IB20

There’s a ‘knot’ visible on the NEB currently. It seems to have a whiteish/lighter central point and is the outer walls of the knot are extending beyond the regular thick band. Io has just started its transit and is nicely brightened on the limb. The haze is killing the brightness making planetary detail really stand out. Possibly the first time I’m actually seeing the fuss about aperture on Jupiter!

Being a newb a few years back, I think Steve’s newsletters were the resource that taught me about averted vision and how to use binoculars to see more. I still remember the impact pointing binoculars at M42 had on my astronomy journey and I’ll be forever grateful to Steve’s passion for binocular astronomy and his newsletters. Good luck for whatever you do next and I hope the website remains live for a good few years yet.

Just chucked the 200P dob out; Io transit + shadow should be occurring about 10pm & 10:45pm. Last night’s transit was ruined by mist and clouds so here’s hoping 🤞🏼 It’s colder than Neptune out there though… 🥶

That’s great to hear. I don’t actually think I’ll use it for solar as my PST always comes out for the sunny days. My mount (AZ75) & tripod for the 4” is a two act carry out, the 5” would be no different so I’m thinking the 5” will be out when the 4” would currently. It looks so damn appealing too. The 4” may have to go to help pay for it though, I’m sure I could live with a 5” and 3” gng set-up mind.

So, er, how are owners of this fine telescope getting on with them? I’ve just seen FLO have got a Xmas sale on and I’m getting fidgety… it is nearly Xmas after all. 😬

Moon halo from Saturday night.

Does that mean Earth isn’t a planet due to all the crud in its orbit?

It’s very ethereal!

I think tonight with my conditions and a few too many at the football, II will live vicariously through other reports. Good luck all!

Have finished the night on M42 and one of my favourite doubles in Rigel. The seeing is even more pap lower down but Rigel is still such an easy split despite Rigel A being a big roiling mess. It will soon be Sirius season 🤩, can’t wait to blast another 30 odd observing hours trying to spot the pup. 😅

Uranus in all its glory 😅, no sign in any Uranian moons though. I did stumble across a very cool double in HD20682 and a false Uranus in XX Arietis too.

I didn’t know this was a thing until your post, thanks. The shadows are a little too elongated to show it as some images do but it’s a great feature.

Seems to be a dark knot in the NEB. I thought it was the GRS at first then remembered I was using a reflector. 🙃

A moon night tonight with the 200P. Seeing not fantastic but serviceable. Near the Northern limb craters Herschel, Robinson and South really standing out. South appears with a really eye catching uneven surface effect. Craters Anaximander and Carpenter are completely in shadow making a boot shape. There’s also a floating shelf from a craters edge appearing entirely detached which may be Desargues? Correction, I think this is Pythagoras! It’s nice to have a lunar session once in a while. Large swathes of cloud keep coming over though which is getting my goat!

Howling outside but clear so time for binoculars. The 15x Opticron Oregons really surprising on the moon. Don't see much CA at all for £89 bins! Some wonderful bead effects at the terminator and Mare Imbrium a real standout, all maria in fact really popping out, even naked eye. Doesn't matter how many times I view the Pleiades they always stop me in my tracks when I see them. Such a wonderful binocular target.

Yeah that’s the feeling I’m getting. The AZ75 is quite tall and feels top heavy. I wouldn’t want to hang one or two precious OTAs on it knowing there’s a risk it could potentially topple over if the tripod isn’t solid enough for the mount. Plus BB tripods look amazing and in comparison to top end CF tripods are relatively cheap!

😅😅😅 I have now!!!

I’m now thinking of going a different route. The £854 Gitzo is just too much of a gamble and I already have a Tak 3” on a light Starbase aluminium tripod that works great. I’m looking at the Uni 28 which will be rock steady I’m sure and has a bit more height than the 18 (the double clamps lose 10cm height). At 13-14kg with mount it’s not too heavy to move and I don’t have to take it far. It will comfortably handle say a 125mm StellaMira too which I might like in the future… 😈

Thanks! Did you get the 3/8” flat plate or the AZ100 plate for the tripod?

Very nice. I love my AZ75 and was thinking about thr UNI18 or UNI28. What’s it like to pick up sans OTAs? Does it weigh a tonne?

Seems there’s been plenty of solar action recently around the non-Earth facing side of the sun. Now a very large complex of sunspots looks to be rotating into view. I have poor solar access in Autumn and Winter due to its altitude being obscured by neighbouring houses but will aim for a few gaps if conditions permit.

Yeah quite breezy here but clear so out with the 8x and 15x bins. The Hyades, Pleiades and Melotte 20 looking spectacular. Transparency is good and it’s great just soaking up the thousands of stars on show. Jupiter’s moons are nicely spread and clearly visible at both magnifications. Have been thinking recently about purchasing some IS bins, nights like tonight are almost making that a certainty.

They’re ace. Very realistic. 👍🏻

Amazing to think you were capturing that detail at the same time I was trying to focus on any sort of phase with my binos. 😅

Oh don’t get me wrong, I love the image my Tak presents, particularly the colouration of the planets and star colours. When I have compared scopes the quality of the Tak has become apparent. The OP’s current triplet did sound pretty nice though when I quickly looked it up. Yet if it’s weight that is stopping them using it then getting a 100DC is easily the lightest and best 4” on the market so would recommend. The heavier DFs & DZs not so much, every kg saving helps! I know when I’m umming and ahhing about taking a scope out due to fatigue or conditions, it’s the lighter 7kg set up that goes out rather than the heavier instruments.