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Foiled by the fog

webtubbs

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webtubbs

webtubbs

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I got my 9mm Celestron Plossl EP on Tuesday but only got a chance to test it out tonight due to the bad weather.

Pointed it at Venus first and clearly saw its phase. It seemed to have a bit of a ghost though which i put down to the fog coming over. But i put a cheap as chips lunar filter ($36 for 4 filters) on and Venus looked fantastic! I guess it was too bright?

Next i swung it over to Jupiter with the filter still in place and could clearly see the bands and 4 moons. Best view I've had to date! Stuck the 2x barlow in and still a nice clear view.

I swung it to Sirius and did a quick star test and the airy disc was slightly oblong. I did have trouble aligning the secondary when i did a collimation which i suspect is still a problem. No matter what i did the secondary would always twist to the same location. I've read that a milk bottle plastic washer helps?

Anyway, I pointed it up to Crux and was scanning around again and i found a cluster. Ive got a cool notebook now that has a fine grid on the top 2/3 of the page and lines below for notes. The OTA cap was a perfect size to draw a cirle and I started sketching. Unfortunately before I was half done the fog really came in and could hardly make out anything. But what I did get was enough for me to identify it as the Pearl Cluster (NGC 3766). So that's another DSO crossed off the list!

By now I could barely make out Venus and my fingers were numb from the cold so i packed up and called it a night - all before 6:30pm! I'm definitely going to organise some gloves for next time. Maybe fingerless?

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BeanerSA

BeanerSA

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Nice report.

If you were scanning up around Crux it was most likely the K Cru Cluster/Jewel Box Cluster/NGC 4755. The Pearl Cluster is in Centaurus.

Why did you attempt to adjust your collimation in the first place? Was it off?

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BeanerSA

BeanerSA

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Great report! 

I'm quite new and I've not focused that much on Venus, I've just assumed it would be a giant reflecting mirror, are any details visible when adding a filter? 

Regards,

James 

Nope. A giant reflecting mirror is a pretty accurate description. It's still worth looking at to see the phases though.

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webtubbs

webtubbs

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Nice report.

If you were scanning up around Crux it was most likely the K Cru Cluster/Jewel Box Cluster/NGC 4755. The Pearl Cluster is in Centaurus.

Why did you attempt to adjust your collimation in the first place? Was it off?

It was definitely The Pearl cluster. It was just to the West of Crux. Centaurus is to the North of Crux.

It's a brand new scope shipped from the other side of Australia and the secondary was noticeably crooked. It's better, but i think it needs a bit more but i couldn't get that final small adjustment.

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pipnina

pipnina

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Great report mate.

I'm sorry I had to chuckle cos us poms thought you always had perfect weather down under  :grin:

At first I thought "Wait, done before 6:30? But it's the middle of summer!" Then I read his location and got even more confused!

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MarkJ44

MarkJ44

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Nice to here from you Webtubbs from another aussie, similar weather here in vic and not much viewing happening. When i get the chance i really enjoy that area you speak of, Pearl cluster, jewell box, the southern pleiades, Keyhole neb to name a few.

Cheers

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webtubbs

webtubbs

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It's my favourite area at the moment, but I only started a few weeks ago. And it's easy to find - ever since I was a kid I'd look up to the Southern Cross, so it's immediately visible to me. Plus where I am now it's pretty much directly overhead when the sun goes down.

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