NEOWISE, Carbon treats and more

[Stardaze]

So at long last, a clear evening forecast. Had a most enjoyable couple of hours hopping around the skies last night. I haven't been able to see Neowise before and so managed to bag her once it was dark enough. Just visible by sight too but at 187x I managed a really good view.

Jupiter was up early 'between the houses' so caught an early viewing of her, yet Saturn, being a touch lower, seemed to be affected with atmospherics quite a lot and didn't magnify well beyond 98x.

I haven't viewed any carbon stars before, so had made a note of T-Lyrae, La Superba and the Garnet Star. All stood out well against the background, so no problems finding any of them, if anything, the last one didn't seem so impressive, but I'll have a read around them a bit more later.

I felt that by midnight, viewing was very good.. I could see the Milky Way from my Bortle 5 backyard visually, which was a first. M13 really showed well, I must have had 3 separate hops to it, where the propeller was very clear and distinct. Epsilon Lyrae split very well too but I still couldn't split Zeta Herculis. Whilst in Lyra it's always rude not to have a look, or two, of M57. The mag 12 star next to it was nice and clear too, which has become a good test for me. 

 

There really is a lot on view at the moment and I feel far more adept at hopping around the sky, with and without my little atlas (best purchase that!) One last thing that I caught whilst packing away was part of the capricornids shower 😃

One thing though: is anyone using an eyepatch? I read a recommendation to use one somewhere recently. Had neighbours lit window in view last night whilst viewing in the west. I do like to keep both eyes open and normally drape a hoodie over my used eye. 

Edited July 20, 2020 by Stardaze

[Marvin Jenkins]

I have tried an eye patch as I find myself holding my left eyelid closed with my hand for some reason so I relax my facial muscles and right eye for observing.

Someone else on here was saying that they also move the patch over there observing eye when looking at charts or phone screens to protect the observing eye, which seems like a good idea.

I find an observing hood to be the best compromise as it only needs to be a dark coloured cloth over your head and eyepiece.

[Stardaze]

11 minutes ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

I have tried an eye patch as I find myself holding my left eyelid closed with my hand for some reason so I relax my facial muscles and right eye for observing.

Someone else on here was saying that they also move the patch over there observing eye when looking at charts or phone screens to protect the observing eye, which seems like a good idea.

I find an observing hood to be the best compromise as it only needs to be a dark coloured cloth over your head and eyepiece.

Do you mean just a 'hoodie' draped over, or is there a specific 'observing hood'?

[Marvin Jenkins]

Wouldn’t surprise me if you could buy a specific Astro hood, but a simple dark cloth about the size of a medium towel would do the trick.

[Stardaze]

1 minute ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

Wouldn’t surprise me if you could buy a specific Astro hood, but a simple dark cloth about the size of a medium towel would do the trick.

As silly as that sounds to me, I wouldn't be surprised either 😆

[Marvin Jenkins]

The only annoying thing about just using a piece of dark cloth is if you were using a newt. The close proximity of the focuser to the open end of the OTA means you get some of the cloth in the way of the view.

However, taping or velcro the cloth to the OTA above the focuser would solve that problem.

[John]

Nice report

You may be doing even better than you think around M57 - I think that star near it is mag 13:

 

[Stardaze]

20 minutes ago, John said:

Nice report

You may be doing even better than you think around M57 - I think that star near it is mag 13:

 

Thanks John. I think those inside though are pushing it a bit! Good to know where the limitations are. I'm slowly learning 'to see'.

[Nyctimene]

Have a look here:

https://r-sky.org/en/products/observing-hood

Very pleased with it, no strain, no need to swap the eyepatch location.

Sometimes slight fogging on the eyepiece.

Stephan