An evening dodging clouds with the AZ-EQ6

[JeremyS]

The AZ-EQ6 arrived from FLO on Tues. Last night was its first outing, meeting up in a field often used by the Chester AS. The day had been sunny with deep blue skies, but en route it clouded over, of course! Set the mount up in AZ mode on the Berlebach Planet tripod and a C9.25 and waited for dark whist relaxing with a can of beer (astronomy has to be relaxing 😊). The flight of several skeins of geese moving from one field to, presumably, their overnight roosting spot which they do this every evening at dusk at the moment, signaled it was time to do the 2-star alignment, which was really easy (experience with the AZ-GTi helped).

Had to make do with gaps in the cloud, but this is where a GOTO really helps: “there’s a gap in Andromeda, let’s head there!. Jupiter and Saturn were remarkably good and reasonably stable – probably the best views this season. Added two further planets: Neptune and Uranus. As the conditions weren’t brilliant, I’d already decided I wanted to observe some globulars, so I caught M2, M56, M71, M72, M15. I was really impressed with M2 – it’s been quite a few years since I seen it. Also threw in a few planetary nebulae: NGC 7009, M27, M57. Oh, and M11 the wild duck. 

Complete cloud at 1 AM brought a stop to proceedings, so it was a matter of loading up the car and driving the 15 minutes home. An evening that had started poorly, yielded quite a bag of objects and I felt worth the effort.

[Daniel-K]

a little bit frustrating given how nice it was yesterday, i managed to get a time lapse at Alwen dam last night. Nice report though and hopefully a few more hours of clear sky of the weekend 

[laudropb]

Very nice report of a productive session Jeremy.  Still no luck here. I have not had a clear sky since early July.

[Stu]

Excellent session Jeremy. I do like the AZEQ6 mounts, really stable and easy to use. A bit heavy but manageable. The Berlebach tripod will help with stability too.

[cotterless45]

Excellent report , cloud dodging here . Settled on 15 minutes of M11. Trying all my eyepieces out . What a gorgeous view ! 

Heres hoping for clear skies !

Nick.

[wookie1965]

Love that tripod looks rock steady. Nice report I would like dodge clouds all I have had is cloud cloud cloud.

[JeremyS]

23 hours ago, Stu said:

Excellent session Jeremy. I do like the AZEQ6 mounts, really stable and easy to use. A bit heavy but manageable. The Berlebach tripod will help with stability too.

 

18 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

Love that tripod looks rock steady. Nice report I would like dodge clouds all I have had is cloud cloud cloud.

Indeed, the Berlebach Planet tripod makes an excellent support for the AZ-EQ6.

Took the set-up to the Chester AS summer social last night. Lost count of the number of times I was asked about the tripod. It's also the first time that somebody has come up to me and said "can I touch your tripod please" 🙂

Saw loads of objects, but the public's favourite was Saturn and M13. The event was on a village playing field and there were quite a few teenagers hanging around or knocking a ball about. They were all invited for a look at the gas giants and were amazed 🙂

[wookie1965]

I have been looking for one for my mount but I need a bigger mount this EQ5 just is not big enough to hold my Meade 127 maybe when I get a HEQ5 or the EQ6 I will get one for that. They are beautiful engineered and lovely to look at.

If I took my set up to my local park Id be beat up and all my stuff nicked I would really like to move been here 32 yrs lovely when first here but they built new houses at the back of me and there is loads of yobs just hanging around.

You dare not put your bin out the night before it will be pinched took over the park and set fired to.

Here is my set up.