Astronomical wanderings

[mikeDnight]

As yet another glorious day drew to a close, I set my Tak DZ on its mount in the obsy to cool ready for a night of double star exploring. As the Sun dropped behind the high tree line to my west I rolled back the roof and scanned the sky for Venus. The sky was still very bright, as although the Sun had set from my location, it was still well above the actual horizon. Within only a few seconds I'd found the planet and rapidly aimed the scope at it. The view was excellent with surprisingly steady seeing. I first looked at Venus using a 35mm Ultima and saw the most perfect little crescent holding onto a darkened globe, while set against a blue sky. It was a bit of a wow moment! Even the little 6X30 Tak finder showed the perfect crescent of Venus as its now quite a large object.

DZ getting all excited like a dog waiting to go walkies.

Premature sunset.

 

 

Venus in the DZ showed a silver white, ice cold image, and was razor sharp. The dusky cloud tops were in stark contrast to the brilliant silver limb and especially the piercingly sharp cusps/horns.  The planet's illuminated side at higher power appeared grey compared to the limb, but the greyness was not uniform. Leading away from the terminator were gentle whisps of deeper grey shadings divided in places with lighter areas. The darkest regions were where the terminator meets the bright polar regions. Using the Wrattan 15 yellow filter which is supposedly ideal for viewing Venus, I remained unimpressed, as it did little if anything to improve the contrast. However, the Wrattan 80A light blue filter was something else. With the 80A which helps highlight brighter areas, the darker cloud tops stood out well. Usually I have little difficulty in seeing the cloud detail on Venus without using any filters, but the 80A did enhance the view on this occasion. 

 

Clouds temporarily stopped play. Later in the evening however the sky was as clear as a bell. I spent some time finding a few double stars, then ended the evening checking out a couple of summer delights, M13 and M57. M13 was a bit lacklustre as there was a low gibbous moon now flooding the sky with its light, but when I increased the power using my 3.4mm HR giving 235X, the globular burst into an explosion of countless stars set against a nebulous backdrop. Glorious - and its going to get better! M57 revealed its 13.2 mag companion star just outside the nebulous smoke ring. Then the double double and Albireo before my darling wife came to tell me it was getting late and I'd played out long enough.

Now I'm no double star expert but only a tinkerer. The sketches below show the eyepiece view but without the colour, as I've no idea how to do colour in negative. Perhaps I should have made colour sketches on a white background!  The view is also prism reversed just to make things more awkward, but the basic idea of what the doubles were like is still there. I suppose the eyepiece view is always going to have a power about it that no drawing could ever replicate. Something for me to work on!

 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by mikeDnight

[paulastro]

Sounds like you had an excellent evening Mike, great drawings.  I was just suprised you only included three pics of your scope 😄. 

[Alan White]

Great report Mike, but I do feel a bit light on Tak appreciation this time.
Some more picture, just for @paulastro, you know it makes sense 😄

As to the 80a filter, I agree, sometimes that light blue does tease a wee bit more out of Venus.
I don't have a yellow filter, so cannot comment on this option, but sounds like it is just as well that I don't.

Lucky you getting out last night, I was very tempted, I could put a tripod out without danger of falling down a very large hole at last,
but alas, the comfy sofa won again, probably the VE Day refreshments assisted in this call too.

 

[Stu]

Lovely stuff Mike, a very pleasant evening by the sounds of it. I’ll dig out my coloured filters and see if I can see anything further on Venus, nothing but the vaguest of something so far.

[mikeDnight]

2 hours ago, paulastro said:

Sounds like you had an excellent evening Mike, great drawings.  I was just suprised you only included three pics of your scope 😄. 

 

2 hours ago, Alan White said:

Great report Mike, but I do feel a bit light on Tak appreciation this time.
Some more picture, just for @paulastro, you know it makes sense 😄

 

I wouldnt like to disappoint anyone, so here's another totally pointless scope pic to satisfy the Tak appreciation society. 😊

Not as big as it looks in the pic.

Edited May 9, 2020 by mikeDnight

[JeremyS]

11 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

I wouldnt like to disappoint anyone, so here's another totally pointless scope pic to satisfy the Tak appreciation society. 😊

Yup, that worked, Mike 🙂

 

[JeremyS]

30 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

wouldnt like to disappoint anyone, so here's another totally pointless scope pic to satisfy the Tak appreciation society.

Have you thought about producing a Tak calendar for 2021?

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Have you thought about producing a Tak calendar for 2021?

I ain't taking my shirt off unless there's money in it! 

[paulastro]

Well Mike, that's a mighty relief for all of us I'm sure!  🤮

[mikeDnight]

I could do a calendar of SGT caricatures for 2021. That would be one sure way of making enemies, as everyone can see how each caricature resembles the other person, but not their own. Of course I would never intend offence, but it never seems to stop it being taken. I only ever focus on a person's more endearing features! 👃👂👀