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Viewing the Cassini division


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I didnt set up last night, but when i was glancing at the Moon i thought there seemed to be quite a haze.

This is where Dobson reflectors come handy - just lift it out the shed, take off the lens cap, and leave it to cool for observing.

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This is where Dobson reflectors come handy - just lift it out the shed, take off the lens cap, and leave it to cool for observing.

I do like dobs for that, but i like the ol' photography. I did get some widefield of the Moon lighting up the clouds. Couldnt get the Moon face looking good and still seeing the clouds though.

However, i feel like im diverting this thread away from its OP!

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I do like dobs for that, but i like the ol' photography. I did get some widefield of the Moon lighting up the clouds. Couldnt get the Moon face looking good and still seeing the clouds though.

However, i feel like im diverting this thread away from its OP!

Astrophotography is a wonderful activity to get into, I feel. I would start thinking of going for it maybe in 1 - 2 years after learning the sky, stars, telescopes and saving some funds. Last night - the Moon was fantastic in the SW200P. Apologies are mine for off-topic, but the Moon was close to Saturn last night, BTW.

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Seeing is everything! Even with the cheapo SW EPs (10mm) quoted above, Cassini is crisp with my 5" Mak on an evening with good/excellent seeing. It is better with an 8mm BST I have, but not much better (though still an excuse to buy EPs perhaps?).

With my ED80, it jumps out at x150 instantly the scope is set up, cf the Mak and a colleague's SW 200P, which take time....Whether it is resolved or not (see Michael's post above) I leave to the experts, but as a professional spectroscopist, it is resolved by my standards, though not as well as with the 9" refractor I used to get my hands on at a nearby observatory in my former residence (glorious views!), but there you go, compromises are always necessary in life!

Chris

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I don't think I have seen a star in a week never mind a Cassini division. I bought a new eyepiece recently and fixed a power problem with my mount, I cant wait to test them. Cursed weather! :rolleyes:

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I am quite lucky in the fact that my Garden faces west. So i get the Southern, Western and Northern sky and the house blocks out the East (towards the steel works). I have seen M31 naked eye from my garden before. I still much prefer getting away from the town, but isnt always possible.

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I was just teasing :) I'm originally from scunthorpe

I use viewing points near Doncaster and scunthorpe, and scunthorpe light pollution is far friendlier :)

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

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Hello,

With My SW 200p and a 5mm eyepiece, with fairly steady seeing I can see the cassini division. Does take a bit of time at the eyepiece though.

Recently I have struggled although my telescope is almost certainly out of collimation. (Bought in October...never collimated :shocked: )

With a 3x barlow (imo a bit too much for the camera) I have got some good pictures of the division though.

http://www.flickr.co...N04/8625329736/

Edit: 3x barlow a bit too much for MY camera. I prefer the results with 2x and short extension tube.

Dan :rolleyes:

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It's mostly down to the seeing. My first view of Saturn was last year with my Heritage 130p and Vixen 8mm (x2 Barlowed to give x162) and the Cassini was easily seen then - but the seeing was very good. However, was out night before with 8SE and BST ED 12mm (x169) and although it was the best seeing conditions for a while, the Cassini division only became evident when the air stopped moving. Moving up to the BST ED 8mm (x254) was pretty useless.

Saturn is pretty frustrating as to me it's arguably the most beautiful object in the sky but only visible during warmer months and therefore more turbulent atmospheric conditions. Also, as mentioned by OP, it's at quite low in the sky! Cosmic conspiracy? :D

HTH

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Won't always be that way. Back when I started observing, Jupiter was at over 60 degrees at opposition in Jan 2002 and Saturn was close by. Was lovely to see, and far more detail was visible in the rings.

Things improve in a few years time I think, annoying having to wait though.

post-6762-13718405893_thumb.jpg

Stu

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Won't always be that way. Back when I started observing, Jupiter was at over 60 degrees at opposition in Jan 2002 and Saturn was close by. Was lovely to see, and far more detail was visible in the rings.

Things improve in a few years time I think, annoying having to wait though.

post-6762-13718405893_thumb.jpg

Stu

That must have been quite a sight Stu!

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Yep, was great. The rings were wide open too, I remember seeing the Crepe Ring and Enke gap quite clearly in a very average 6" Newtonian. Going to be quite a while before its back to those sorts of altitudes :-(

Stu

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Yep, was great. The rings were wide open too, I remember seeing the Crepe Ring and Enke gap quite clearly in a very average 6" Newtonian. Going to be quite a while before its back to those sorts of altitudes :-(

Stu

Stu

Just had a look on Stellarium for that date and was amazed just how high she was. Also used the scope view and the rings were really tilted open. Must have been spectacular..

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Gosh, I didn't realize it was such a long time! Gets better before that though hopefully.

This was another great view around a similar time. A planetary alignment on 19th April 2002. These sorts of events really got my interest fired up in the early days of having my scope.

post-6762-137185300119_thumb.jpg

Stu

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Apologies for taking the thread off track, got a bit carried away.

Stu

LOL actually I like where thread is going. Maybe the I would be able to see the division but I may be too old and knackered to pick up the mount :)

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That's a relief :-).

Actually things aren't great for a good few years, getting better from 2020 onwards. Now is probably a good time to concentrate on DSO's for a while, or move South!

Talking about heading South, I think I shall definitely be planning a trip for 21st December 2020. Check this out! Jupiter and Saturn, the circle on this chart is 0.5 degrees! Visible very low down in the UK after dark by the looks of it, but would be far better from somewhere much farther south. Plenty of time to gain approval from SWMBO, and plan it in :-)

post-6762-137193255089_thumb.jpg

Stu

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Hi, it's called SkySafari and yes, I believe it is available for Android now. On iOS, there are three variants, I have the middle '+' version and its great. Very easy to take a screenshot and post to the forum.

There are plenty of others around, but I think this is one if the best.

Stu

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