Saturn; pushing the limit.

[cotterless45]

Last night was cracking. In the 10" Lightbridge had superb views at x240, then Barlowed up to x480, using a 5mm Bst Explorer.(Collimated and checked with a Barlow and laser).

This gave about 12 seconds of view, enough time to focus, lock and renudge.It was good to see it's huge mass and moons ambling past.

At x240 the rings were well divided with a darker area to the inner. The surface was loosely banded with markings up to the pole.

I've never seen such clarity and spent some time, it takes time to get your eye in, nice.

Nick.

[John]

Sounds fantastic Nick

It's great when you get "one of those nights" when you can really see what your scope can do. Worth having something in your eyepiece case that can exploit those conditions too.

... it takes time to get your eye in, nice....

This is so true - I find your eye sort of becomes "trained" after a while at the eyepiece on a single object and the really subtle details start to become clearer

I am a bit concerned when newcomers to the hobby say "had a quick look at X and was not too impressed" - give it time and the rewards will come

Great viewing conditions help too of course

[Lorne]

Sound like you had a good night. My 5mm BST stays in the case most times I'm out, its the 8mm that gives me my steadiest views.

[cotterless45]

Yep, I had real issues with the 5mm. Just never seemed as good as I'd expect. Then a couple of clear nights showed it's potential.Above all other considerations, seeing conditions are dominant ( aperture is king though!).

Even staring out planets will not show their best. I've had folk at star parties in disbelief at the amount of detail that can be seen.

When very accurately collimated Newtonians are planet killers, nice.

Nick.

[John]

...When very accurately collimated Newtonians are planet killers, nice.....

Yes indeed

I sometimes have thoughts of commissioning a 10" F/6.3 newtonian with 1/10th wave PV optics from Orion Optics - it would need some mount but, boy, would the planetary views be good when the seeing was playing ball

[K Nixon]

I noticed a crack in the cloud a couple of days ago so stuck a scope outside that needed testing (new club one).

I just picked a bright star at random to zero in the spotter a little. I hadn't quite left it long enough to cool so the view was a little changeable as it was and no matter what i did I just couldn't get this star to focus right. there was always a line across it. Eventually i hit the focus sweet spot and realised the darn thing had rings...

then the clouds came, but it was a lovely clear here last night too so I got the scope out again.

I was supposed to be testing the goto on it. I didn't. I just got it tracking about right and then sat and stared at Saturn for an hour and a half (I've never seen it through a scope before, new as I am to all this)

With a glass of whisky in one hand this was the highlight of my week off.

I didn't put it to the wife quite like that however...

Kieron

[stolenfeather]

Those "perfect nights" don't come often but when they do,... we certainly take advantage of them! As for me,.. I have cloud cover tonight!

Isabelle

[cotterless45]

Yep, probably the dominant aspect of seeing anything is seeing conditions. Even over a short session you can get bubbles of hot air, moisture high up and haze. It's rare here in Middle Earth that we hit a good spot.

Seems to be lot of secret late night bonfires around, nearly gasping some nights.