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First report, new targets founds! :)

kenmyers

By kenmyers
in Observing - Discussion

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kenmyers

kenmyers

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start time 02:05 end time 03:00

1979 Tasco 114mm F/7.8 Newt Reflector

wooden legged tripod cast iron EQ mount

made in Japan

eyepieces SR4mm, H6mm H12.5mm H20mm, K25mm, x2Barlow

clear skies with light hazey fog clouds highlighted to the south by the 3/4 moon. Brightest constellation stars visible. no milkyway. pretty bad seeing due to moon but first clear night for me this year.

Purpose:

I came out purely for testing an eyepiece sent to me by a generous and kind SGL member. My target is MARS. I have my eq set up as a alt az.

target 1

I see mars in my finder next to spica southwest of leo. through my new eyepuece it is pin sharp red dot and framed well. I switch to 12.5mm, it is clearly a disc with a bright spot in my fov southeast. The 6mm is blurry and reflections kill my view, 4mm is ok, no, its good. Dark spot northwest and brightspot in southeast has a dark band surrounfing it. I also see a MOON! I didnt believe my eyes at first... has anyone else seen this? It was definately a moon north and east. Was it phobos or deimos?

cohld never quite get perfect focus as seeing was misted by moonlight.

target 2

moon 02:20.

east directly of mars. terminator on westnorth. 3/4

20mm used to locate, it looks splendid, crisp and clear and FILLS the eyepiece with light.

switch to new Kelner 25mm.

it really improves my fov with the moon nicely framed by the dark sky. crystal clear still. me and my girlfriend spend the next 20 mins in awe using all my eyepieces and combos with barlow. fabulous. really impressed with new eyepiece... THANKYOU!

target 3

SATURN!

02:43

saturn is south about two fists at arms length above the horizon. a misty haze but saturn and spica are bright.

I start to pack up the eyepieces on demand from the missus when I remembered a star chart showing saturn south and west of mars... I quickly scan with my eyes and see a bright yellowish star west of spica.

Excited I rebel against her commands and set up again and go straight to it with my finder and using the 25mm I focus in... wow... a star with a ring.. albeit a tiny dot and ring but wide and sharp.

20mm with x2 barlow. saturn fills a 10th of my fov. sharp, can see ring going around the back of the planet. it looks 3D.

6mm difficult to focus but possible. fills 8th fov.

4mm fills 6th of my fov. good focus but little play, I got lucky. Cannot see cassini division. possibly one moon to the east of my fov and a lot higher up in my fov than saturn with averted vision.

I found you at last and you are wonderfull.

My first EVER report.

I sleep a happy man.

crossed off:

mars, martian moon, moon, saturn, saturnian moon.

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kenmyers

kenmyers

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Hi Ken, nice to read you had some fine sights. :icon_scratch:

Regarding Mars..I think it was a star you observed, HIP 56618..according to Stellarium both Phobos and Deimos are tiny and faint.

Again, if you check with Stellarium it will give some idea as to their actual size and magnitude.

Hi, I can't use stellarium yet as I am at work but will double check tonight.

I do believe it was definately a martian moon. Extremely feint but definately can see it and it was moving WITH mars against the background. I have updated my sig with my new spottings but if I turn out to be wrong I will cross it off and have fun checking it out another time.

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kenmyers

kenmyers

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I would make a guess at one diameter from mars! I didnt think to look further. I didnt even think I would see a martian moon.

It was a spectacular sight was it not!?

edit bad englandish.

edit 2. englandish fixability

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kenmyers

kenmyers

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Correction to my previous post - I should have said <SOUTH east>. I'd forgotten it was inverted !

Oh yes!

I have just been persuaded in another post called 'Mars's moon' that it was a star.

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/170466-mars-moon.html#post2101246

I am certain it was a moon, now I am sure.

I always forget about the upside down thing... my report may be inaccurate now as I don't know if south was south or north... depending on if I was looking with my eyes or through the scope when I was taking notes!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Spica

Spica

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Oh yes!

I have just been persuaded in another post called 'Mars's moon' that it was a star.

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/170466-mars-moon.html#post2101246

I am certain it was a moon, now I am sure.

I always forget about the upside down thing... my report may be inaccurate now as I don't know if south was south or north... depending on if I was looking with my eyes or through the scope when I was taking notes!!!

Hate to possibly ruin yr happiness :icon_salut::evil:

Too me, it does sound a bit hesitant as well, espcially if you used that 4,5" and the moon was 3/4 full. I believe it's hard, for not saying impossible, to reach mag. 13 under those light-pollution circumstances with a relatively small aperture. Also having bright Mars in the same FOV screws up a whole lot too. Have read P & D may be seen @ 11.5-12.5, and that would be hard too I guess with that moon lurking in the sky.

When it comes to moving objects in the EP, I have myself noticed when looking for known asteroids, that I sometimes imagine dots to move over an hour or two, just because I "expect it to".

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Double Kick Drum

Double Kick Drum

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If it is any consolation there should be at least three more Saturnian moons within your grasp; Tethys, Dione and Rhea all of which can be as bright as mag. 10.

So long as the sky isn't too poor, these should be possible.

Iapetus is also theoretically possible with your scope, although feinter and much farther away from Saturn.

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