DEC 15TH - JUPITER & SATURN - VICTORY FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT!

[paulastro]

Went to Penistone Hill again, the conditions had been good before I left home.  When I arrived at 3.30, my enthusiasm dampened as ominous dark clouds came over the summit toward me.

Set up the AZ5 and mounted the SW 72ED, aligning the finder and locking on focus with the Baader zoom and x2 barlow so I'd be ready if it cleared. It started to rain so I covered the mount and carried the scope into the car.

It rained heavily for most of the next two hours.  At about 4.40, with dark clouds Iin the wrong place the rain relented. Some small clear patches looked as if they may just go close to where the planets should be, at around 5 degrees altitude at my local horizon.

Following the small patches, at just gone 5,  I glimpsed Jupiter with my 10x50s - what good fortune! Then, Saturn too.  My mount was only yards away, in less than a minute I had the scope on the mount, whipped off the end caps and my eye at the eyepiece.  I only had about 3/4 minutes on and off views, in and out of the cloud - boy, did I enjoy my unexpected success.  In the clear the view was wonderful the planets framed nicely with the zoom on 20mm and the x2 barlow.  Very pleased I didnt give up before I had my lucky break.

At 5.05, according to SkySafari, the distance between Jupiter and Saturn was 40' 49.1".

 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by paulastro
10x50s, not 19x50s 🙂