My achievements.

[jason.p]

Looking back over the last year or so I find my list of achievements a bit depressing and somewhat embarrassing.

Last year I failed to see the near earth asteroid in Feb. Then I failed to see comet Panstarrs. Put all my hopes on Ison then failed to see that. This year (so far) I have yet to see the M82 SN and try as I may I just cannot get the GRS.

Is there anything else coming up that I can have a go at missing!!

[Steve Ward]

Get some Baader film and have a go at missing the Sun ... ? .... Sure cuts down the chances of any NGC mix-ups .... 

[Orange Haze]

You can try to miss Mars at opposition in April and join me in the Perpetually Disappointed with Mars Club.

[Mr Spock]

Your 200 should get the GRS easily. Maybe you are looking on the wrong day! Have you tried one of the online calculators to get the transit times? Today it's 16:17 and 02:12, with good visibility an hour each side of that - not ideal unless you like staying up late

[wheresthetorch?]

I have managed to fail to see polar caps or any hints of markings on Mars for 10 years now with my 4" Mak. (SPM invited me to have a go through his 15" reflector during a period of correspondence, and the night I was due to go it snowed heavily!)

It must be possible with a 4" scope, but I'm at the stage now where I just can't get excited about Mars.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

You aren't alone. My 2013 wish list was to learn how to take widefields, put together a moon mosaic using a 12" newt, image Jupiter on the same scope and take my first basic DSO images. I only succeeded on the first of those. I started taking the images of the moon but I'd made a basic error - I set the exposure settings when looking at a darker region so that the brighter panels were overexposed. The telescopes I can use are down in Cornwall and I've had poor luck with the weather when I've been down there, leaving me chasing small windows of opportunity.

I'm not too discouraged as there is no real rush to get any of these things done, and I'm slowly learning my way around the equipment.

[jason.p]

Your 200 should get the GRS easily. Maybe you are looking on the wrong day! Have you tried one of the online calculators to get the transit times? Today it's 16:17 and 02:12, with good visibility an hour each side of that - not ideal unless you like staying up late

Your 200 should get the GRS easily. Maybe you are looking on the wrong day! Have you tried one of the online calculators to get the transit times? Today it's 16:17 and 02:12, with good visibility an hour each side of that - not ideal unless you like staying up late

According to my list the GRS appeared at 8.22pm yesterday eve. I tried for 20mins or so with the 8mm (x125), but the disc was too bright for detail. The bands were quite clear but no spot. Perhaps a filter, or maybe the seeing was bad (bright moon?) Looks like my next chance will be Monday at 10pm, can't do the early hours on a Sunday. (can someone confirm whether I'm using the right chart). Not too worried about GRS, It's been around for 300yrs or so I'm sure it will wait till I get it!! The comets I'm afraid, have been and gone.

[Mr Spock]

You'd be better up around x200. You'll find more detail and better contrast.

[jason.p]

You'd be better up around x200. You'll find more detail and better contrast.

Thanks for that. The 8mm with the Barlow would give me x250. I tried this but couldn't see much detail at all. Perhaps I'll dig out the 10mm that came with the scope although I understand they are probably not the best eps in the world. I'll get it one day, it's not going away........is it??

[hobbes22]

I managed to see it earlier in the week with my 8mm EP at 150X. It was reasonably easy to see but lost contrast barlowed to 300x. Stick with it, it'll come.