Steady seeing AND good transparency tonight

[John]

Quite an unusual combination tonight which is allowing my Takahashi 100 super views of Mars 1 day past it's opposition AND some nice galaxy catches as well.

M31 and the Double Cluster are naked eye visible quite easily. Mars sharp and contrasty at 257x and 300x with the Tak. Lots of S hemisphere detail to unravel.

Over in Andromeda, Mirach's Ghost (NGC404), a mag 11 galaxy was visible at 65x. That can be tough in smaller apertures because of it's proximity to the mag 2 star. In Cassiopeia the gorgeous triple star Iota is a textbook three way split. 

Spoiled for choice in these conditions even with"just" 100mm of aperture.

Wind is a bit blustery but the slim Tak on the Skytee II is not really bothered by that. Hope these conditions continue for a while longer

 

[John]

Got the ED120 refractor out as well now

I reckon I've had some glimpses of Deimos which is mag 11.5 or so and around 50 arc seconds SW of Mars just now. Phobos is brighter but much closer to Mars - around 20 arc seconds apart. Mars glow is drowning Phobos out. Need high power to pull these faint specks out of the background sky with Mars in the vicinity - 300x or more.

Back in Andromeda and at much lower magnification I've picked up Messier 33 quite nicely. 65x (Delos 14mm) shows uneven brightness across the galaxies face and is enough to pick out the HII star forming region NGC 604 which lies within the outer arms of the galaxy. This small patch of light lies close to a magnitude 11 foreground star.

Apparently NGC 604 is over 40x as extensive as the Orion Nebula and over 6,000 times more luminous. It would look an amazing sight if it was within our galaxy !

[johninderby]

Clouds, clouds and more clouds here. 🤬

[RobertI]

Nice report, sounds like good seeing and transparent skies -awesome. So many things to see! Ironically I am missing tonight’s clear skies as I am working late to clear my work backlog so I can attend Kelling Heath for a couple of nights (which will probably be cloudy!).   
 

NGC604 is truly huge! 

[globular]

Sounds like a good night.

Have you heard about the supernova in NGC 514, if you like such things?

[JeremyS]

Good to hear, @John.

nice conditions here too. Not the best transparency, but very steady. No wind. Got the Tak FC 100 DZ out on Mars. This is its first proper run under good seeing. Simply stunning. Mind you I’ve also got the FS 102 out too. I’ve commented before that my best views of Mars were with this scope in 2003. Tbh there’s nothing to choose between them. As you said, good stuff comes from a 4-inch scope!

[John]

9 minutes ago, globular said:

Sounds like a good night.

Have you heard about the supernova in NGC 514, if you like such things?

I've just looked that one up. One for my 12 inch dob I think. It's currently listed as mag 14.1 which is a touch beyond my Tak 100 and ED120 tonight I think, despite the good conditions.

I do like to have a peek at supernovae when possible - thanks for the "heads up"

A bank of cloud is headed my way by the look of it so I'd better pop back out and make the best of it !

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by John

[John]

Ooops !!!

Posted by mistake - forgot that I'm not a mod any more so can't delete it !

Edited October 14, 2020 by John

[globular]

The jet stream was absent last night, tonight and forecast for the next new days too. It coincided with a short period of no cloud for me last night and I was as excited then as you sound now. No luck with clouds here tonight though, sadly.

edit: well you did sound excited until you deleted the post, haha

Edited October 14, 2020 by globular

[David Levi]

The seeing is excellent in Cardiff tonight. As you said @John , a bit blustery but not affecting the view of Mars. The best I've ever seen it. Binoviewing at about 250x (100mm refractor), the dark feature Sirenum (?) is very well defined and the south polar ice cap is bright and round.

Edited October 14, 2020 by David Levi

[scarp15]

Ideal conditions and applying good magnification, interesting that you managed to glimpse Deimos 120mm refractor and had grasped Mirach's Ghost in your 100mm refractor. A bit different in the N/E, had been chucking it down, puddles formed on top of the VX8L scope cover. Not a particular stable image of Mars, 10mm Delos 120x is doing OK, Mare Sirenum into Mare Cimmerium conveying good contrast though, when not completely clouded over. Olympus Mons had been prominent I expect much larger aperture, high power is needed perhaps?

[John]

Thanks for the comments / feedback folks 

I've packed in for the night as it was getting cold and the clouds were building.

I rounded off with the Tak 100 on Mars again, Neptune, Uranus, and then splitting Theta Aurigae and finally Castor as it was rising in the East. 

All in all a very enjoyable and varied session with these two refractors

Next clear night I'll get the dob out to have another go at Phobos and Deimos and also maybe that supernova.

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by John

[Mark at Beaufort]

A very enjoyable read John. I just used my Apollo 15x70 binos and check out a few favourites + added the 2 UHC filters and viewed the Helix, Packman and the Veil - all very nice.

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

8 hours ago, globular said:

Have you heard about the supernova in NGC 514, if you like such things?

Thanks for that 'heads up' - its worth a go with my 12"