2020: Astro-Review

[cloudsweeper]

Although the weather has been grim (UK at least), I still managed 86 decent sessions, so can’t complain much!

Viewing highlights:

# Moon’s “ghost crater” Stadius – obscured by lava flow, easily missed – fine detail, “perforated” rim.

# Moon seen with BVs first time – stunning detail, clarity, contrast.

# Comet Neowise – tail good and clear.

# Best ever views of Mars – lots of albedo difference, southern icecap.

# First 1” split of a double, OΣ418 Cyg – using x318 with the Dob.

# Jupiter/Saturn superconjunction (the day before the closest apparition) – Saturn close to the line of Jupiter’s moons.  (Good thing – it rained the next evening!)

Hardware issues:

# Fiddling with the L-bracket and ED80 Apo dovetail to get the ‘scope stable and accessible on the AZ4 mount – reversed an arm, and tapped a fresh hole.

# Stripped a Bresser focuser down to find out why the 10:1 reduction gear kept slipping.

# Dismantled the altitude section of the Skytee II to minimise the excessive slack in it.

SGL:

# The pleasure of this pastime is enhanced by sharing it with others, reading their experiences, and also generally helping each other out in all sorts of ways.

# So – thanks to everyone here, and let’s hope for plenty of decent viewing next year!

Doug.

[domstar]

Highlights for me-

1 Spring Virgo galaxies in spectacular skies including the Siamese Twins. Learning to use higher magnification on galaxies.

2 Early Autumn spent trying to see Stephan's Quintet and perhaps getting a glimpse of something so mindbogglingly far away.

3 Mars (of course) and finally understanding what all the fuss was about.

Happy New Year to everyone.

Dominic

[Sunshine]

Highlights for me:

- After trying and trying and trying again, i finally conquered and split Zeta Herc earlier this summer! with my 115mm frac and 3.5mm XW. To some this may be a regular thing but,

   it was a challenge with horrid seeing conditions and all.

- Getting my first refractor (save for the 60mm doorstop i had as an 11yr old) it was exciting to see stars/planets through a decent 115mm triplet, there's something satisfying

   about refractors and using them in general.

- Finally splitting Zeta Herc! 

- Sharing these things with the SGL group of fine people who even though are separated by hundreds, thousands of Km's, we're still a family.

 I'm going to make myself cry.

Edited December 31, 2020 by Sunshine

[cloudsweeper]

1 hour ago, Sunshine said:

Highlights for me:

- After trying and trying and trying again, i finally conquered and split Zeta Herc earlier this summer! with my 115mm frac and 3.5mm XW. To some this may be a regular thing but,

   it was a challenge with horrid seeing conditions and all.

- Getting my first refractor (save for the 60mm doorstop i had as an 11yr old) it was exciting to see stars/planets through a decent 115mm triplet, there's something satisfying

   about refractors and using them in general.

- Finally splitting Zeta Herc! 

- Sharing these things with the SGL group of fine people who even though are separated by hundreds, thousands of Km's, we're still a family.

 I'm going to make myself cry.

You've got me going now!  

I gather you cracked Zeta Her!  It's on my list (as a confirmed Doubles Enthusiast) - although I reckon I cracked Sirius in 2019!

As for fracs, I must (quietly) confess I favour them.  The views are just so, so....pure.  

Good viewing for 2021 to you and all the SGL Family!

Doug.

 

[Nyctimene]

Almost the same number of observations as you, Doug, - 88.

Highlights: Spotting the lunar Rima Messier with the 18"; concentric craters Hesiodus (with ray phenomenon, unexpected), Marth, Crozier.

DSO's: Revisiting Abell galaxy cluster 1367; several Arp galaxy groups (331;18;84); some edge-on galaxies.

Of course, NEOWISE (nice and typical little comet -(I'm spoiled by the views of Bennett, West, IRAS-Araki-Alcock, Hyakutake, Hale-Bopp...)) and some other comets.

Took my first astrophotos since > 40 years; very few up to now, all lunar.

Sold my 13.1" Coulter Odyssey; the young family who bought it, is very happy with it.

Modified the position of the 18" 's 10x60 finder, can now use it even when the targets are high up, both feet on the ground.

To my distress, Hofheim Instruments will close end of 2021 - they didn't accept an order for their 12" f/5 anymore....

And, as others have mentioned, the participation in this friendly, helpful and polite community was encouraging and refreshing, and has helped me through some harsh times (health issues); thank you all!

Happy and healthy New Year!

Stephan

 

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by Nyctimene

[cloudsweeper]

Danke Stephan.  The 18" sounds like a great instrument!  

Jetzt, etwas auf Deutsch - froehliches neues Jahr!  (Ich habe die Sprache in der Schule gelernt.)

(Don't worry mods - just a friendly New Year greeting in German to a member in Germany.)

Doug.

 

[Voyager 3]

11 hours ago, cloudsweeper said:

Although the weather has been grim (UK at least), I still managed 86 decent sessions, so can’t complain much!

Viewing highlights:

# Moon’s “ghost crater” Stadius – obscured by lava flow, easily missed – fine detail, “perforated” rim.

# Moon seen with BVs first time – stunning detail, clarity, contrast.

# Comet Neowise – tail good and clear.

# Best ever views of Mars – lots of albedo difference, southern icecap.

# First 1” split of a double, OΣ418 Cyg – using x318 with the Dob.

# Jupiter/Saturn superconjunction (the day before the closest apparition) – Saturn close to the line of Jupiter’s moons.  (Good thing – it rained the next evening!)

Hardware issues:

# Fiddling with the L-bracket and ED80 Apo dovetail to get the ‘scope stable and accessible on the AZ4 mount – reversed an arm, and tapped a fresh hole.

# Stripped a Bresser focuser down to find out why the 10:1 reduction gear kept slipping.

# Dismantled the altitude section of the Skytee II to minimise the excessive slack in it.

SGL:

# The pleasure of this pastime is enhanced by sharing it with others, reading their experiences, and also generally helping each other out in all sorts of ways.

# So – thanks to everyone here, and let’s hope for plenty of decent viewing next year!

Doug.

What eyepiece you used to split OΣ418 Cyg Doug ? 

[cloudsweeper]

4 hours ago, Voyager 3 said:

What eyepiece you used to split OΣ418 Cyg Doug ? 

Hi Voyager - I was using the 4mm TV Delite with the 10" Dob.  It was tricky on account of 'scope wobble and having to track the target, but there was the advantage of the stars behind high and very closely matched.

Sky Safari gives the separation as just below 1".  Difficult to be precise with such small separations I suppose.

Doug.