. Always a relief when the weather plays along. Hopefully I'll get out one more time before I lose astronomical darkness until the autumn, but will be close.
  5. I've sussed the HH with a 12" dob from just under 21sqm, but wasn't much to see. With the 20" on my best nights under 21.80+ it's right there, but detail can be elusive as my vision goes in and out. My goal this past winter was with 20/40x100 bins with Hb on one side and TV nebustar filter on the other. Couldn't do it, under 20.9-21.2, but was close. 21.80+? Very possible. I reckon an 8" dob or 6" refractor could do it with the right conditions. A lot is up to you being completely dark adapted, no LEDs, no phone screens, no nothing for a good long while beforehand. The hoods help a lot with this if there are any lights in the distance. I generally find the flame best without any filter, and I tried astronomik Hb and OIIIs a lot. Was really surprised at that, but that's what I saw. Didn't try UHC. Seeing the HH or the Flame repeated times under great conditions with a larger scope (I know, I know! Easier said than done) helps a shedload with trying to see it with a smaller scope or under brighter conditions.
  6. Filtered binoculars were a revelation for me. My first views of the North America nebula and Pelican were unforgettable. TV nebustar on one side and UHC on the other. The Helios Apollo bins and a few others have filter threads.
  7. Great haul and variety of targets Stu, I saw the Whale and Cocoon for the first time recently, they were wonderful! I'll have to try my hand at some doubles next time conditions are right (read: if I collimated correctly!)
  8. Excellent! I'd love to see some of the sights in the southern skies... someday!
  9. Thank you @Whistlin Bob ! I was in a terrible rut with the astronomy and other things this winter as there have been seemingly endless family issues, but last weekend made all that disappear. I'm thrilled I finally got out for a bit. Hi Mark @mdstuart - I meant to say thanks very much for the post on the Webb Deep-Sky Society - I was looking at their galaxy of the month posts and several of those made my list. I'll have to join the society. I admire your passion for galaxies - I'm inclined the same way, they fascinate me, even the faintest glimpse of some distant galaxy millions of light years away is something that never gets old. 👍 Thanks @estwing I'd love to - I'll have a look and see what's cooking. My work schedule is all over the place, but surely I can plan something that far in advance Cheers!
  10. Indeed, more clear skies needed! I actually messed about with stellarium today and realised how many galaxies are actually on there...still blows my mind how something so small and faint in the scope is actually many, many light years across in reality. Incredible.
  11. Thanks Iain! Glad to be back in the saddle, so to speak. Was a bit depressing seeing the scope sitting in the corner of the room all winter! Thanks Gordon! I'll make a list of targets on a sheet of A4 and tick them off using shorthand notation in regards to brightness, initial impressions, other galaxies in the field of view, etc. I can use the synscan controller's red backlight keypad (very dim) to read my paper as I go along the list. This is something I just started doing but should have done it ages ago as I've already seen quite a few of the brighter ones in Leo. Thank you! I did get through quite a few, but was actually able to spend a little time seeing what detail I could squeeze from them. I wear a lot of wool and down to stay warm, but my secret weapon is a small van with an overnight diesel heater which will run quietly on low and keep the van about 12-15C inside for a quick coffee and glance at the star charts. But moving around a lot when viewing, so that helps too - and no windchill to speak of except Sat night was breezy. A great weekend I will remember for a long time! Thanks Kon, believe it or not, I've only scratched the surface of the galaxies within our visual reach - you're probably familiar with Stellarium desktop, have a look on their if you adjust the slider for hints and labels for galaxies, it's bonkers! Many are very faint but a lot are accessible to us with a range of scopes. I've even seen M51 and M101 with 15x70 binoculars, but not in any detail. My 12" dob does a great job as well for a fraction of the price of the 500p, but the 20" rules the roost for galaxies, no doubt. Just need to add night vision for some EEVA now, after that lottery win
  12. Glad the mob got out! My van was out of mot for a month so couldn't take the big dob out. Skies same here, seemed to be high hazy cloud, but the galaxies were still showing, so full steam ahead! I'll have to try and catch up with the mob sometime! I worked down near Galloway Forest Park a few years back and the night skies were brilliant!
  13. Thanks Gerry, I really went for it since I've barely used the scope lately. No way I can see something 18+mag, I wish! A typo in Stellarium, unless I misread it. Stellarium is crashing today, quite a few bugs unless my PC is getting tired... My alignment seemed ok for HCG 55 compared to the other objects I could find. Might have been some high cloud or haze passing through, but I was probably using the 20mm and needed more mag anyway. The 13mm seems great for finding smaller galaxies, then once I'm on it and it warrants a closer look, out comes the 10mm BCO which has really grown on me. Excellent optics and excellent value. I will try for HCG 55 again around next new moon if the weather plays along, fingers crossed! I'm tempted to try some short 6 or 8 second subs in the 500p with my DSLR to tease out more detail. I tried this a few years back with great results - not works of art, but good all-round reference photos of some galaxies too faint for me to view. A really good weekend though, feel much more motivated to read and push onwards for more objects and improve my viewing skills.
  14. Thanks Joe! It was a little hazy, conditions have to be very good for the really faint ones. I feel like I've pushed the limits of the 20" near what my eyes are capable of. I took some photos a few years back with a DSLR and stacked 8" exposures of some really faint galaxies in Hercules. The results were quite good, but time consuming. I feel like I will need to use night vision/EEVA or astrophotography, even short subs from a GOTO alt/az mount like the 500p to get much more, but quite happy with the scope! Thank you! It's frustrating to have a decent scope and not be able to use it, so quite happy to really put in some hours lately.
  15. Thanks Jeremy! Making up for lost time. First time this winter I've used the 500p and only twice last winter. The undersuit is actually trim fitting, I have insulated coveralls which are a lot bulkier and probably not as warm. The down parka is light as well. Good movement and large pockets for eyepieces. Better too many layers than not enough
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