Observations using SkySafari 5 plus

[ejp1684]

While spending a few hours observing last night, I suddenly remembered SkySafai has the option to make notes. Thought I'd try it out, and found it very easy to use. Once a target is selected, just open the information window, then tap the three dots bottom right. This gives the option to Create New Observation which is then added to an existing Observing List (I had to go back and create one). You can then add comments and set Transparency and Seeing (which I forgot to do!). When I finished I sent the list to my email address. Here's a selection of how the report looks.

List: Fri Mar 24 2017

Pinwheel Cluster - Messier 36
(Open Cluster in Auriga)
Observed: 24 Mar 2017, 21:02:21
Comment: Good with 12mm and reducer. Easily see the ten 9 and 10 mag stars. 
Seeing: 3
Transparency: 2

Messier 37
(Open Cluster in Auriga)
Observed: 24 Mar 2017, 21:14:04
Comment: Good with 12mm and reducer. Lots of light pollution. 
Seeing: 3
Transparency: 2

Messier 35
(Open Cluster in Gemini)
Observed: 24 Mar 2017, 22:01:40
Comment: Ok but not as interesting as other clusters. 
Seeing: 3
Transparency: 2

Eskimo Nebula - NGC 2392
(Planetary Nebula in Gemini)
Observed: 24 Mar 2017, 22:12:57
Comment: Looks like a star with fog around it in 7mm Xcel. 
Seeing: 3
Transparency: 2

It would be nice to be able to make sketches, but not very practical on an iPad in the middle of the night...

Eric.

[Knighty2112]

Nice report. Skysafari is a great app. I have the Pro version and now use it to control my mount and scope via wifi with either my iPad Air, or iPhone 6+, which make selecting targets so easy. What scope did you use for these observations? The Eskimo can be seen quite easily, but depending on sky conditions and magnification may appear small still. Another planetary nebula to try for is the Blue snowball in Andromeda, and the cats eye nebula in Draco. Similar in appearance to the Eskimo nebula. 

[ejp1684]

I'm using a Celestron Evolution 8 and control it with SkySafari. The observations were from my back garden which only lets me see about a quarter of the sky! I was viewing the Eskimo in the glare of fluorescent lights from the flats opposite, and all the heat rising from the building doesn't make for very stable conditions. The comments I made could have been better (and I forgot to set the Transparency and Seeing), but I was just trying it out, I'll use it more effectively next time.

I'll look out for those others you mentioned, thanks for pointing them out.

Eric.

[Paz]

I'm a big fan of sky safari but haven't used the notes facility yet - I'll give it a go.

[Hobbes]

On 25/03/2017 at 09:45, ejp1684 said:

It would be nice to be able to make sketches, but not very practical on an iPad in the middle of the night...

I'm currently experimenting with an App called SketckBook on my iPad Pro for Astro sketching.

Now that you can red screen the whole iPad in Settings-General-Display Accomodations-Colour Filters sketching is a lot more practical.

I'm using a standard touch screen pencil at the moment but may move to an Apple Pencil once they have released to new one.

[ejp1684]

Thanks for that, I'll take a look at it and see how I get on with it.

Eric.

[gtis]

Hi

I use SkySafari 5 pro to control my Celestron evolution 6 and sometimes use the observation list