Jupiter's red spot & Mars tonight.

[Laurie61]

Jupiter's red spot is visible from about 21:30 tonight. I set up earlier and Jupiter is looking nice even in the evening sky

[Marki]

Excellent - got my 6" refractor out cooling now. I always like trying to spot the red spot - sometimes it seems a much feinter almost salmon pink and is pretty hard to pick out. Also hoping to get some more time on Mars tonight . And Saturn too, if it stays clear late enough.

[Mr Spock]

I've just been looking at Jupiter. It's looking grand

Though for me it's just about to disappear behind a neighbour's leylandii...

[Laurie61]

I've just been looking at Jupiter. It's looking grand

Though for me it's just about to disappear behind a neighbour's leylandii...

I have a couple of hours before it moves behind the roof,  should get a look at the GRS before then  I had a look at Saturn a few nights ago but it was still low and the seeing had gone west by then   the moon stays out of the way until midnight which will help. 

[John]

I've just been looking at Jupiter. It's looking grand

Though for me it's just about to disappear behind a neighbour's leylandii...

I've been doing the same and in my case it's my own house that occulting Jupiter about now 

If we lived in a bungalow I'd get another hour viewing Jupiter

[Laurie61]

Mars is looking good, a lot of cloud over Hellas showing again with syrtis major showing strongly as well as the pole  Decided to bring out another scope to save keep switching back and forth, hope I still think this is a good idea when I come to pack up later  

[Marki]

Mars is looking good, a lot of cloud over Hellas showing again with syrtis major showing strongly as well as the pole  Decided to bring out another scope to save keep switching back and forth, hope I still think this is a good idea when I come to pack up later  

Putting out another scope - now there's an idea! I really can't be bothered to move the AZEQ6 and the heavy Istar 6" f10 further down the garden - such a pain!

Jupiter is behind my house here too . Mars is partially behind trees, so very blurred. What I can see so far in the Istar looks very promising though... . Mars should be clear of the branches in another 30-45 mins though . Really looking forward to seeing what the Istar is capable of with planets!

[Laurie61]

Putting out another scope - now there's an idea! I really can't be bothered to move the AZEQ6 and the heavy Istar 6" f10 further down the garden - such a pain!

Jupiter is behind my house here too . Mars is partially behind trees, so very blurred. What I can see so far in the Istar looks very promising though... . Mars should be clear of the branches in another 30-45 mins though . Really looking forward to seeing what the Istar is capable of with planets!

I had put out the c11 to start with but it does a Meridian Flip every time I swap over.   

[John]

Putting out another scope - now there's an idea! I really can't be bothered to move the AZEQ6 and the heavy Istar 6" f10 further down the garden - such a pain!

Jupiter is behind my house here too . Mars is partially behind trees, so very blurred. What I can see so far in the Istar looks very promising though... . Mars should be clear of the branches in another 30-45 mins though . Really looking forward to seeing what the Istar is capable of with planets!

I understand entirely Mark 

I chickened out and popped the 12" dob out tonight. Mars is just up above the roof tops now and the Syrtis Major seems to be well on display with the bright patch of Hellas to the S of it. 

I had the Istar on Mars a couple of nights back and the views were very good even at 300x. I hate to say it though but the dob is a lot easier to set up and tear down.

[Laurie61]

Red spot now well onto the disc although it's looking a bit washed out here, Arabia Terra appearing on Mars.

[Marki]

I hate to say it though but the dob is a lot easier to set up and tear down.

Have to confess, I've been looking at ads for SCTs/Maks and, dare I whisper it (and don't tell Shane!), Dobs!!

[Laurie61]

Seeing has jumped up here but my cgem has just thrown a wobbly and started slewing for no reason have tried a re boot but no joy, it's done this before and I did not find out what the problem was and it just started working again   Things have started to dew up so it might be the damp ? 

[Laurie61]

Before the mount died I did manage to get another afocal shot.    a bit more detail than earlier in the week. 

[Floater]

I try to avoid envy but ...

[Marki]

Nice shot Laurie! Re the mount, connection ok? Or power tank on its way out?

[Laurie61]

Nice shot Laurie! Re the mount, connection ok? Or power tank on its way out?

I think the mount may have a lose internal connection ? I use a bench supply which has 10 amps output through the 12 v cigar lighter socket and the power lead into the mount has a screw collar to hold it in place. When it failed before it was on start up, the mount would start to slew when I selected an alignment object and then keeps going. It had been running for three hours or more tonight when it did this. Odd.   

[Laurie61]

To sum up a good night despite the mount, seeing improved to very good here after 11 pm. Started to dew up so have called it a night, for those staying out Saturn should look nice if seeing stays like it is here.