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Clear sky!!

MND

By MND
in Getting Started With Observing

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MND

MND

Posted
Posted

Raced home from work and scope is now waiting for it to get dark while it's all blue overhead!

I only really have a view from NE through West to WSW, what would be some good targets to search for this evening? I know Jupiter will be high and bright but I can't get at Mars because of my view.

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floppygoose

floppygoose

Posted
Posted

How about Ursa Major (M81, M82, M97, M101 etc., or Cassiopeia, open cluster M52, M103 cluster etc., I'm sure there are loads more you could choose, but I don't know how easily from where you are.

Good luck with whatever you decide upon

Phil

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Paul73

Paul73

Posted
Posted

Phil has picked out some great Galaxies.

Here are a few more clusters!

Double Cluster between Cassiopia and Perseus.

M35 in the toes of RH Gemini then up through M37,36,38 into Auriga (all Open Clusters - M35 is a favourite).

And, if you only do one Galaxy, M51, nice and bright (for a faint fuzzy) not far from the end of the pan handle of Ursa Major.

And, 22:39 to 23:39 Jupiter a Great Red Spot and Io shadow transit to Finnish off with!!

Good luck. Let us know what you bagged.

Paul

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C7tsj

C7tsj

Posted
Posted

Phil has picked out some great Galaxies.

Here are a few more clusters!

Double Cluster between Cassiopia and Perseus.

M35 in the toes of RH Gemini then up through M37,36,38 into Auriga (all Open Clusters - M35 is a favourite).

And, if you only do one Galaxy, M51, nice and bright (for a faint fuzzy) not far from the end of the pan handle of Ursa Major.

And, 22:39 to 23:39 Jupiter a Great Red Spot and Io shadow transit to Finnish off with!!

Good luck. Let us know what you bagged.

Paul

The double cluster is ngc 889 / 884 and is an absolute cracker. Well worth a look.

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Paul73

Paul73

Posted
Posted

Do you reckon I could make out the BRS with my setup?

Yes, if the seeing conditions are right (steady & transparent). Some nights, all that you will see is a swirling white ball! Other nights, the same kit will give you a nice clear view (expect the image to be a bit unstable).

Good luck.

Paul

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DaveS

DaveS

Posted
Posted

The one thing I did manage to do was check the polar alignment after having the mount in during the wet weather lately. Because I have the legs sitting in three dimples it was spot on.

Edit

And now the cloud *has* come over properly.

Bother.

Bother, bother,bother.

Bother.

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MND

MND

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Its really hard to see anything for some reason, LP?

I cant make out Orion Neb which looked fantastic last week. Jupiter is a white blob with a barely visible band. Looked so promising earlier.

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oldpink

oldpink

Posted
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Why didn't I choose golf or fishing......

hate golf (waste of a good walk) but love fishing, now I can take the telescope away on fishing trips (cloud permitting)

to help me pass the time I'm learning to play a couple of Squeeze songs on guitar while trying not to look outside as its just disappointing

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HumptyMoo

HumptyMoo

Posted
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hate golf (waste of a good walk) but love fishing, now I can take the telescope away on fishing trips (cloud permitting)

to help me pass the time I'm learning to play a couple of Squeeze songs on guitar while trying not to look outside as its just disappointing

If you are Carp fishing, Pike, Zander or any real specimen, you could use the scope as a bite indicator? :D Make sure the line goes around the scope, when the tube nudges, flick the line off and strike! :)

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dick_dangerous

dick_dangerous

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Ah the tribulations of the amateur astronomer. I managed one and half very frustrating hours in the park, but at least it was warm. Bit of Earthshine, a good long look at Jupiter and Io transiting (Seeing surprisingly good there), then round to Mars which boiled at its low elevation, then M36, M37 and M38 for the first time in the Dob (nice), finishing with M94 which was nowhere near as impressive as two weeks ago. Hey ho, another New Moon been and gone, completely clouded out (naturally) even though its been quite pleasant during the day.

So it goes.

DD

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oldpink

oldpink

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strictly trout & salmon for me up here in jockland and mostly fly fishing so I tend to know when I have a bite
plus we normally gut & clean the fish there & then, can't beat a fresh caught wild brown trout for dinner

one of the Loch's I go to fish is in the middle of the galloway forest dark sky area (next to the Observatory) so Win Win for me

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HumptyMoo

HumptyMoo

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Ahh ok, very nice, I've done freeline/coarse for many many years before my job gave me very little time. Fly fishing is very much an art on top of that, studied it profusely when I had the time but never got a chance or the funds to give it a real shot (centrepin reel, leads and line etc...not to mention the plethora of flies and their suited venues).  

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oldpink

oldpink

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I'm lucky with my job and my hobbies as I can combine them

I work online running websites so I can work from any location via Wifi
my other job is I run a PA & lighting company that does festivals etc so spend weekends away in the countryside (scope will be coming from now on)
last year we did a Biker rally over a weekend with a great salmon & trout river 300yards from the marquee the stage was in

spent most of the weekend fishing as we only played from 9pm till 12:30
 

doing the same gig this year so can't wait, Oh I get paid to do this :)

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cuivenion

cuivenion

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Bit of a mixed bag for me tonight. Saw Io just by Jupiter which was nice couldn't see the BRS though. It was my first night being properly polar aligned and I did find it a lot easier to use the scope. I was also trying out my homemade dew shield. I packed up after being out for about 4 hours and when I checked the secondary and the primary were fogged up so I'm not sure how successful it was. That being said I took the dew shield off and the took the scope in about 5-10 mins later, could it have fogged up in that time?

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