Back garden observing session 15.02.2018

[Doc]

15.02.2018

Back garden

Skywatcher 120ED Esprit

Delos and Clave eyepieces

Clear skies

Mild wind and cold

 

Started off the night by visiting the Trapezium in Orion. I have visited this so many times and once again tonight bought a smile to my face. I managed to see the "E" star at 10.3 mag. It's strange as "F" is 10.2 mag but I couldn't see that one. The "E" star appeared while using the 4.5mm Delos giving me x186 and showed a clear gap between A & E.

I hadn't set up my Alt/Az encoders and decided to star hop throughout the observing session, it makes good practice, my first target I tried for was the supernova 2018PV in Ngc 3941. I eventually found the area where the galaxy resides but there was no hint of a core and indeed a smudge which would detect where the galaxy was hiding. After about 20 minutes I gave up.

 

Next is a list of the doubles I tried to separate last night:

 

Rigel in Orion, 0.28/6.8, sep 9.5", Split using a 6mm Delos

Algieba ( Gamma Leo), 2.3/3.6, sep 4.7", split using a 4.5mm Delos

Kappa Leo , 4.4/9.7, sep 2.4", Split using 4.5 Delos

38 Lynx, 3.8/6.0, sep 2.5", split using 4.5 Delos

Cor Caroli (Alpha Canes Venacti), 2.8/5.5, sep 19.3", split using 12mm Clave

Alula Borealis (Nu Ursa Major), 3.4/10.1, sep 7.8", very faint but split using 12mm Clave

57 Ursa Major, 5.3/10.6, sep 5.5", split using 6mm Delos

Eta Canis Minor, 5.2/11.1, sep 4.1", Could not split 

Theta Hydra, 2.8/9.9, sep 20", Very faint but split using 6mm Delos

Epsilon Hydra, 3.4/5.0, sep 2.8", Very hard maybe a peanut split using 4.5mm Delos

Delta Hydra, 4.1/10.7, sep 2.7", Very hard but did split using 4.5mm Delos

STF 1254 (Cancer), Lies within M67, 6.4/10.3, sep 20.6", split using 12mm Clave

Epsilon Cancri, Lies within M67, 6.2/7.4, sep 134", Really easy at any eyepiece length

 

I also had a look at M63 the Sunflower Galaxy a Spiral Galaxy in Canes Venacti, this appeared as just a very faint motting of the background, I could not even detect a core or a shape.  

The other galaxy I looked for was M94 another spiral galaxy in Canes Venacti, I had more luck with this one being mag 7.9. It showed a core but I could not detect an edge or a shape.

 

The time was about 22.30 by now so I called it a night.

 

 

 

 

[Paz]

Nice report and lots of targets. How are you getting on with that APM raci diagonal have you managed to get much time in with it?

[Doc]

1 hour ago, Paz said:

Nice report and lots of targets. How are you getting on with that APM raci diagonal have you managed to get much time in with it?

I used it for the observing session last night (one above). I have found it gives a much brighter view, much better colour, it also minimizes the bloating effect you get round stars, they appear as pin pricks. The only negative is the line the prisms produce on brighter stars. If you are splitting stars and the companion star is where the line is you won't see the companion star. The line doesn't show at all on the moon, DSO's, and dimmer stars. I haven't observed planets yet but it really excells on the moon. Another plus point is the correct orientation is perfect, so easy to star hop or moon hop, it's brillaint.

Problem is I have never tried a different one, I just went with the best one I could find so have nothing to compare it to.

[Paz]

Thanks for the update on the APM diagonal. I upgraded my raci diagonal but have kept to 1.25" so I got a williams optics. Compared to my sky watcher it's significantly better. For now I can only fantasise about a 2" set up!

[Doc]

Do you get the line show up on bright stars on your William Optics diagonal Paz?

[mdstuart]

Your old 16 inch scope would have picked up the supernova galaxy..

Miss it?

Mark

[Doc]

1 minute ago, mdstuart said:

Your old 16 inch scope would have picked up the supernova galaxy..

Miss it?

Mark

Yeah loads 

I see you have one now, what's it like?

[mdstuart]

It's great for what I enjoy but I am also jelous of your refractor as I watch the wobbly stars in the trapezium.

 Mark

[Doc]

It's true not one scope does all