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Autumn equinox meeting


Rusty Strings

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Well pointed out chaps, yes it is still a petrol genny, so if someone with a gerry can could bring some we'll have a whip round/use EMS funds to pay for it. Of course, if we spend all night outside then we shouldn't need it. I can bring a gas burner and a kettle for a brew if everyone could bring a mug. If we have a good supply of red torches then using the toilet without the electricity shouldn't be a problem.

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Looking forward to meeting everybody tonight, the Dob mount sounds interesting so even if there's no talk I would be interested in seeing it. Just bringing my grab and go gear tonight (127 MAK on AZ Goto)

Here's to clear skies in the Peak district tonight!!!

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Don't forget to bring a mug, and a quid for tea/coffee, and a quid for the genny fuel, if we use it.

Chocolate based biscuits may also be available! :)

I'll be at the Hurt Arms from around sevenish, and will be leaving for the CC at seven thirty. Look for a fat lad with a red "Cat" tee shirt!

If anyone gets stuck, ring me on 07970 50302.

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great night, good turn out, lots of targets viewed before my battery pack gave up again, it`s now in bin, RING NEBULA, M13, DUMBELL NEBULA, M82 although very faint, COMET forgotten name of it, a couple of double clusters, SUNFLOWER GALAXY again very faint, really good enjoyable night and great to meet some new guys.

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Thanks to everyone especially Baz for the warm welcome, It was nice to finally meet you all and have a look through your scopes, Some of the objects in the eyepiece were amazing, Looking forward to the next meet, Thanks again for a memorable evening.

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Despite loading up, driving an hour to get there, unloading, setting up, switching on and realising I'd left my specs at home and couldn't read a thing on the keypad, I nonetheless had a smashing time. Fortunately Bryn was without gear and had good eyes - so he kindly acted as my "goto" all night.

His reward of course was a good play with the Altair 115mm triplet which I think he quite enjoyed. So thanks for that Bryn - much appreciated mate :)

It was good to meet Tony, Andy, and Ron for the first time - welcome to the group lads and hope you all enjoyed your first visit.

The evening started with a bit of cloud and a haze up to around 30 degs into which the crescent moon was just descending. By 11pm it was a shame to pack and leave as it had all cleared away leaving a sparkly sky.

Jupiter got clearer and clearer as it rose higher and eventually the GRS was just discernable at around 160x mag. Philj and I had a shoot off between the 115 and his Meade 127 appo which was very interesting. Both scopes performed very closely on doubles, and he also showed me how to split a double/double. Thanks Phil, I learned quite a bit about how to view those last night. It was also amazing how the colours could be discerned between these stars - beautiful yellows and, gold and blue hues. With the larger aperture I think you just had the edge on viewing - but I trounced you on scope package price hehe!

M13 tracked really well staying dead center for over half an hour despite my extremely rough polar alignment - Bryn was impressed lol :p M45 glistened in the 35mm Panoptic and the double cluster in Perseus sat neatly either side of center of fov in it's entirety. Alberieo was delicious as usual despite the fact everyone was grovelling on the floor to view it in my eyepiece. I totally forgot you have to extend the legs with a frac on eq mounts - been using alt/az way too long lol.

I wondered round looking through other scopes - Martyn and Rob both had comet Gerald (or something) in their scopes - but keying in co-ords is way too technical for me so was happy to not see it in mine. Nice to see through Rons 150P - took me back to my first scope beginner days when I had one. You might benefit from tightening up the tripod and weighing it down a bit Ron - and a little lube on the focuser will make it an altogether more delightful experience for you :)

Noel sickened everyone by just slapping a camera on what looked like an old EQ2 and 15 mins later producing teriffic views of the Milky Way on his netbook - how on Earth does he do it for goodness sake. Nice one mate :)

Good to see you all again chaps and looking forward to the next meet at Sawley :(

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Thanks all for a great night! Really enjoyed putting 'faces to names'! Looking at Comet Gerraad was the highlight for me and checking out 'appo's'. Decided I'll keep my MAK127 as I saw nearly as much (not the comet!) as everyone else did so it's not as bad as I thought! Look forward to meeting up again soon and thanks again for a good meet!

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Sounds like you all had a good night :)

We didn't come to this meeting, I was too knackered (being hypo ruins alot for me :p ) Plus I would have to bring the kids...would liked to have looked through some of the other scopes as we are looking at buying another one....prob the skymax 127/150/180 for planets. Hopefully there will be a meet at Sawley soon.

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I ENVY you lot so much, I had to wear a suit and tie ( Which I hate) and stand in the boiling heat in a stuffy church for over 90 minutes. Then had to make idle chit chat to people I haven't seen for over 10 years.

Then had to have a rather poor meal and again talk about rubbish while all the time feeling ill and fed up.

Then again at night more idle chit chat and all the time thinking, I wish I was under the milky way at Belper :)

Glad you had a great time lads, and sorry I missed it.

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Bad luck Mick

Ive had a few nights like this over the last month or so, including missing Kelling, so it could be worse mate. There will be other occassions and yesterdays trials will be forgotten.

It was nice to see everyone again, it seems like months since last time. Oh yes it has been months:) It was nice to see some new faces as well, you realise nobody will recognise each other because we all met in the dark or by red torchlight:D

An interesting side by side comparison Kim, glad I could be pass on some tips re doubles, I can bore for England on that subject.

Thanks Noel and Rob for the coordinates of the comet, it was really nice to see that in the scope.

And thanks to Lindas Plaice in Cromford for the fish supper I picked up on the way there, that filled the gap and enabled me to carry on for a few hours. :)

Pitty I couldnt have stayed later but I was very tired from house clearing all day, running trips to the tip and charity shops gets a bit wearing.

Looking forward to the next meet

Phil

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Cheers Phil.

I would have loved to see those doubles as well, they are also a favourite subject of mine and I've observed a few in my WO GT-81 and they looked brilliant in that scope.

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Sorry I missed a good one, did not get in from numberland until 10.30pm fri put water on and blew the valve on dstairs loo !!!! after mopping up and emptying car at midnight. Was a bit unrealistic to get to meet, was still cleaning tub at 6pm which is when I needed to leave.

The dark skies of numberland were magnificent took the st 120, and wow. Milky way was so clear. Still do not know if i have seen comet geradd ! will wait and put the lx out when this clag clears!!

Hope to see you all soon!.

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Great night. Big thanks to Brantuk for letting me use his Altair (great piece of kit!) and yes I was very impressed by the alignment! Going to give that a try, its a lot faster than polar scopes etc!

Thanks to everyone, I think I managed to see more on Sat night than I did the whole of last year...Comet, Doubles, GRS, messiers x 10 (Inc M13 or as it is now know "just a blob" :)

Nice to check out some of the Dobs there, Martyns 300 flex tube is a perfect size to use and Johns homemade mount for the 200p is a work of art!

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John's mount is smooth as silk as well, it's not a trauma using it as a Dob is it John!

Just wait until we get a good, still, clear night up there, it will be amazing.

Sorry you had a rubbish weekend Mick, just a downside of family bash's I think. See how many Xmas cards you get off them, as a rule of thumb, if they can't be bothered to send card, I don't put myself out for them. It might be a bit harsh, but it saves wasting good eyepiece time!

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