WADAS (Wakefield and District Astronomical Society)

[astrotyke]

Did you see many persieds Damian

[Vicky050373]

Hi all

A bit of topic I am in the market for a new telescope I am considering the nexstar se8

Or the evolution 6 any thoughts Am I right in thinking that if I am a member of WADAS I get 10% discount with green- witch

Hope you all had great holidays we did in Devon Neil

Hi Neil, I have the NexStar 8SE - to be honest I have only used it half a dozen times since I bought it in February, and I am really struggling getting it set up and aligned. You can only move it using the control pad as the mount does not have clutches to move it manually to slew it around into position. I have been told that when I do get the hang of it then it is a great scope and mount, but it is not the easiest to control and master. I'll PM my mobile phone number and you are welcome to pop round some time and have a go with it.

Chris (astrotyke) has the Evolution 6 which he had set up and aligned lovely at Winscarr on Monday. That mount has clutches to allow the mount to be moved manually to get your targets aligned. I'm sure he'll give you an honest review on the scope

[Vicky050373]

If anyone had an EQ5 or possibly even heavier mount such as the NEQ6 (manual, not Goto if possible), that I can possibly borrow for a couple of nights, or even if I could pop round and use one night, that would be great please.

I want to try my 8SE on a different mount, but want to try it out before I look to buy something and make any definite plans.

Just want to start getting an idea of what I am going to do long term with regards to my future scope/mount set up

[Sammyb]

My scope has the same tube as the 8se and they are great for planetary stuff. I've heard the tube is a bit on the heavy side for the one-sided 8se mount so it might not be as stable as could be. I've used GOTO on skywatcher mounts and Celestron and I prefer the Celestron software - I think its easier to use and there is skyalign where you just align against three bright objects. If you're lazy like me thats great but if you want to learn the skies its not the best - especially as you can't manually star hop   

If in the long-term your aim in deep sky photography then the AZ mounts are no good. Fine for taking images of planets and the moon though.

[astrotyke]

Hi Neil, I have the NexStar 8SE - to be honest I have only used it half a dozen times since I bought it in February, and I am really struggling getting it set up and aligned. You can only move it using the control pad as the mount does not have clutches to move it manually to slew it around into position. I have been told that when I do get the hang of it then it is a great scope and mount, but it is not the easiest to control and master. I'll PM my mobile phone number and you are welcome to pop round some time and have a go with it.

Chris (astrotyke) has the Evolution 6 which he had set up and aligned lovely at Winscarr on Monday. That mount has clutches to allow the mount to be moved manually to get your targets aligned. I'm sure he'll give you an honest review on the scope

It wasn't always like this though Vicky. there was some cursing going on in my back garden at spring time when I first took the scope out to get to know it. Mines the nextstar Evolution, thats the one with the manual clutches on the mount. This is useful for a couple of reasons, you can, if you want just use the scope manually. Say you want to look at something quickly after you have set the scope up but without setting the goto up then you can move it to where you want to look at, and secondly, a less major point it you can manually point it at your first star for Aligning on. Thats what I mainly use them for anyway.

Once its aligned though as far as I can remember reading, you cant use the manual clutches, otherwise it goes out of alignment, you must use the goto function, either via the handset or with your ipad/android tablet/phone.

So now after a bit of practice, i can get the scope aligned in under 5 minutes using my tablet. to be honest I haven't used the handset much, but I do need to as I cant always rely on having my android tablet with me. The built in battery on the evolution is also a nice thing as theres no need to have a power tank with the scope, although you can power it from one if need be.

Vicky, the next time you bring your 8se out with you, maybe we could have a go at setting it up for you. The most important thing with these scopes is getting the tripod level,otherwise it wont track correctly and will affect alignment.

[mapstar]

Morning astro peeps

Last night's session began just after half 9 and many of the guide stars were out already.

There was no wind and the temperature was a nice 12°c, all perfect so I thought but within minutes I had my fleece zipped to the top and my beenie on pulled down as far as I could. The midges were out in force.

The ISS made a pass at 21:45 which was a really good one.

A nice bright Persied skimmed under Cassiopeia at 22:06 and during the evening I saw another 5 noting the time and direction of each.

The scope was set up and the viewing began again where it had the previous evening a hunt for M4 in scorpio. I picked up on Antares again and again after half an hour trying admitted defeat with the atmosphere just too thick limiting the magnitude of what I could make out!

The real start point to the session was where I'd ended the previous night at the top of Sagittarius.

Sam and his missus arrived so a break before the observing got under way proper.

I lined up again on the stars at the bottom of Aquilla and quickly travelled down past M16, 17, and 18 back to the Sagittarius star cloud M24. Easily found this evening with the formations fresh from the night before.

I was impressed by M21 and M20 which I came to quickly. M21 being a small open cluster and M20 the Triffid Nebula which was lovely with the nebulousity showing really well with a tight group of stars in the middle.

I could see my next target in the same field of View M8 the lagoon Nebula.

A nice gaseous mass which I could see was larger than M20 and made me wish I had a filter to pick out more of the structure.

From here it was a short hop across picking up NGC6559 on the way which was another small open cluster with a little nebulous gas tight inside. My destination then came into view and M28 Glob which was small but nice and also further East M22 Glob which was great to have in the same field of view and both a lot larger than my next find.

Turning my attention back to Capricornus and the nemesis of the two other sessions this week I traced my way down from the west stars of the main constellation (will have to find out the names) and made my way to M75 which is a very tiny Glob and hard to distinguish, easily over looked in the previous sessions but the star charts were bang on.

I had a look for the globs lower down in Sagittarius but these like M4 are just too obscured by atmosphere.

Ophiucus and M14, NGC6366, M10, M12 I quickly hopped to ending my session trying to find M107 but this had disappeared into the gloom low down.

All in a good 3 hours

Damian

[astrotyke]

My scope has the same tube as the 8se and they are great for planetary stuff. I've heard the tube is a bit on the heavy side for the one-sided 8se mount so it might not be as stable as could be. I've used GOTO on skywatcher mounts and Celestron and I prefer the Celestron software - I think its easier to use and there is skyalign where you just align against three bright objects. If you're lazy like me thats great but if you want to learn the skies its not the best - especially as you can't manually star hop   

If in the long-term your aim in deep sky photography then the AZ mounts are no good. Fine for taking images of planets and the moon though.

Yea, id agree with that, you deffo need a EQ mount for long exposures. 

[astrotyke]

Hi all

A bit of topic I am in the market for a new telescope I am considering the nexstar se8

Or the evolution 6 any thoughts

Am I right in thinking that if I am a member of WADAS I get 10% discount with green- witch

Hope you all had great holidays we did in Devon

Neil

Hi Neil,

If you are able to come to one of the observing session you can always come and have a look at the different scopes that people have and have a look at my celestron evolution. Im sure some people will be out at Dunford bridge tonight for the persieds. 

On that note, who is going tonight. Im not 100% certain myself.

[Vicky050373]

Great report again Damian - sounds like you had another good night.

I am hoping to come tonight. Will be there around 10pm probably as we are at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park today. Don't know how late I'm stopping out tonight. Depends on what we decide we are doing tomorrow. I believe Gain is coming down too with some of the Huddersfield group, so it should be a good night, and we'll get chance to meet some new people

[mapstar]

Great report again Damian - sounds like you had another good night.

I am hoping to come tonight. Will be there around 10pm probably as we are at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park today. Don't know how late I'm stopping out tonight. Depends on what we decide we are doing tomorrow.I believe Gain is coming down too with some of the Huddersfield group, so it should be a good night, and we'll get chance to meet some new people

Thanks Vicky. I will be going tonight if the skies hold? Can you get some insect repellant as they will be out again if not it will have to be hats and pray!

Damian

[Mark62]

Nice report Damian sounds like u had another good night.

I got out last night too started out with the coat hanger and moved on to the wild duck just to make sure finding it first time was no fluke.

The I went south to the bottom of the Milky Way.

So this is what I THINK I found with both with binoculars and with scope.

Butterfly cluster, lagoon nebula, triffid nebula, M21, ngc6530 within the lagoon, Eagle nebula, omega nebula?, Sagittarius star cloud, M18 and M25.

I did check with stellarium and it did seem right but as I say I THINK.

I saw quite a few Persieds and the fireball Kieran mentioned also ISS.

If there's any thing on the list I could not have seen please let me know and I can try to have another look some time.

I went to bed around 3:00am

Mark

[astrotyke]

Is that because its near the water? is there an alternative place nearby if thats the case? I don't have any insect replant that i can think of 

[Vicky050373]

Has anyone got the weather report for tonight? Is it still looking clear? I am bringing some Avon dry oil which is good for keeping insects away - my friend is giving me it as she takes it on holiday. I have spoken to Gain this afternoon. There are about 9 of them going, but they are meeting at the other car park. Damian - I know you need a good southern horizon, so I am happy to meet in the lakeside car park along with anyone else who is going. Just let me know and I'll see you later

[gtis]

Hi

I am coming up tonight where do you all meet

Neil

[stevemuir]

Hi guys,

Not been on here for ages! Hope you all get clear skies tonight for the Perseids. I'll be out looking for them here in Germany where I'm on holiday. Looks very clear (and is about 33 degrees outside - warm...), so this is all the equipment I'll be needing...!

See you all soon.

Steve

[mapstar]

I'm easy with the horizon Vicky so no shakes on where we are.

I will get there about 10 myself. Just checked met check and it has it at 15% cloud so fingers crossed that's right.

Neil we meet at the lake side large car park at the very end.

Damian

[astrotyke]

Hi vicky. I've just got home from work, long day, but the last time I looked it was still clear for dunford bridge. I might come up tonight and I'll find you which ever carpark your in. Does anyone have the meeting places for Neil that they could post on here. Chris

[Astronomer69]

Cameras set up in all directions tonight not had no luck in capturing any on camera last night.

[Vicky050373]

The postcode is S36 4TG but my satnav doesn't take me fully there. You have to take a right hand turn, and then it is a little turning on the left after about 1/4 mile that goes back down to the water. There is a map on the WADAS website. If you get to Dunford Bridge itself you have gone too far, the right hand turn is before you hit Dunford Bridge. If we move to the other car park we'll make sure everyone knows we have moved. See you there

[Sam Baker]

For the lakeside car park Ou need be on dunford road - my satnav got me lost last night but luckily I knew which road to go on [emoji106]

[mapstar]

Go on Google maps and type in the search box "red apple workers cooperative" it will take you straight to dunford Road and the turning

Damian

[Mark62]

Hope you all have a good night and don't get bitten too much [emoji106]

[Mark62]

There's are lovely in the sun set but I'm hoping they blow away

Mark

[Astronomer69]

For the lakeside car park Ou need be on dunford road - my satnav got me lost last night but luckily I knew which road to go on [emoji106]

[Astronomer69]

Hope everyone enjoys tonight at winscarr I hear hudds astro lot are coming up too. I'll just enjoy the delights of the bk garden.