First Light with full moon

[Nyctimene]

During the last three nights, I was out with my newly acquired scope, a Skywatcher Heritage 130 P Flextube ( Dob No. 5 - as it seems, I can get not enough of them; but a very understanding and supporting wife!). Conditions were not the best, slight to moderate haze, seeing at average. Last night, I started from Mare Crisium; small craters as Fahrenheit and Picard Y could be spotted easily. Nearby Firmicus and the adjacent Lacus Perseverantia were distinct. Langrenus; the crater trio Bilharz, Atwood and Naonobu was complemented by a nice craterlet area. Petavius showed its central mountain and a prominent rille. In Mare Fecunditatis, Messier and Messier A displayed the "parrot"-shape, with ejection material plumes perpendicular to the two long "tail"  rays. I finished with Plato, and was able to make out two craterlets on its floor. - Saturn showed the Cassini division, but just at the ansae.  The "double double" was easily separated. All observations were made with the Seben Zoom 24-8 mm and a Baader 2,25x Barlow, giving mags of up to 182x.

I am very pleased with the little scope - the quality of it's optics is excellent, giving perfect Airy discs and diffraction patterns. The slop of the helical focuser was easily cured by 5x1cm PTFE plumber's tape. Vibrations stop after three to four seconds; and the collimation is spot on, when re-and extracting the upper part of the OTA. The secondary is somewhat prone to dew (mostly from exhaled moisture, which I afterwards directed sidewards with the palm of my hand). So some minor improvements have to be done. A very good scope for outreach and as a second (-or third-) grab-and-go. Very contented, and so to bed.

Thanks for reading.

Stephan

 

[Pig]

Nice report Stephan, its great to see you are getting some quality time under the stars ?

[MarsG76]

Nice report, looks like you could pick out quite a bit of detail for a hazy night.

[Pondus]

Nice report Stephan.

Have the same Scope. Good optics, nicely priced .

Excellent for Shorter sessions, also added plumber tape on focuser, and will add a home made 'light shroud' before NeXT season starts.

 

Rune

[Astro Imp]

Great report Stephan, you picked out some nice detail on our neighbour.

 

[Richard Hather]

Lovely report Stephan a really enjoyable read ?

My wife only allows me one scope ?