Meade Infinity 102

[Ray of LIght]

Yep, not in these politically correct times ?! Dave and Mak, the Mars opposition is May 22nd? It will probably rain, lol, but I still have my HPS 2.5 Barlow I can use with my new Meade 12mm HD for 125x. Or the 8mm Starguider for 187x, but that may be too much, not sure. I should have my Baader adaptor by thren too, they shipped it the same day per Manish (I verified it, Agena has great service!). So hope to talk later, also hope you are feeling better Mak ✨

[Mak the Night]

I am not sure I'll have the Big Cat totally up and running by the Transit, so the Explorer may have to have some cobwebs dusted off it. I have figured out a way to set the Big Cat up though, but I really had to work at the logistics of it. I have more use and strength in my right arm than I realise. Where there's a will there's a way I suppose. I think I get this from my dad, he was Royal Artillery 'Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt' and they seem to have the attitude that the impossible is achievable; you just have to work harder at it. lol

Last night wasn't bad weather for a while though. I observed between 22:00 & 23:30 BST. Waxing Gibbous, Descending. Azimuth 35.9°. Altitude 39.5°. Leo. Conditions were above average. I used an Omegon 90mm, f/11.3 MightyMak with a Baader Neodymium filter in the diagonal for part of the session, later I experimented with it threaded into a Celestron T-Adaptor.

Very good Terminator shadows south of Sinis Medii. Ptolemaeus, Aphonsus and Arzachel were very distinct. Central mountain easily discernible in Alpetragius. Montes Apenninus were very bright and Conon easily visible.

After around 90 mins conditions changed and the transparency wasn’t as good. Before that though magnifications of 52.6x, 66.6x, 100 and 166.6x were achieved with a 19mm Panoptic, 15mm Antares Masuyama clone, 10mm Baader Eudiascopic and a 6mm AH orthoscopic.

I could see surface detail on Jupiter quite well considering I was using a 90mm Mak and the Galilean moons were easily visible, although I could only make out Io, Europa and Ganymede.

 

[Ray of LIght]

Very happy you are working out logistics with the big CAT. I am sure you will do fine, you have a great attitude. Mine is not so good right now, I need a bit of a boost in my attitude. They found protein in my urine (proteinuria) and  put me on a second ACE inhibiter. I take about 15 medications a day so it is a little depressing. Since I can't ride my Harley or shoot, the scope is the only thing keeping me going. Basicallly I am just getting whatever I want to keep myself a little happy and busy. Anyway, from what I wrote above, until I get the TV 3x, do you think my 125x and 187x (12mm Meade and 8mm Starguider with the HPS Apo 2.5 Barlow I have) will do for Saturn and Mars? Just hope it is clear for opposition!

[Mak the Night]

Yes, I knew the BC would be big and heavy, but once I experimented with the mount, OTA and tripod individually I realised that they weren't so problematical. My initial plan was to attach the OTA to the mount and then place the whole combined unit onto the tripod, like with my Mak. I decided that as the BC was only around twice the size of the Mak, I could do it. Of course, this is impossible with the BC even if you had hydraulic prosthetic arms or some sort of sci fi android exoskeleton lol. But I have discovered a technique to manipulate just the OTA horizontally high enough with both arms and the inspired use of a leather belt (I usually use to hold my trousers up lol) around the dovetail rail, to even allow a hand free to tighten the dovetail release. This way I can place the OTA securely into the mount already secured on the tripod. Which is how it's supposed to be done anyway. About a year ago I bought my 102mm Mak as it was easier to manipulate and set up than the Explorer. At that time I could barely walk and my right arm was virtually lifeless. So I had to invent or improvise ways to assemble and transport the whole ensemble. The BC OTA and mount can be carried separately relatively easily. The tripod's a monster though and looks like it wouldn't be out of place in The War of the Worlds!

Wild's version of Eve of the War may cheer you up a bit Ray. Well, they cheer me up lol.

I'm on medication for blood pressure and the like. When you first get ill you kind of expect things to keep getting worse. Developing a positive attitude is good. When I was in neuro-rehab you are regularly counselled by a psychologist. He seemed like a decent chap and liked Puccini so we talked a bit. He reckoned that one of the best ways to deal with depression, although, oddly, at the time I was not depressed, was to find an interest or hobby. So, astronomy's bloody good therapy and I recommend it lol. Even though I was a keen amateur astronomer before the strokes, I find it is something I can do, considering I now have quite limited mobility.

I think you should be good with what you've got for Mars and Saturn. Although if I haven't got the BC quite ready for the Transit I'll try and get over 200x on Mars with the Newtonian. I may set the Mak up too just for the fun of it. There's probably a few decent weeks left in Mars after the Transit anyway, and it all boils down to the weather. I'm going to have to dig out my TeleVue 3x Barlow out as well if I set the Explorer 130M up. I may even put the clockdrive on the 130M, I didn't usually bother before. At 180x plus Mars is going to move out of frame rapidly. If an EQ mount is fairly well polar aligned it can track well, sometimes lol. I just hope I can remember where I put my TV 3x Barlow ...

[Ray of LIght]

Wow, sounds like you have it figured out! Will listen to music. Sounds like you need a small observatory for BC ?! It can go in your garden! Anyway, I might get the WO diagonal this week and then the TV 3x. I like the idea of the fine focusing ability. And since it is heavier than the GSO that I have, the Baader adaptor will help with that and the new Barlow. Sounds like a plan to me! How long have you been an amateur astronomer? I have had a couple of telescopes but have never been as interested as I am now. Even my son likes to go out there with me! And he is 23. I guess I will keep working on my Meade and slowly turn it into an apo! Only kidding! It has been greatly improved though. A lot of it thanks to your advice and guidance. Thanks ✨

[Mak the Night]

I was considering an Omegon Tent Observatory but at the end of the day it's just more stuff to set up. I admit I underestimated the sheer size of the BC, but with practice I shouldn't have that much trouble setting it up. With all the gear with it it's starting to feel like it should be at Jodrell Bank or something! The WO diagonal is a very nice piece of kit. I've been stargazing since I was at school but it's only in the past few years I've got more intense with it. I used to watch The Sky at Night with my dad when I was little. The Sky at Night is the longest running television show to have the same presenter in TV history. A relative of mine once met Sir Patrick Moore. I've learnt that you never stop learning in astronomy, that's what I like about it. Well, that and space is really big. lol

 

Sky at Night Magazine

[Ray of LIght]

Would you have to set it up every night? Could it not be left there? Motorcyle tents can be left put together all year. I will check out your link. Out with the family right now.

[Ray of LIght]

Oh, I don't remember that series being played in the states. I could be very wrong.

[Ray of LIght]

 That tent observatory looks really cool, maybe could be made almost permanent but it would be worth a try I think. Will check in later.

[Mak the Night]

1 hour ago, Ray1103 said:

Would you have to set it up every night? Could it not be left there? Motorcyle tents can be left put together all year. I will check out your link. Out with the family right now.

Maybe, but the local cats would probably use it as a toilet, owls probably the same, the foxes would probably try and steal parts from it and I hate to think what the badgers would inflict on it. And I haven't even considered the bats.

[Ray of LIght]

Ah, but it looks like it can be zipped up. I guess not securely enough. But it's a thought. 

[Mak the Night]

32 minutes ago, Ray1103 said:

Oh, I don't remember that series being played in the states. I could be very wrong.

I'm pretty sure it hasn't been shown Stateside. It is predominantly aimed at a UK audience.

[Ray of LIght]

Boy, I wish I could see it here! I have streaming video (Roku), maybe it has BBC channels. I doubt it but I have to check.

[Mak the Night]

3 hours ago, Ray1103 said:

Ah, but it looks like it can be zipped up. I guess not securely enough. But it's a thought. 

That would fool everything but the foxes. And the cats would still spray on it anyway.

[Mak the Night]

1 hour ago, Ray1103 said:

Boy, I wish I could see it here! I have streaming video (Roku), maybe it has BBC channels. I doubt it but I have to check.

It depends if you can get BBC iPlayer I reckon.

 

[Mak the Night]

I got some twilight lunar and Jupiter viewing in earlier. I saw Mars rising as well.

Conditions were quite good at times with decent transparency. Magnifications from 25x to a 125x were achieved with a 90mm Mak. Eyepieces ranged from a 40mm Celestron Plossl to an 8mm TeleVue Plossl.

[Ray of LIght]

You are lucky, I will try this week between doctor appointments. Check in tomorrow.

[Mak the Night]

9 hours ago, Ray1103 said:

You are lucky, I will try this week between doctor appointments. Check in tomorrow.

Sometimes, in twilight, when Jupiter is near the Moon, surface detail can be remarkably clear. According to SkyPortal the GRS was near the eastern rim but I couldn't discern it with a 90mm Mak. Stellarium doesn't show it but it can be 40 mins out with the GRS position at least. I could see all four Galilean moons though. The Moon was very clear and I got 125x relatively easily with some clarity. I lost the transparency after an hour and a half or thereabouts. I'm pretty convinced that to see any real detail on Jupiter you need around 5" of aperture. 102mm may just be enough in good conditions. I've seen the GRS with my 102mm Mak (the Baader Neodymium helped), but it requires patience. I'm pretty sure you'll see it at around 125x.

[Ray of LIght]

3 hours ago, Mak the Night said:

Sometimes, in twilight, when Jupiter is near the Moon, surface detail can be remarkably clear. According to SkyPortal the GRS was near the eastern rim but I couldn't discern it with a 90mm Mak. Stellarium doesn't show it but it can be 40 mins out with the GRS position at least. I could see all four Galilean moons though. The Moon was very clear and I got 125x relatively easily with some clarity. I lost the transparency after an hour and a half or thereabouts. I'm pretty convinced that to see any real detail on Jupiter you need around 5" of aperture. 102mm may just be enough in good conditions. I've seen the GRS with my 102mm Mak (the Baader Neodymium helped), but it requires patience. I'm pretty sure you'll see it at around 125x.

If I get a good night I guess my barlowed Meade will give me 125x. My Neodymium and Fringe Killer are in the diagonal so I will give it a shot as soon as I can. I was getting some bad chromatic abberation (?) with that TMB clone and no filter so I am hoping my new gear will give me much better views. Of course the TV 3x with the Meade 12mm will give me my 150x. The 8mm Starguider with my 2.5 Barlow would be 187.5x! A bit too much I think. By itself it would give me 75x. Haven't felt great but getting kind of excited and antsy to try my new stuff. Hope to get Baader adaptor in a day or so.

[Mak the Night]

Mars may need around 200x. I think you could push that 102mm refractor to around 200x for the Opposition. I'll very probably use my 130M on the Mars Opposition as I don't want to rush things with the Big Cat. I've ordered a smaller more portable garden table to help me to rest the BC OTA on momentarily and manipulate it just before I secure it in the BC mount. I may also get a better garden trolley to make moving the constituent parts less tiring.

So I'm thinking of magnifications and eyepiece combinations in the Explorer. At maximum I can get 270x for a 0.47mm exit pupil (I think). My 14mm Morpheus is light enough to stick in the TV 3x for 193x. I'll get 245x with my 11mm TV Plossl plus 3x. Facing south east I think I may be able to operate the slo mo from a seated position to the left of the OTA.

The Delos seems too heavy with the Barlow but the 10mm Baader Eudiascopic would do, even the Luminos might be good, it's good with Saturn and Jupiter and I've used it with the 3x on the Explorer. I have 12.5 mm AH ortho's as well. I originally bought WA EP's to compensate for RA with the Explorer. At least I'll only need a reflex sight for Mars. You can't miss it! I'm gonna have to practice thinking about it upside down though lol.

You need a 3mm eyepiece (or the Barlowed equivalent) to get 200x on your 102mm Meade. This gives you a 0.51mm exit pupil, so you may well be able to push that to 210x - 215x and still be only just below 0.5mm. Maybe time to invest in a 9mm Plossl to go with your 3x TV Barlow lol? 187.5x should be enough for Mars. But you'd get 225x with the TV 3x for a 0.45 exit pupil. I think your scope will handle that, especially on Mars. 0.5mm is the theoretical lowest exit pupil, but it would be interesting to push the envelope and I reckon you might just get away with 225x on Mars.

[Ray of LIght]

OMG, I have a 9mm Omni Plossl already! Pretty sure. Will check in later. Great advice!

[Mak the Night]

1 minute ago, Ray1103 said:

OMG, I have a 9mm Omni Plossl already! Pretty sure. Will check in later. Great advice!

As long as you can deal with the eye relief, it should work fine.

[Ray of LIght]

Probably not. I received the Baader adaptor already. Fits great, very sturdy, set screws huge and more than I anticipated!! Whole set up looks better. 

[Ray of LIght]

I need the ER so the 9mm Omni is out of the question. My Starguider with the TV 3x would be 225x and ER would be great so will make do until I get he TV. 

[Mak the Night]

11 minutes ago, Ray1103 said:

I need the ER so the 9mm Omni is out of the question. My Starguider with the TV 3x would be 225x and ER would be great so will make do until I get he TV. 

That should be good for Mars, if you don't get the transparency/conditions you can just drop it down a tad. That Baader adaptor looks superb. I want an equivalent now for the Big Cat visual back lol. I've been twilight Jupiter/lunar viewing again with the 90mm Mak, I got so engrossed with the Sea of Clouds I missed Io disappearing behind Jupiter as I switched between the two.