Jupiter and the ISS 25/05/2017

[Swoop1]

Last night I decided to have a brief session (my first ever after dark shorts, t shirt and flip flops session!). It had to be brief as my morning alarm precludes being too late to bed.

Considering the heat of the day, the seeing at about 22:30 was very good, with Jupiter clear and stable in the eyepiece. The Galilean moons looked like they were trying to do an impression of Cassiopeia. Definition in the bands was quite sharp.

What I really want is to get Saturn but, as previously mentioned, the morning alarm time precludes this for a little while. I shall have to be patient.

I had a go for M5 but was unable to locate it. The combination of light pollution and lack of sufficient flexibility in my neck made getting the scope on target impossible. Role on the end of July when in influx of funds (getting a year older related) will mean the purchase of a Telrad/ Rigel quickfinder.

Time was by now getting on so I started to pack away. At this point (about 23:15) I looked up to the west and saw a very bright object moving across the sky. I watched for a few seconds to see if anything started to flash but it didn't. Suspecting it was the ISS, I ran inside and grabbed my binoculars and started to look. I soon found the object. Still very bright and large in the EP's. I am positive I saw the object briefly resolve into two slightly separated bright points which makes me think even more that I was observing the ISS. This object remained extremely bright for the whole of its transit across my visible sky.

All in all, a satisfying 45 minutes.

[Littleguy80]

Nice report  

I got a Telrad this month, also related to getting a year older, and it's been a really big help. I bought a copy of the S&T Pocket Sky Atlas which includes a scale for the Telrad circles. I copied these onto a clear piece of plastic which I can then move about the Atlas to figure out what I should see in the Telrad. All tips I got off other members on here

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Swoop1 said:

I am positive I saw the object briefly resolve into two slightly separated bright points which makes me think even more that I was observing the ISS.

You did indeed see ISS, that matches the time it was going right overhead.

We were out observing and missed most of it, just catching the last part of the pass. Fortunately we were still there 90 ish minutes later when it did another great pass!

Bed at 1.45am, alarm went off at 6.30am! Normally 6am but I had a lie in knowing the traffic would be lighter today  

[Bruce Leeroy]

1 hour ago, Swoop1 said:

Time was by now getting on so I started to pack away. At this point (about 23:15)

I saw that too....and I saw the same at 00:45, just posted a screenshot from a video...i'll post it here too

White ring is the sattelite/iss and the white/red ring is just a star. It was very very bright as it appeared and dimmed as it headed east.

[Grotemobile]

3 hours ago, Swoop1 said:

What I really want is to get Saturn but, as previously mentioned, the morning alarm time precludes this for a little while. I shall have to be patient.

I got up this morning @ 0400 to image it. Jumping all over the place. Bit disappointed . Best I got was this fuzzy image

[Swoop1]

Thats a better look than I have had.....

[Grotemobile]

9 hours ago, Swoop1 said:

Thats a better look than I have had.....

Hi. This is the image I got last year of Saturn. A lot of difference in the atmospheric conditions this year.

[jjosefsen]

Haven't been much active myself the last 3 months and the first report I read when i log back into SGL is from you Swoop, great to see you are still at it!

Seeing as we started this at roughly the same time and have the same gear, have you had any luck observing galaxies?

I just can't manage to find them myself, other than Andromeda that is!

[Swoop1]

14 hours ago, jjosefsen said:

Haven't been much active myself the last 3 months and the first report I read when i log back into SGL is from you Swoop, great to see you are still at it!

Seeing as we started this at roughly the same time and have the same gear, have you had any luck observing galaxies?

I just can't manage to find them myself, other than Andromeda that is!

Galaxy wise, not a lot of luck. I have observed Andromeda and, I believe at least two of the Leo triplets. I have however had luck with the Orion Nebula (though not difficult really!) and the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules.

What made it easier for the Globular Cluster was acquiring a 40mm eyepiece of good quality which made locating the object much easier. The next acquisition will be a Telrad or Rigel Quickfinder. I find the supplied finder scope on the 150P awkward to use at times, depending on where I have the scope pointing.