250PX: Second Light

[Naemeth]

This took a while, 8 days from my last observing session. Still, some observing to report despite the rather frustrating cloud, though, much more about that later.

So I was browsing on here, looked out of the window and suddenly saw that it was clear, so I rushed the 10" scope downstairs as quick as possible and set-up, only took 5 or 10 minutes in total (despite forgetting the handles!), and once outside I noticed there was quite a bit of cloud around... and it was going to be one of those nights, one where you chase the clear patches. Great I though, when will I get to test the true potential of this scope? Not tonight it seems.

Despite this, I aligned the scope to where I knew Vega would be, so I could quite quickly find the Ring Nebula (M57) - fast becoming one of my favourite DSOs because of this scope. Soon enough the cloud cleared and I had my second glimpse of the Ring and it was spectacular, and I'm sure I could see slight hints of red, yellow and green/blue (only hints obviously, but they were there), certainly was a wow moment. Alas, when I tried to up the magnification, the cloud came over Lyra so I stood around for a bit, admiring just how orange the clouds were, but at the same time marveling just how dark the back garden can get because I placed myself shielded from all light sources (unless someone turned the kitchen lights on...).

Waited around for a bit more, and did some observing in Ophiuchus - trying to get M10 and M12 ticked off, I'm sure I was in the right area but I didn't have the clear sky for long enough to really see anything. It did hit me then that a great thing for me to do would be to print off some simulations of how the Messier objects look in my 9x50 finder. That way I would know I was looking in the right area, and my scope would certainly show off whatever was there .

Tonight, I utilized my fairly new technique which replicates what a RDF does. All I do is kneel down and get my head parallel to the OTA, close my right eye (left eye is my observing eye) and see where that lands me. It works pretty well, and I use the RACI to confirm my position.

Through a lot more of the session I was just sweeping around the patches of clear sky there were, and I was marveling just how bright the stars are, and how beautiful they look. The naked eye stars look as bright as diamonds, and it really is an awe-inspiring sight. I thought to myself, "If this is how much a 10" can show me, what can a 14" show me, a 16"? a 20"? a 24"?".. I think this is aperture fever creeping in again...

I finished my short session looking at the star-rich area around Cassiopeia and it blew me away. So....many...stars, absolutely beautiful. Even if all I get for a few more weeks out of this scope is short sessions with frustrating amounts of cloud I'll be happy. This scope is delivering well above my expectations and I haven't even given it a nice clear night, or, for that matter, a dark site.

Here's to the third light being a lot clearer,

Cheers .

[TractionMan]

Good read! Even the shorter/cloud dodging sessions can be well worth it. I'm currently waiting for second light, but the weather doesn't look that great at the moment.

[AlexB67]

Nice session sounds like. Glad you enjoy the scope , makes me want to have one, the urge to track down the fainter targets is growing in me . Are you planning to fit a telrad or RDF ? Not sure but when I get the bigger scope I am inclined to think I would, though never having used a finder scope, who knows perhaps I'll get used to it. Interestingly some of the orion optics models do fit a RDF by default.

I had planned a session last night to bag Uranus, alas it clouded. This would be a nice target in your scope I feel to see if can catch the moons at all, though even in the 10 inch this would be a real challenge I imagine and needs decent skies. I'd have no hope in my case to see the moons, but a 10 inch would make an interesting test for that. I got kind of excited by wanting to see it lately.

Here is a nice applet to find it and track it down. I expect it to be somewhat easier star hop than Neptune that I found some time back, took me a few attempts to make sure I had it. For Uranus this looks quite nice little article to help with that.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3310476.html#

[Naemeth]

Nice session sounds like. Glad you enjoy the scope , makes me want to have one, the urge to track down the fainter targets is growing in me . Are you planning to fit a telrad or RDF ? Not sure but when I get the bigger scope I am inclined to think I would, though never having used a finder scope, who knows perhaps I'll get used to it. Interestingly some of the orion optics models do fit a RDF by default.

I had planned a session last night to bag Uranus, alas it clouded. This would be a nice target in your scope I feel to see if can catch the moons at all, though even in the 10 inch this would be a real challenge I imagine and needs decent skies. I'd have no hope in my case to see the moons, but a 10 inch would make an interesting test for that. I got kind of excited by wanting to see it lately.

Here is a nice applet to find it and track it down. I expect it to be somewhat easier star hop than Neptune that I found some time back, took me a few attempts to make sure I had it. For Uranus this looks quite nice little article to help with that.

http://www.skyandtel...t/3310476.html#

Telrad is on order, just waiting for FLO to get some more stock in .

At the moment I don't think I even need a RDF, the looking parallel to the scope tube method works for now .

I saw Uranus in my Heritage, it was like a big blue star, should be quite a sight in the 10" Dob .

Oh, get yourself a 10" dob . Treat yourself, you deserve it .

[AlexB67]

I wish sometimes, getting a new boiler system fitted next month that would buy me two Dobs and eyepieces, the thought of spending it on a boiler is not pleasant Doing up houses is like a black hole for money Once the few outstanding house jobs are done and dusted there will be some more cash for astro and more work to bring in needed cash, but I am saving for it already