Ophiuchus disappointment

[wookie1965]

Kicked off at 10.30 aligned with Arcturus and Vega while I was there checked M57 there it was bang in the middle (This 2" tripod is much sturdier) went to M13 disappointed here but think it was the seeing all I could see was a blob.

On to Ophicuhus M9, M10, M12, M14, M19 and M62 either they where too low behind the houses opposite me or I just could not see them but never seen a one.

NGC 6633 This was a lovely open cluster and at last I have seen something.

IC 4665 lovely open cluster of blue stars 

NGC 6572 I thought this was a cluster and could only see like a thumb print blob until I went back to my lists and realised it was a planetary nebula I was well chuffed getting this.

Double stars next and I had a list of 8 managed to get two split and Marfik was not one of them I could not split it.

70 Ophiuchi (SAO 1231 07)  Nice pair of orange stars easily split with my 15mm

Σ2276 (SAO 1033 73)  Twin white pair here.

M5  just a tight blob here must be the seeing.

IC 4756 "Graph`s Cluster"  this was the highlight of my night really brilliant wide cluster stars everywhere.

Finished off with Albireo and thought Cygnus that is well placed away from houses I will get a list together for that and Lyra for next time.

[John]

Sounds like the seeing was poor wookie.

Those globulars are usually rather nice even with 100mm of aperture.

Sounds like you did still get some nice stuff though

Sometimes it goes like that. I could not find Comet Panstarrs last night although it should have been visible with my scope. I gave up in the end and went onto the Cats Eye and Blinking planetary nebulae which were nice to observe and easily found.

 

 

[wookie1965]

Thanks John, 

           I did wonder if it is this scope I could do with someone else looking through it I have great views with the Tal, but no two nights are the same so cannot compare. Could do with a side by side comparison. 

Paul 

Edited May 27, 2020 by wookie1965

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Not too bad a night Paul using a 100mm scope in Bortle 8(?) with no astro darkness?

It was a bit milky, but during the early hours, the sky cleared totally & was great for the time of year. I had a fine time with the binoculars.

 

Edited May 27, 2020 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[wookie1965]

38 minutes ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Not too bad a night Paul using a 100mm scope in Bortle 8(?) with no astro darkness?

It was a bit milky, but during the early hours, the sky cleared totally & was great for the time of year. I had a fine time with the binoculars.

 

No I had my 127mm out I was just saying I have had better views with my Tal. Like I said I could do with a side by side comparison. 

I am not getting the views I thought I would but it could be very well be the seeing. 

How do I find out what my bortle is I've never known. 

Edited May 27, 2020 by wookie1965

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

1 minute ago, wookie1965 said:

No I had my 127mm out I was just saying I have had better views with my Tal. Like I said I could do with a side by side comparison. 

I am not getting the views I thought I would but it could be very well be the seeing. 

How do I find out what my bortle is I've never known. 

Install Clear Outside on your phone and add your location.

[Stu]

2 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

No I had my 127mm out I was just saying I have had better views with my Tal. Like I said I could do with a side by side comparison. 

I am not getting the views I thought I would but it could be very well be the seeing. 

How do I find out what my bortle is I've never known. 

That’s a shame Paul. Didn’t you have some problems with it when you first got it? How does the collimation look?

Easiest thing is to check your Naked Eye Limiting Magnitude near the zenith, you can estimate your Bortle rating from that. Seeing will affect the higher power views of the biggest globs too though I guess.

[wookie1965]

35 minutes ago, Stu said:

That’s a shame Paul. Didn’t you have some problems with it when you first got it? How does the collimation look?

Easiest thing is to check your Naked Eye Limiting Magnitude near the zenith, you can estimate your Bortle rating from that. Seeing will affect the higher power views of the biggest globs too though I guess.

Yes Stu the crown and flint where the wrong way round, collimation looks OK with and without the diagonal. 

It's quite good on double stars but I do notice at higher mags it will not focus I get rings, open clusters are ok just seems to be galaxies and globular. M31 looks awful just a bright mess no distinguishing features and no chance of seeing satellite galaxies. 

I don't even recognise M82 and M82 in it. The Tal is much much better I originally got this for tighter doubles and galaxies. 

I definitely need someone more accustomed to looking through achro's give me a verdict. 

[wookie1965]

2 hours ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Install Clear Outside on your phone and add your location.

According to the app bortle 6 not sure whether that's good or bad. 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

https://astrobackyard.com/the-bortle-scale/

6 is quite a bit better than my paltry 8.

Not bad considering your location.

 

[wookie1965]

I do have this to contend with.

[Jiggy 67]

16 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

According to the app bortle 6 not sure whether that's good or bad. 

I’d take some of these Bortle ratings with a pinch of salt. Clear Outside says I’m a 6 but another but when I access Clear Outside via Xasteria it says I’m an 8 so I settle on 7 😀

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Jiggy 67

[John]

44 minutes ago, Jiggy 67 said:

I’d take some of these Bortle ratings with a pinch of salt. Clear Outside says I’m a 6 but another but when I access Clear Outside via Xasteria it says I’m an 8 so I settle on 7 😀

 

True enough. My sky seems to vary between Bortle 5 or even 4 on a really good night towards the zenith and probably as bad as 8 looking towards Bristol or Newport / Cardiff.

According to Clear Outside I'm a 5.

 

[jetstream]

20 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

No I had my 127mm out I was just saying I have had better views with my

What type of scope is the 127?

 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

4 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

I do have this to contend with.

The LED streetlamp or the alien space probe hovering under it? 

Joking aside can't you screen that lamp with a tarp on poles or something?

[wookie1965]

2 hours ago, jetstream said:

What type of scope is the 127?

 

A Meade LXD 55 EMC

[wookie1965]

1 hour ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

The LED streetlamp or the alien space probe hovering under it? 

Joking aside can't you screen that lamp with a tarp on poles or something?

I have tried that but its so bright, I thought of making a hood on a long pole to hook over the light but it is hard getting it up there.  The council in there infinite wisdom came and put a shield on like a chocolate ashtray