Saganite Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) Took my Vixen ED 103 out at 1.30 am and so far, two hours of really good seeing. With Orion having cleared my neighbours Silver Birch , the first target was the Trapezium and at 139x six stars were easily seen. I have seen the F star brighter but it was there and visible with direct vision. A high magnification star test on Betelgeuse, just prior, showed a near perfect diffraction pattern so I knew it was going to be good. Just below Alnitak is the beautiful multiple star system Sigma Orionis , and the tiny C star was clearly visible. Just waiting now for Sirius and a crack at the Pup Star. Update By 3.45 am Sirius was clear of the tree though the seeing was not quite as good. Sirius presented an Airy disc but with almost constant fluctuations, like 3 on the Antoniadi Scale, and I sat patiently until almost 4.30 am willing Sirius B to show itself. I am certain that it did, fleetingly, on several occasions and always in the same spot. I last saw it maybe 5 or 6 years ago, on the same night that Dave ( f15 Rules ) saw it, in fact we conferred by email at the time to confirm what we were both seeing. That night I was using Andromeda and I wished that I had the 5" out this morning, because I would have got it for sure. I know it is difficult but possible in a 4" scope, however, as close as I got , no cigar ! Edited November 2, 2021 by Saganite 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Great stuff Steve. Hoping you stayed awake for the Pup? Any luck? I’m looking forward to giving these a go soon too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saganite Posted November 2, 2021 Author Share Posted November 2, 2021 1 minute ago, Stu said: Great stuff Steve. Hoping you stayed awake for the Pup? Any luck? I’m looking forward to giving these a go soon too. So close Stu, so close......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Just now, Saganite said: So close Stu, so close......... Ahh shame. Next time…. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wookie1965 Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I have seen E and F a few times once in my 6" reflector on a night of crystal clear skies and couple of times in my 5" refractor and also a couple of times in my 4" refractor when I had two really clear nights which are rare now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan White Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) Nice one Steve, so pleased you are finding the Vixen as good as I do my one. That was quite a night exercise, out at 1.30am, I was tucked up in the land of nod, but had come home from an evening at our club dark site. We got clouded out and dewed over at 11pm, so obviously Cambridgeshire fared better on the cloud front. It was for a time last night very transparent and made so many targets pop. Edited November 2, 2021 by Alan White 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Spock Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I'll have another go at the pup this year. It's so difficult here as anything that low is badly affected by seeing conditions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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