What did you see tonight?

[Mr Spock]

Not stable here - lots of low level tremors - but still very good. Very noticeable when I defocussed a star to collimate, the concentric rings were there but with small disturbances and occasional waves.

[Kon]

54 minutes ago, Kon said:

Moon is looking stunning. Extremely stable at the moment. I was observing Purbach and I was impressed by the 'wall'? inside it; a long shadow running. I need to do some reading to find what it is called. Walther is showing amazing details even the small cratelets.

I found the name of that wall; it is actually called the Straight Wall or Rupes Recta. If you are take a look the shadow looks incredible, in my eyes.

 

[Mr Spock]

Now I have the scope fully collimated it's supporting the 4mm SLV at x380. Nice 

[Mr Spock]

Just come inside again. The awkward position of the Dob means my back needs frequent rests.

I've just been browsing Alphonsus and Arzachel at x380. Mainly looking at the dark spots and rimae in Alphonsus. I find those dark spots fascinating.

[Zermelo]

Yes, the wall was very clear tonight, and the two small craters right next to it, Birt and Birt A, looked like they were ringed with a ghostly light. The Appenines had great texture and the mountains around Archimedes cast a nice shadow on the interior floor. Down in the southern highlands, the central peak of Moretus was illuminated nicely.

I thought the seeing varied a bit, possibly house heat effects. But Tegmine AB split again, so it must have been decent there.

And a new one for me: 36 Sextantis. Quite wide at 6.7", but a very nice yellow/white and blue/grey pair in my Hyperflex zoom, which did well this evening.

Edited April 10, 2022 by Zermelo
Added some topographical names now that I've checked my moon atlas

[Mr Spock]

Just packed up for the night. I started getting 'triple' crater rims. Checked collimation - that's spot on; it's the seeing that's gone. never mind, it's been a really good night with lots of items to report (tomorrow).

[Davesellars]

Just come in as well after just over an hour out with the 4" refractor.  Seeing was not too bad at times.  Had a good look at the Straight Wall which was perfectly illuminated and just about made out Rimae Hadley.  The whole area around the Apennines Mountains was really interesting to view tonight though - loads of features.  "Thors Hammer" was also quite prominent tonight too.

[SuburbanMak]

Out late/early with the new 10” Dob. Caught the straight wall as the moon set behind the houses, amazing. Collimaton still eludes me, think I’ve made it worse 

. Nevertheless, already the best views I’ve had of M3,M13 and M57. Also picked up M81/2, M104 and M27, M29 looked good. 
Finished on Alberio, summer’s on the way!!

Edited April 10, 2022 by SuburbanMak

[HarryLP]

Strickly  speaking not last night but finally got outside Friday 8th April. Only the second time out since January due to the excessive  endless nights of clouds.

Had decided earlier in the day I would try for M3. Consulted Stellarium earlier in the day and worked out I should try from Arcturus by  placing Arcturus overset in the finder scope and moving upwards. I am very pleased to report that in my 9 * 50 scope with non dark adapted eyes, straight out the back with the 200p I got it ! My first Globular, I tried before by the "I think its there approach". Over a period of two hours I kept coming back to it, reassuring myself I could consistently locate it and obviously an improved experience with dark adapted eyes using a SW 25mm and TMB 8mm.

With the 8mm I got the illusion of a pulsing grey blob with stars popping up and immediately disappearing only to re appear. I put this down to my eyes constantly trying to get a lock on.

Checked out Polaris, split at 150  with good separation with the secondary being fainter than I recall but then I was looking over the roof of my house. Mizar Alcor with Mizar double easy split.

Looking around Coma Berenices (I think, not experienced enough yet) I located again what I would describe as an outline grey ring donut with a dark centre, single star in centre with three stars forming a tri angle outside of the ring. A fuzzy blob below on offset to the right (dob view). Ring any bells ?

Very pleased with my two hour session, hoping its not so long till the next session.

Clear Skies all

 

[Mr Spock]

No joy tonight. There's a front coming in and the cloud has bee thickening all afternoon 😭

[Ags]

I had planned to photograph the Leo triplet tonight (hopefully framing it to make it a quadruplet) but thin cloud and a high moon scuttled the plan. But thin cloud suggests good seeing so I took out the ZS66 with my highest power eyepiece (4.9 mm Speers WALER) and took a long hard look at the Moon. Very sharp and detailed and richly shaded. Picked out the straight wall and Clavius, but that's as far as my naming skills go. Just wondering at the complex formations. Oddly, no floaters, looks like a 0.84mm exit pupil works for me.

[Kon]

Another stunning lunar session tonight between passing clouds. Golden handle nicely lit. I also observed/noticed that the floor of Sinus Iridum is not flat but had long bumps (not sure the right terminology) and loads of cratelets.  Hippalus showed some nice rilles. I finished with Clavius. The incoming clouds ruined the fun but I am glad to have got a quick session, and temperature-wise, it  felt very pleasant being outside for a change. 

Edited April 11, 2022 by Kon

[Mr Spock]

Um, raining heavily here. Plus I'm laid low with cold, or covid - who knows 

[SuburbanMak]

Out to test my collimation escapades - getting there and made some tweaks “in the field” for the first time.  Then the moon - incredible detail. Wasn’t naming tonight but got in very close on Copernicus with terracing and central hills, the Gruithuisen Domes & Sinus Iridium detail and so many craterlets on the floor of (I think) Clavius. 
Getting to grips with this Dob business and lovely warm evening. 

[Epick Crom]

14 hours ago, Kon said:

Another stunning lunar session tonight between passing clouds. Golden handle nicely lit. I also observed/noticed that the floor of Sinus Iridum is not flat but had long bumps (not sure the right terminology) and loads of cratelets.  Hippalus showed some nice rilles. I finished with Clavius. The incoming clouds ruined the fun but I am glad to have got a quick session, and temperature-wise, it  felt very pleasant being outside for a change. 

Hi Kostas, Clavius sure is impressive. I love those craters within it that go from bigger to smaller in a curving arc😍

[Kon]

1 hour ago, Epick Crom said:

Hi Kostas, Clavius sure is impressive. I love those craters within it that go from bigger to smaller in a curving arc😍

I agree Joe, they do draw your eye...I seem to go from smaller to larger. I wonder if we have observers that go for a more random pattern!🤪

 

[jjohnson3803]

Went out for a short session before dawn today with my 102ED.  Discovered I have to change the angle on my mount arm - I was only able to get to about 60* elevation, so the Ring was just out of reach.  🙄

But I was able to view Albireo, Stock 1 cluster in Vul, a few assorted double stars, and ended with a look at the Dumbbell. 

I much prefer to observe before dawn, but with summer coming on I'm going to have to consider changing my sleep cycle to stay up later.  Twilight is already starting at 0445 here, so morning sessions are limited unless I want to roll out at 0300 or so.

[Stu1smartcookie]

1 minute ago, jjohnson3803 said:

Went out for a short session before dawn today with my 102ED.  Discovered I have to change the angle on my mount arm - I was only able to get to about 60* elevation, so the Ring was just out of reach.  🙄

But I was able to view Albireo, Stock 1 cluster in Vul, a few assorted double stars, and ended with a look at the Dumbbell. 

I much prefer to observe before dawn, but with summer coming on I'm going to have to consider changing my sleep cycle to stay up later.  Twilight is already starting at 0445 here, so morning sessions are limited unless I want to roll out at 0300 or so.

Yes , a fantastic time to see the pre-dawn sky . I usually go for a walk around 5am but its been constant cloud over the last few mornings ans as you write , its getting light at that time . I still would like to catch the planets in the early morning sky . 

[Nyctimene]

Observed the moon yesterday evening with the 12" f/5 traveldob. Tried to spot the inner ring of the concentric crater Marth (outer diameter 7 km) in Palus Epidemiarum, to no avail, due to the sub-average seeing. Close by Hesiodus' A concentricity could be observed in moments of better seeing. No views of Rimae Ramsden or Hesiodus. Spied finally for the first time Kies Pi, a lunar dome (Lunar 100 No. 60) following a photography in the 21st Century Atlas of the Moon; small, but clearly to see (not the tiny top craterlet). Mags from 100x - 183x (Seben Zoom).

Stephan

[Davesellars]

Crystal clear out...  Had an hour observing the Moon - the seeing was pretty good as well.  Schickard and Herodotus region looked fantastic as well as a great view of Babbage with the central crater perfectly illuminated.

[Whistlin Bob]

32 minutes ago, Davesellars said:

Schickard and Herodotus region

Yeah- just fantastic tonight. Unexpected session- split it between doubles in Cass, Perseus and Gemini and lunar. Using the 8 inch dob and 4mm nirvana eyepiece the moon looked better then any uhd TV. Really breathtaking, and the terminator through the southern highlands was fabulous. 

[IB20]

Just had a quick 20 minute session with the 76DCU. Primarily observing the moon, Schickard and particularly the double crater Phocylides and Nasmyth appearing brilliantly near the terminator. Could even make out several tiny craterlets on the basin of Schickard. Finished up splitting Izar, a lovely double that resembles a diamond ring. 

Extremely happy with the Pentax 5XW, performed beautifully. I think that little session has made me want both a 3.5XW and the extender module for the Tak. 💸💸💸

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by IB20

[Epick Crom]

Just had an early pre dawn session viewing the Jupiter and Neptune conjunction. They were 15' apart. The Galilean moons were strung out in a line with blue Neptune below them to the left. A wonderful sight!

[SuburbanMak]

Lovely long session tonight starting with GSO 10” Dob (which the family have christened the “FLT” or “Fairly Large Telescope”)  & later, when my neck got tired from all that Dob aiming, I went back out for a leisurely GoTo session with the Mak 127. 

 A mix of collimation exercises, lunar, clusters, doubles and finished with a nice, crisp M57.  
Tonight’s session made all the better by a glass of vino & the fact that I am off work for Easter from tomorrow (now today!). Observing report to follow. 
 

[SuburbanMak]

Out now looking at doubles with the old Clarkson 3” - startling observation of Izar with the secondary a bright red against the white primary. Never noticed such colour contrast before.  
Am sure this is a quirk of CA in this very old scope as these are the “wrong” colours, nevertheless it really helped highlight the split! 

PS. Went back out after a half hour break and all is clouded out. Shame, that was fun! 

Edited April 17, 2022 by SuburbanMak