Festoons a plenty 16/5/16

[mikeDnight]

You didn't need 20/20 vision to see the unusually prominent festoons at 20,20 UT last night. It was still daylight but that didn't hinder the contrast and definition at all.

The accompanying  scetch was made using a  4" refractor and displays a prism view with north at the top.

Mike

 

[Stu]

Lovely sketch again Mike. I caught them very clearly during a very short session last night, very nice they were too.

[Thewalkingastronomer]

That's a great sketch.

What eyepiece(s) did you use?

Out of interest Mike as i recall seeing you use an extender Q 1.6x with your FC100, can you achieve focus with that in your binoviewers?

[Knighty2112]

INice sketch. Sadly clouds stopped any views last night for me!  

[Paul73]

Great detail Mike. Those are some quality views. And a quality sketch.

Shows what a quality scope can do with a bit of still air.

Paul

[mikeDnight]

5 minutes ago, Thewalkingastronomer said:

That's a great sketch.

What eyepiece(s) did you use?

Out of interest Mike as i recall seeing you use an extender Q 1.6x with your FC100, can you achieve focus with that in your binoviewers?

My superb 5mm XW gives me X148 on my FC. When I compare the views through that eyepiece with the views through my 16.8 orthos the image scale and magnification appears identical. That's why I list the magnification on my sketches as X148, but measuring the exit pupil in the orthos indicates the actual magnification is a little less. Never the less, as far as I'm concerned its the equivalent  of a high quality 5mm eyepiece, and so if someone wants to emulate my observation with a mono view, theyed have to use X148. Does that make sense?

I could use my binoviewer  without the X2 barlow if the extender Q was attached and also even if the X2 barlow was attached. The Q was a superb amplifier but the FC was optically superb with or without the Q, and the F11.8 focal ratio that the Q offered proved to have no real advantage over the F7.4 ratio, so i sold the Q.

I still use mono viewing when it comes to observing fuzzies, but I see so much more and more easily when using the binoviewer  on the moon and planets.

Mike

[Piero]

Another super sketch Mike! Very nice work!  

Piero

[Stu]

7 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

I still use mono viewing when it comes to observing fuzzies, but I see so much more and more easily when using the binoviewer  on the moon and planets.

Mike

It's very strange, and I think very much related to eyesight, but I can't get sharp images with detail on planets with my binoviewers.

There is nothing wrong with them, they merge without problem and the lunar and solar detail is fabulous, but on Jupiter I get nice colours, but it lacks the fine detail, it's as if everything has been smoothed out. With mono viewing I get a more mono image, but far more detail. I guess I'm just odd ?

[mikeDnight]

5 hours ago, Stu said:

It's very strange, and I think very much related to eyesight, but I can't get sharp images with detail on planets with my binoviewers.

There is nothing wrong with them, they merge without problem and the lunar and solar detail is fabulous, but on Jupiter I get nice colours, but it lacks the fine detail, it's as if everything has been smoothed out. With mono viewing I get a more mono image, but far more detail. I guess I'm just odd ?

Its strange Stu how we all differ in respect to our vision. I think the observer is perhaps the most important factor in any set-up. A few weeks ago I was observing with a friend who is a experienced observer. I happened to ask him a question regarding the festoons visible on Jupiter and whether they curled round creating garlands. When he Hmmmd and changed the subject I knew he wasn't seeing what I was seeing. It is highly possible that your eyesight is better suited to mono viewing for planetary. My own eyesight is not as good as it used to be but it still reasonable. I tend not to overpower the planet's and favour a small sharp view that needs to be studied carefully rather than a larger but softer view. I also think I've got a particularly good site for planetary observing as it tends to be a little misty much of the time, and so has steady air. When the plane's were grounded a few years ago due to the Icelandic volcano incident, my seeing massively improved, so flight paths and proximity to airports could hinder the view also. 

Mike 

[Stu]

6 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Its strange Stu how we all differ in respect to our vision. I think the observer is perhaps the most important factor in any set-up. A few weeks ago I was observing with a friend who is a experienced observer. I happened to ask him a question regarding the festoons visible on Jupiter and whether they curled round creating garlands. When he Hmmmd and changed the subject I knew he wasn't seeing what I was seeing. It is highly possible that your eyesight is better suited to mono viewing for planetary. My own eyesight is not as good as it used to be but it still reasonable. I tend not to overpower the planet's and favour a small sharp view that needs to be studied carefully rather than a larger but softer view. I also think I've got a particularly good site for planetary observing as it tends to be a little misty much of the time, and so has steady air. When the plane's were grounded a few years ago due to the Icelandic volcano incident, my seeing massively improved, so flight paths and proximity to airports could hinder the view also. 

Mike 

Yes, it is strange isn't it. I may try a lower mag on planets, but will probably concentrate on mono viewing for planets and using the binoviewers for solar and lunar.

I well remember the continuous blue skies at the time of the ash cloud. I live near Heathrow so it must have a majorly negative impact on the seeing.

[laudropb]

Very nice sketches. Was lucky enough to see them last night during a spell of excellent seeing.