6 of the 8 - and the SW WiFi Adapter - 4th Sep 2020

[Captain Scarlet]

After what has seemed like weeks with floor-to-ceiling cloud, last night was forecast clear enough for me to bother with dragging out the Berlebach Planet, AZ-EQ6 and Skymax 180. I didn't consider the 12" newt owing to the 90%+ Moon.

I also used my new Skywatcher SynScan WiFi adapter for the second time, and my God what an improvement over the normal handset! I actually quite like the handset, it just works. But the WiFi adapter in combination with SkyWaycher's SynScan Pro App (on my iPhone) is a world apart in convenience and utility. The App gives more options for Alt-Az star alignment, i.e. 3-star alignment, and choosing the alignment objects is really nice. You choose all 3 at the same time, and once chosen it then slews around to them in order. I couldn't work out initially why sometimes it was refusing to accept me telling it "I'm centred", but I quickly realised it needs the final arrow-presses to be up and right before it'll accept. Very nice indeed, I wholeheartedly recommend it. And once aligned, GoTo accuracy was the best I've ever managed. I was able to easily navigate around at nothing more than plastic RDF and 466x (2800mm focal length + delos 6mm)

Anyway, on to the observing. There were bands of thin cloud moving through, and of course the Moon was just off Full, so Planets and Doubles were my only fodder.

Jupiter and Moons was nice, but I have yet to see the GRS and anything more than the two main equatorial bands. GRS was not on show tonight anyway.

Saturn seemed better, and I imagined I had a glimpse of the Cassini Division, but only fleeting. But I saw and noted Titan and Iapetus and one of the others for my first time.

Mars was a large but wobbly disc, no useful detail on view, and by the time it got later and higher, it had its own personal belt of cloud hising its modesty.

However, Uranus and Neptune were my best views yet I think. They were each distinctly blue and green, and each distinctly a disc. very satisfying.

And of course for number 6 I just looked between my feet .

I finished off by comparing Albireo with Almach, and once again, Almach won. The blue/yellows on each of these are quite, quite beautiful though.

2am finish.

Cheers, Magnus

 

[markse68]

Sounds like a good session Magnus- just had one myself- very rewarding

I agree re Almach

I keep forgetting Uranus and Neptune- next time