Show us your set up in action at night.

[Swithin StCleeve]

The 10" mirror dob last night , (I've put an observation report in the obs reports section). That Dark Star dob is thirty years old abd still goinng strong!

edit - just realised you can see M41 in the photo, just about.

Edited February 5, 2022 by Swithin StCleeve

[F15Rules]

Grabbed a 20 minute gap in the clouds to go back to Orion (it's like a magnet🧲😊)..

I've been using a very nice Celestron Axiom LX 23mm lately and just gazed at M42 and surroundings for the whole 15 minute micro session.

The 82 degree field gives spectacular views at 45x, and at 90x with a 2" AP Barlow, the view became really involving, even in conditions which included fast moving scudding clouds, and an increasingly bright moon..lots of wisps.and tendrils of gas going in all directions.

I was beaten by the clouds after just 20 minutes, but I knew the forecast would make this a short session, so I just picked the one target, the one eyepiece and made the most of it😊.

Dave

Edited February 9, 2022 by F15Rules
Typo

[Sunshine]

2 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

Grabbed a 20 minute gap on the clouds to go back to Orion (it's like a magnet🧲😊)..

 

I've been using a very nice Celestron Axiom LX 23mm lately and just gazed at M42 and surroundings for the whole 15 minute micro session.

The 82 degree field gives spectacular views at 45x, and at 90x with a 2" AP Barlow, the view became really involving, even in conditions which included fast moving scudding clouds, and an increasingly bright moon..lots of wisps.and tendrils of gas going in all directions.

I was beaten by the clouds after just 20 minutes, but I knew the forecast would make this a short session, so I just picked the one target, the one eyepiece and made the most of it.

Dave

Sounds like a short bit sweet session, what a wonderful scope!

[MalcolmM]

I love these two scopes dual mounted

This was last year when I woke at 2 in the morning, couldn't get back to sleep, saw the stars through the toilet window and thought why not?

Malcolm

[gorann]

Just got my dual-RASA rig in action, unfortunately the bl-dy moon is quite near but I hope the IDAS NBZ dual band filters will keep it under control. I am iaming at a possible but hardly ever imaged PN.

CS, Göran

[Sunshine]

14 minutes ago, gorann said:

Just got my dual-RASA rig in action, unfortunately the bl-dy moon is quite near but I hope the IDAS NBZ dual band filters will keep it under control. I am iaming at a possible but hardly ever imaged PN.

CS, Göran

Monumental, how does this work? do you collect data on one object then combine? this is an imagers dream.

[gorann]

8 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Monumental, how does this work? do you collect data on one object then combine? this is an imagers dream.

Yes so far both have been aimed at the same FOV with the same filter, to double the integration time, but there are the options, like using different filters or an instant two frame mosaic.

[tomato]

For the instant two frame mosaic, do you physically align the scopes to cover the two panels?

I could try this with my Esprit’s, now that they both have OSC cameras on board.

[gorann]

1 hour ago, tomato said:

For the instant two frame mosaic, do you physically align the scopes to cover the two panels?

I could try this with my Esprit’s, now that they both have OSC cameras on board.

Actully I have not tried it yet Steve. It struck me that it was simpler to have them aligned and keep them that way and then let them both take the next frame of the mosaic. Takes the same amount of time. So if I would have them do different things it would probably be different filters, doing HaOiiiRGB. Still to be tried out.

[Sunshine]

Excited about great seeing and tolerable temperatures tonight!

 

Update: now, after a most perfect star test, only minutes later clouds roll in, I could cry in the fetal position!

Edited February 9, 2022 by Sunshine

[Dave scutt]

Been using the refractor last few times it's been clear tonight I thought the dob needs to come out as well, will try and do some imaging through my phone on both.

[wimvb]

From my observatory security camera just now. Targeting ngc 2403, 15 minutes before a scheduled automatic flip.

At the very right edge of this image you can just see @Firas telescope aiming at the same galaxy.

Edited February 10, 2022 by wimvb

[AMcD]

Targeting the Rosette after three hours on NGC1931.  If it stays clear SGPro is set up to move the scope to M97 at about 1am.  I hope to be in bed by then 😴

[Paz]

The VX14 was out tonight  doing a bit of dso hunting around the moon (!) in Gemini, Auriga, and Orion with a 31mm Nagler and Paracorr 2, then a bit of lunar with a 1.7x GPC, binoviewers and 17.3mm Delos.

[wimvb]

This night's automated meridian flip in Ekos. Unfortunately a hickup in the video feed from the observatory camera.

The video starts 10 seconds before the last pre-flip exposure is complete, and ends 10 seconds after the first post-flip exposure starts.

The flip consists of:

• halt exposure sequence
• halt guiding
• meridian flip (of course)
• alignment (2 plate solves)
• continue guiding
• continue exposure sequence

 

[Budgie1]

I finally got a clear night and managed to setup just after Sunset.

First image is the setup imaging M33 and looking to my West at the snow covered hills.

This is the view to the North with a haze of Aurora visible above the horizon.

Edited February 10, 2022 by Budgie1

[markse68]

my new observatory on the roof- it’s the old lift motor room and is very convenient. Bit windy up here though- even the new G11 was struggling a bit. Still, good to be out and doing it

Mark

[badhex]

First clear night in weeks! Got a good three hours before the clouds crept in, as seen here:

[OK Apricot]

Until I get out to a more suitable location, the back garden, the fortress of orange, will have to do... 

[Froeng]

3 hours ago, OK Apricot said:

Until I get out to a more suitable location, the back garden, the fortress of orange, will have to do... 

looking good! At least it’s not blue LEDs!

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Typically the weeks of cloud broke during a 97% moon and 20mph winds however itching to try the Skymax 127, on went a plastic RDF and Skywatcher dielectric 1.25" diagonal dug out of the accessories bag. Teamed with the AZ5, the Skymax cooled down very quickly. A brief session was spent on the patio and I wasn't disappointed. My widest fov ep is an Altair 24mm 65° UFF and the lunar disk was nicely framed. The Skymax will see plenty of use on lunar during the brighter spring & summer nights.

Edited February 15, 2022 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[Toltec]

Looks like I have the same pair as you ScouseSpaceCadet, I tend to have a 23mm Axiom LX in the Altair and a 8-24mm Baader zoom in the Skymax.

[Ian McCallum]

Last night, doing some lunar imaging... 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

12 minutes ago, Toltec said:

Looks like I have the same pair as you ScouseSpaceCadet, I tend to have a 23mm Axiom LX in the Altair and a 8-24mm Baader zoom in the Skymax.

A complimentary combination. 👍 I did own an OVL Hyperflex zoom but just could not get on with it when I owned a Skymax 102... Is that a AZEQ5 mount?

[Toltec]

24 minutes ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

A complimentary combination. 👍 I did own an OVL Hyperflex zoom but just could not get on with it when I owned a Skymax 102... Is that a AZEQ5 mount?

Yes, AZEQ5 with the pedestal tripod and one extension, I have a couple more extensions and might try it with one more, but for the moment just the one gives a good saddle height for observing right up to high altitudes with a seat six inches off the ground.