Well, it's pretty chilly out there

[JamesF]

but it makes a very pleasant change to have the opportunity to get out and use a scope.

The seeing was distinctly average, to be honest -- some light high-level cloud still drifting about I think, but as I've not had a chance to do any imaging for about six months I thought I'd make the best of it and get some practice in on Jupiter with the Mak and SPC900. It's been so long I'd almost forgotten how to use the software.

Also tried out my new Bahtinov mask for the same scope, which was great for visual focusing, but not so easy to use with the webcam, especially when combined with a 2x barlow. It was hard to find a bright enough star to get any kind of diffraction pattern.

I also discovered that there's some play in the 127's focusing mechanism, meaning that if I, say, turn the focusing knob a quarter of a turn past the focus point, then to get back to focus it may be necessary to turn the knob three eighths of a turn in the opposite direction. Not sure there's any fix for that but to fit a separate focuser to the back and leave the mirror where it is, but I'll think about that once I have the obsy sorted as the Mak might become a visual-only scope at that point and finding the focus point will become less awkward.

James

[John]

I had some nice views of Jupiter earlier this evening James but then it clouded over for a couple of hours so I packed the scope away. It's not too bad again now but I'm too knackered to go back out !.

[JamesF]

Yes, I was in danger of falling asleep at the scope by the time I came in, so I'm not feeling particularly sharp this morning

I compounded the problem after posting the original message by realising that Mars had just risen and so grabbed the ST120 to go and have a look. It was still very low in the sky and there was a fair bit of cloud on the eastern horizon, but I did at least manage to see it briefly. Not the most impressive way to finish "collecting the set", but hopefully the views will be better as it gets higher in the sky and I can spend more time on it then.

James

[Ivor Scope]

I'm on my 6th night of cloud: it's good to know the universe is still out there.

[cotterless45]

Yep, think we've been moved to Venus.