Lovely Planetary Views Tonight

[SuburbanMak]

Since coming back from hols late August I’ve enjoyed a few back garden planetary sessions on Jupiter & Saturn, due to work & weather though I seem to have missed the nights of best seeing, tonight’s views however have been my best yet. 
 

Seeing was mostly steady and contrast seemed really good - not sure but think the proximity of the 95% moon may actually have been helping with this. 
 

Saturn looked super with the Cassini division easily apparent around the rings and several cloud bands visible. The shadow of the rings on the planet & vice versa were crisp at the best moments of seeing.  3 moons, 1 always & 2 with averted vision. I fetched my 15 year old son out to look who immediately said “Oh wow there’s a stripe around the rings!”. 
 

Jupiter showed many bands and more detail than I’ve yet seen. 2 pronounced dark areas on the upper edge of the Northern equatorial band and lots of swirls and texture in the bands visible at times.  Using a UHC filter I was able to locate the GRS and thereafter able to discern it with the more natural colours rendered by the Baader Neodymium.  Galilean moons clear with diffraction rings. 1 moon to the West and 3 East, 2 of them looking like a fairly close double star. I find the moons the best way to focus as the planet features come and go a bit with the seeing & if I’m not careful I end up twiddling the focuser all the time to no avail. 
 

I started the session with a Baader Mk IV zoom but was soon scurrying off inside to fetch the 18mm & 10mm Baader Classic Orthos & 2.25 Barlow which I have found to be a super planetary setup combined with the Neodymium filter which just adds a bit of punch.  
 

Best view was with the 18mm Barlowed to 8mm - 167x  by a squeak over the 10mm at 150x.   The Mak 127 was a great tool for the job tonight. 

Will get back to those Messiers eventually…
 

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by SuburbanMak

[lunator]

Nice report

Despite their low altitude the views of Saturn and Jupiter have been pretty good recently.

Good luck with the Messiers.

Cheers

Ian