What did you see tonight?

[Captain Scarlet]

7 hours ago, ONIKKINEN said:

Im curious, how detectable are these with the 15x56mm bins? With my 7x50mm i admit i have seen at best kind of hallucinations of these. They are very small and something i could only call "perhaps seen" kind of objects. I am sure i have seen them, but just not sure at all how to describe the seen part as they are so ghostly. Just about detectable in SQM 21.2 skies.

I admit they have been handheld, and i think this is a major issue with bins.

They are very detectable indeed, especially M81/2 to the extent I can see one is round and the other is a sliver. M51 is a little less distinct, but a definite smudge and no doubt when you’ve got it. But I cannot get two cores through the bins. And that is handheld too, although sitting down, and with my 21.8 skies.

I’ll try through my 10x50s tonight which should also be clear.

M

[Peter Drew]

Mounting a binocular instead of hand holding is worth half a magnitude IMO.      🙂

[Ratlet]

36 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Mounting a binocular instead of hand holding is worth half a magnitude IMO.      🙂

I always wondered how it would do with a monopod.  My dad bought some 5*10 binos off a ghillie and that was his top tip (well, 'mount' them on a walking stick) to stabilise them

[Stu1smartcookie]

Hopefully it’s what I am going to see tonight as a very unexpected clear spell hits the Fens 

[Astro_Dad]

Good luck, not so good here but tomorrow looking promising - hoping for a good view of Europa transit from 21.19…

 

[Stu1smartcookie]

So , lesson …. Never trust your weather app ! As the sky has remained very clear for me … a look at M81 & M82 , M31 , M13 , M57, M27, Neptune , Saturn,Jupiter , the  double double , barely split as I am using a 31mm EP but split nonetheless. Using the luminos 31mm EP , for which the jury is most definitely out . Tomorrow is looking good too . 

[Mr Spock]

The 102mm is out and the sky is clear. Just been studying ε Lyr with my new 16mm and 10mm Nirvanas with the x2.5 Powermate. Very pleasing views with nice, clean airy discs at x179  👍

[Mr Spock]

Had a doubles session in Aquila. Started out quite well, poor transparency but decent seeing. I had a good split of π Aql, but after that seeing started to fall off. Early on I got the faint companion of Σ 2590, but later on the similar Σ 2543 and Σ 2566 eluded me. That whole area of sky seemed to get fuzzy.

Had a look at Jupiter. Compared the Nirvana, SLV and orthos at x179 - not a lot in it really. As I've found before I somehow prefer the view through the ortho, but really any of the three would get the job done.
There'll be a full report on the Nirvanas shortly. I've just ordered the 7mm and 4mm to add to the 16mm and 10mm I already have. That should say something about them 

[Sunshine]

The owl cluster, always a treat to see since no matter how many times I’ve seen it when I first put eyeball to eyepiece those owl eyes just pop! 

[Stu1smartcookie]

5 hours ago, Sunshine said:

The owl cluster, always a treat to see since no matter how many times I’ve seen it when I first put eyeball to eyepiece those owl eyes just pop! 

I’ve not seen the owl yet , on my list for tonight , hopefully 

[Stu]

21 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I’ve not seen the owl yet , on my list for tonight , hopefully 

It’s a cracker, great fun to view. One I always stop by if it’s well positioned just to say hello  

[Ags]

7 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

There'll be a full report on the Nirvanas shortly. I've just ordered the 7mm and 4mm to add to the 16mm and 10mm I already have. That should say something about them 

You know you have to get the 13 to complete the set, it's the law 🤣

[Astro_Dad]

Yes the forecasts were not particularly accurate last night - some clear sky here in the end so a brief opportunity to have a general sweep around with my binos (10x50’s). No particular targets just a simple look around Cassiopeia, Jupiter, Summer Triangle etc. 😀

[Astro_Dad]

7 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

There'll be a full report on the Nirvanas shortly

Looking forward to that, although I have the 10mm on order already. Should get a lot of use out of that one with my Dob. 👍

[Mr Spock]

28 minutes ago, Ags said:

You know you have to get the 13 to complete the set, it's the law 

I know, but, it doesn't fit. The 16, 10, 7 and 4 are all close to x1.6 which is just about right.

[PeterC65]

Last night stated out quite frustrating. I put the Skymax 127 outside at 8:30, then at 9:00 the clouds rolled in. I waited until 9:30 and they were just getting worse so I brough the scope in and went to watch Shetland on TV, very disgruntled. Of course, Jupiter then kept appearing at the window, so I tried again and had a great session from 11:00. Rather later than I had hoped.

This was my first visual session since late Spring as I've been playing with EEVA recently. It was nice to get back to being under the stars (and the cold). I wanted to observe the planets as they are well positioned for me and quite bright, and I wanted to compare the BCO eyepieces I got for Christmas with my usual ES eyepieces. I had a good look at Jupiter, the best I've seen it, Saturn, I could just be persuaded that I'd seen the Casini Division, Neptune (maybe), Uranus (definitely) and finally Mars. This was the first time I've been able to observe Mars since I bought a scope last year. I've read it can be underwhelming ... and it was! Just a bright disc for me and the filters didn't help.

As it seemed like a clear night, I tried for M31, M32, M110, M33, M15, NGC 884 / 869. These were all good, with Andromeda and its companions better than I remember from last year. I often struggle to see M33 but this was fairly clear last night (I mean I could definitely see the smudge).

Right at the end I remembered I was planning to try the binoviewer on the planets and so turned back to Jupiter. Well, that was a revelation! Way better than anything I've see with a single eyepiece. Bigger, more detail, much more relaxing to observe. I was tired and cold by this point and Saturn had headed off behind some trees but I'm very much looking forward to planetary observing again with the binoviewer.

Full report is here.

 

[Captain Scarlet]

I just went outside ahead of an early night to throw out the used cat litter detritus over the wall into our next field.

Reasonably clear, suddenly at exactly zenith a streak appeared, heading North East. At first I thought it was the ISS, it was just the right speed and brightness. But it seemed to be accelerating and just getting brighter and brighter. At about 45 degrees from zenith it turned orange/yellow/green and broke up into 6-7 pieces which carried on getting brighter until all finally exploding and extinguishing probably 10 degrees from horizon.

Quite the most spectacular such event I’ve ever seen, whether meteor or satellite I don’t know. Seemed to end up over Cork or thereabouts.

Magnus

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by Captain Scarlet

[Zermelo]

Some forecasts were reasonable for this evening, so I set up and managed to align, saw a few targets but most of the sky was cloudy and it was very slow to move. In the clear patches the seeing wasn't great either, so I've called it a night.

[wulfrun]

Saw more than I expected! Not great conditions, a bit damp and a vague halo around most things. Had a peek at Saturn first, all a bit wobbly and moons scintillating in and out of view plus a wriggling Cassini division (some of the time!). Clearly no point in upping the mag. Next up Jupiter. I saw the Europa transit starting, well the shadow not the moon.

I also had a look at a few favourites, including the ring nebula, double clusters and owl cluster. Managed to split the double-double at 133x, not bad given the conditions. Went back to the transit for a bit, which was a little over halfway. Finished up on the Pleiades, which were just about high enough and *just* fitted in a 32mm Plössl's FOV (using the 150PL, since I was mostly after the gas planets).

Had to pack up earlier than I'd have liked, needing an early start tomorrow 😞

[Epick Crom]

3 hours ago, Captain Scarlet said:

I just went outside ahead of an early night to throw out the used cat litter detritus over the wall into our next field.

Reasonably clear, suddenly at exactly zenith a streak appeared, heading North East. At first I thought it was the ISS, it was just the right speed and brightness. But it seemed to be accelerating and just getting brighter and brighter. At about 45 degrees from zenith it turned orange/yellow/green and broke up into 6-7 pieces which carried on getting brighter until all finally exploding and extinguishing probably 10 degrees from horizon.

Quite the most spectacular such event I’ve ever seen, whether meteor or satellite I don’t know. Seemed to end up over Cork or thereabouts.

Magnus

 

That must have been a spectacular sight Magnus, lucky you!

[Kon]

I was up imaging the planets when I spotted Orion for the first time this season. Excellent transparency. I could make the wings and some faint  reds in them and teal green/blue around the trapezium. Flame nebula wad just about visible without a filter. I didn't have the energy to try the HH 🐴; when I saw it last year it was under similar seeing conditions.

A quick image with my mobile.

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by Kon

[Stu1smartcookie]

10 hours ago, Zermelo said:

Some forecasts were reasonable for this evening, so I set up and managed to align, saw a few targets but most of the sky was cloudy and it was very slow to move. In the clear patches the seeing wasn't great either, so I've called it a night.

It was forecast clear all evening and night in Ely , but in the event is wasn’t clear until at least 11 and by that time , even though it’s the weekend I think I would have been shot at dawn after rummaging  around to get everything set up . Lol , so quite frustrating to miss so much clear sky over night

[Stu]

23 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I would have been shot at dawn

Think yourself lucky, Mrs Stu wouldn’t wait until dawn..... 😉

[Astro_Dad]

Had the Dob out cooling early ready for a good session but skies were not quite as clear and steady as I’d hoped. 
Stuck to a few favourite targets including M15. I wanted to try for the planetary nebula Pease 1 within M15, so aimed for the recommended 450x power (8mm BST with 3x Barlow) plus O-III to attempt the “blinking” technique. Not a whiff though - just darkness… very steady seeing required for this target so I think so maybe that was the reason. Should be possible with 10” aperture. Interested to hear if anyone here has managed to view this one and any tips?

Quick look at Jupiter, just missed the Europa transit but this was now on the outer limb of the planet. 

Finished with a good look at M31 and I think what must have been my first observation of nearby elliptical galaxy M110. 

 

[Kon]

9 minutes ago, Astro_Dad said:

Had the Dob out cooling early ready for a good session but skies were not quite as clear and steady as I’d hoped. 
Stuck to a few favourite targets including M15. I wanted to try for the planetary nebula Pease 1 within M15, so aimed for the recommended 450x power (8mm BST with 3x Barlow) plus O-III to attempt the “blinking” technique. Not a whiff though - just darkness… very steady seeing required for this target so I think so maybe that was the reason. Should be possible with 10” aperture. Interested to hear if anyone here has managed to view this one and any tips?

Quick look at Jupiter, just missed the Europa transit but this was now on the outer limb of the planet. 

Finished with a good look at M31 and I think what must have been my first observation of nearby elliptical galaxy M110. 

 

Nice session. I have seen it with my 8". Without a filter I could see it with averted vision but with the OIII with direct. If I remembered I used a 8.8 and  14mm EP. It's better to start with lower mag and then up it once you have it. It is like a bloated star. I have seen it not under Ideal conditions so keep trying.