mattjanes100

Some excellent observations but what a horrible end to the evening! Hope theres no lasting damage and you're back in the game quickly.

Fantastic image!

In these cloudy/rainy times I have been spending some time doing this course and am now about halfway through. It is quite enjoyable and gives a general overview of several topics. Although it is not necessarily teaching me much that I didn't already know, it is good to be studying in a structured format and actually producing some written submissions. The lectures are easily digestible in up to 15 min videos and are supported by multiple choice quizzes at key points, whilst some subject areas also have the written submission. The written pieces are peer reviewed - marked by others on the course rather than in a formal way. I have found this to be fine and fair if you take the time to formulate and submit a good answer. When it is time to review others, the submissions are a mixed bag and I have actually reported two users for quite obvious plagiarism. Most useful and interesting is a regular live Q&A session on youtube with Prof. Chris Impey, this has been a highlight for me to put any questions to him about the course or any other physics/astronomy interests. All in all, this is definitely worth doing as a first step for adult education and will certainly provide a baseline level of knowledge if you have not completed any other further science education, or as a platform for targeting something more advanced.

Great read! Thanks for sharing

Great to see everything posted here today. Many thanks to all that took the time to share their images across the afternoon.

Good breaks in the clouds here in Bournemouth but as I'm at work, I just chucked a small pair of binos in my laptop bag with a solar filter. Unfortunately the binos are too small to actually resolve Mercury so I'm getting intermittently good views of a golden blob and not much else! Will be living vicariously through those of you that are sharing images.

Hoping for a gap in the clouds at some point in the afternoon at least, will take some solar film and binoculars to work and sneak out for a bit of it does!

Thanks Stu, clouds here unfortunately!

Great detail, lovely work.

I'm going to give the Coursera course a go as a starter and see how it goes. Will report back!

Really like this, lovely.

The mounts look exactly the same there as far as I can tell! Is there any way to differentiate? Thanks to everyone again for the responses, all really useful and informative.

I suspect you are correct, presumably if this had a parabolic mirror it would be stated.

Photos of mine attached. Does look like Bresser do a 150/700 version which would be the same scope without integrated Barlow. Seems I have misunderstood this to be bird-jones and it is in fact catadioptic?

Thanks again everyone, some really helpful responses. From what I can tell the OTA is of decent enough quality and it seems that the package was kept low cost with the tripod, mount and eyepieces included. Will keep observing and in the mean time be saving for something of higher quality.

Thanks all for quick responses! Yes, I do already own this scope and have been using it. As suggested perhaps best to let it serve it's purpose as a 'beginner' scope and upgrade in due course. Luckily haven't had a need to collimate yet, but Robin is correct that the tripod is not of the highest quality.

So, I'm still relatively new to practical astronomy and only got around to buying my first scope in the summer. I like to research anything I buy to the tiniest detail, so much so that my wife is surprised I ever get around to buying anything. But it seems my research missed an important piece of information here, that I seem to have purchased a bird-jones scope: https://www.telescopehouse.com/bresser-reflector-pollux-6-150-1400-reflector-on-eq-2.html So far I haven't experienced any particular problems with it but have read recently that this scope design will inherently result in poor views and longer term issues. Is this something I should be particularly worried about in the short term? Likelihood is a medium term plan to get this kit on ebay and pick up a replacement from FLO.

Good stuff

Nice work Dave

Excellent report, enjoyed the read! Thanks for sharing

Excellent work Doug. Almost of equal importance, what did you have for breakfast?!

An explanation that hasn't been suggested yet, and possibly the most simple, is that this sighting is the result of an optical illusion. We know that physics won't allow the true direction change so most likely this was a 'skim' off the denser atmosphere which was viewed from an acute angle, giving the appearance of a sharp turn.

Excellent news, brilliant to have such a recognised site a short drive away!

Nicely done!

Nice to grab an opportunity, lucky to spot a gap in the clouds and rain! I will add this to my next session, intrigued by the orangeness...