Friday Nights Session

[jgs001]

Whilst this isn't in it's entirety an Observing report, it's a session report and deals with a fair amount of observing in it's own right.

Friday night came around and it was clear. Not just clear, but really clear. Excellent. So after I'd done all that needed to be done, I headed out into the garden. I put the HEQ5 down, so the N leg was pointing roughly at North, powered up the mount (hoping that my power pack would last) and got on with polar aligning. A quick swing of the axis to set the current date and time, some minor adjustments on the Altitude and Azimuth bolts and I was there. I powered down, popped the camera on the scope, used the axis clutches to swing around to Sirius, powered up and used Sirius for focusing. The usual 10x liveview and adjust.

With that done, I used the clutches again to swing around to Orion and M42. I used the opportunity to grab a bunch of 2 minute subs of the area.

http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=75244

Whilst I was capturing this data, I used my 15x70's and had a wander around, reacquainting myself with some friends from last year. I started with M35, then moved almost straight up, through M36, M37 and onto M38. In the FOV of the bins, M38, Mr Smiley, and I think the little fish were all visible. A very nice sight. Then, of course, how could I miss the sisters, onto M45 for a view of the gems on velvet, a lovely cluster, that I come back to as often as I can, and one I intend getting the HEQ5 and C80ED on at some point soon.

Then, swinging down and across, the faint glow in the middle of cancer that marks out the beehive caught my eye, so I had a good look at that too. Then back to Sirius and the clusters in that location. Spotting first off M41, then up and across to M46 and M47.

Then, the M42 data captured, I moved on to have a bash at M44. I swung around, tried to align as best as I could (not easy, as I had to half lie on the floor and sort of get my head between the tripod and the camera... Hmm... gonna have to do something about that. Anyway. I captured a couple of subs, and checked them. The cluster is too big for the C80ED to frame and some stars sit outside the frame, shame.

So I decided, as I'd seen it in the bins, that I'd have a crack at M41

http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=75245

Whilst this data was being captured, I had some more time with the Bins, on up to Mirfak and it's association, around a little more to look at the Double Cluster. Not easy now as it's playing peekaboo in the trees...

I then noticed that the Dipper had swung around and up, and had a look around for Mel 111, it took me a few minutes, but again found it and had a good look here. Then, with Leo rising above the rooflines, and a bright dot somewhat below, I swung the bins onto it, and there was Saturn. Always an impressive sight, but tricky to see in handheld 15x70's.

I then moved back to Orion and had a good look at him. M42 being the obvious one, and a patch of grey, sort of birdy shaped mistiness. Up to the belt and I think it's a Struve cluster around the centre star, and the same around Orion's head (although I can't remember the names or the numbers).

I had a crack at the Horsehead and flame, I knew it was tough, but it was going to prove, if I captured anything that all was working well.

http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=75246

I'm really pleased with this session, it's proved the mount and scope are very capable and opens up huge amounts of possibilities. And I had a wonderful time freewheeling my way around the sky with my Binos.

[Doc]

Reading this makes me all warm inside with anticipation off what I want to do as well.

Great report John you saw some lovely objects. Mel111 is fantastic in my 16" so may stars.

The mount and scope seems pretty easy to set up. Has the mount got one of those engraved polar scopes. The one with the picture of ursa Major and cassieopia. And is it illuminated.

Thanks again

[jgs001]

Reading this makes me all warm inside with anticipation off what I want to do as well.

Great report John you saw some lovely objects. Mel111 is fantastic in my 16" so may stars.

The mount and scope seems pretty easy to set up. Has the mount got one of those engraved polar scopes. The one with the picture of ursa Major and cassieopia. And is it illuminated.

Thanks again

Cheers Mick, sorry you were ill on that clear night. It's not so clear and crisp in 15x70's... but still a wonderful sight. I'll point the C80ED at it soon. As for the mount, to be honest with you, I can't believe how easy it is to setup. I followed Astro-Baby's instructions from the Adur Astro site, the initial setup took me about 15 minutes, and polar aligning takes very little time. The mount indeed has a lit, and engraved polar scope. Once setup, you put Polaris in the middle of the little circle, job done. I can't believe polar aligning was daunting (I'm sure that statement if going to bite me at some point ). You've seen the images from the unguidded setup, and whilst at 4 minute subs, the stars are beginning to trail, I've used subs with that much trailing on before when I was using the NexStar, 3 minutes is not a problem.

[Doc]

As true NCP is 3/4 degrees away from polaris does this polar scope cope with this or do you have to find true north with another method such as a software program called polarfinder

[jgs001]

I used polarfinder to find the transit of polaris, and aligned the circles for that, then the little circle for Polaris sits in just the right place, the correct distance from the NCP. Check out Astro_Baby's tutorial.

[Sam]

It certainly was a great night on Friday John, really nice and clear. Great report, the HEQ5 is a great mount!

[jgs001]

Thanks Sam, that it was. Of course one clear night, and rubbish ever since... The HEQ5 certainly seems to be doing the business easily...