What did you see tonight?

[StevieDvd]

The skies were not crystal clear or dark enough to merit going out earlier so decided to wait till midnight and have a look at the moon when it came over the house behind us.  As well as visual I attempted a few image captures but on a manual mount at the magnification it was moving in the view too fast for a decent number of frames to record.

So I switched to viewing Saturn and running through the magnification of my Svbony zoom.  I got to see probably my best visual of Saturn and that was all done on a manual  AZ (Altair Sabre) so quite chuffed to locate it without IT support.  Feeling good about that I went for Jupiter as well and again probably my best visual of that too. I think I timed it well as I saw one of the moons just disappearing behind Jupiter as well as the other moons in the same view.

This was all on my Lyra 102/1000 refractor that I'd made a mess of cleaning the optics but which Es Reid did a marvellous job doing it properly.

I've yet to check the moon captures on my laptop but don't expect much worth posting the planets made up for that.

Edit

Stacked video not too bad.

Edited September 6, 2023 by StevieDvd
Add moon image

[Ouroboros]

I’m almost relieved it’s cloudy tonight. I’ve had two nights out late under clear (ish) Cornish skies.  It wasn’t good enough for  imaging - too hazy and what with the Moon - but it’s been so warm it’s been a real pleasure just to observe. I set up my guide scope camera as the main scope and used my ASIair to act as my mount controller to do some  visual with my 200p Newtonian. First time I’ve tried doing that. I usually just use the ASIair for imaging. It’s good using plate solving to make sure the scope is actually pointing at the right thing to observe. Saturn looked great, as did Jupiter. Uranus and Neptune both showed their characteristic blue. Looked at several globulars - M13, M92, M2, M15, M56 and a couple in Delphinus. Looked at some  doubles too. The double double in Lyra, gamma 1 & 2 in Delphinus, Albireo, omicron 1 in Cygnus and a few others. M31 inevitably. Ring nebula. Triangulum Galaxy. Bit of a tour of the sky’s tourist spots really. 

[SwiMatt]

Quick report from a business trip to Brittany, France. Skies were Bortle 4 so I brought my binoculars with me!

The first time I looked up, it was from a window I saw I think for the first time the whole of Delphinus, which was very nice. It's a neat little constellation, also in binoculars. By risking my safety, I managed to put my body out of the window and look at M31, but it was such an uncomfortable position that I went to bed after that. The second outing, yesterday night, I pointed to the double cluster, M39, Nu draconis (clean split standing up) and then I found an open cluster somewhere between Draco and Cepheus, but could not identify it on Stellarium.

I just got home after a super tiring trip today but the skies are clear on the Swedish West Coast, so I got out and managed to split Mizar (Zeta Ursae Majoris) with the Mak 127 + SW 25mm, and then took a long look at M13 with the BST 15mm. Very faint (it was twilight) but always beautiful. Nothing fancy, but it's honest "work"

Now time for bed. Good luck to all of you goimg out tonight!

Edited September 6, 2023 by SwiMatt

[Epick Crom]

G'day fellow observers! 

I saw ARO 11 (Campbell's Hydrogen Star) for the first time last night using my 10 inch dob. What a beaut, first planetary nebula that I've seen a reddish colour to it as opposed to green or blue. It looks like a star at low power but reveals itself at high power and still retains it coppery colour! 

Also spent an hour wandering the magnificent star fields in Cygnus. 

[SwiMatt]

Just spent 40 frustrating minutes on my balcony, fighting with the streetlights in the forest (!!!) in my backyard. Too bad I have to work tomorrow, I would have liked going to my spot in the woods and make use of the clear skies!

20 minutes were spent trying to find Bode's galaxy, but I'm either delusional or the optical finder is even worse than it seemed so far.

Then I at least managed to partially split Epsilon Lyrae with the barlow at 120x and 200x: Epsilon 2 was split, Epsilon 1 showed signs of split which gave me at least the axis of split, but couldn't split it fully. Quite frustrating to be honest. I tried at 300x but couldn't focus (unsurprisingly).

To close, I could enjoy Mizar and Alcor (Zeta Ursa Major): Mizar splits easily at 60x, and its shape in the eyepiece is quite appealing, I think.

Edited September 8, 2023 by SwiMatt

[bosun21]

Reading all the observing reports from you all showing me what I have missed. I have spent the last four days incapacitated with severe stomach pains and severe stomach cramping. Been taking a hot baths every few hours to try and get some relief. No idea where this came from but its put the total brakes on any observing. Going to the A&E in the morning. Had to occur during a clear spell. Sigh 😔.

[The60mmKid]

18 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Reading all the observing reports from you all showing me what I have missed. I have spent the last four days incapacitated with severe stomach pains and severe stomach cramping. Been taking a hot baths every few hours to try and get some relief. No idea where this came from but its put the total brakes on any observing. Going to the A&E in the morning. Had to occur during a clear spell. Sigh 😔.

Feel better soon! The stars are patiently awaiting your return!

[josefk]

9 hours ago, bosun21 said:

Reading all the observing reports from you all showing me what I have missed. I have spent the last four days incapacitated with severe stomach pains and severe stomach cramping. Been taking a hot baths every few hours to try and get some relief. No idea where this came from but its put the total brakes on any observing. Going to the A&E in the morning. Had to occur during a clear spell. Sigh 😔.

get well soon - the clear skies will come again.

[Bedlasky]

When I was going to work yesterday (around 5:30 CET), I noticed some very bright object in the west. I was really confused what it might be, Saturn was under horizon by that time and that mysterious object was definitely brighter than Saturn. After a while I noticed that object is moving. I quickly grabed a phone and look in to the Stellarium what it is. It was ISS with -1,69 mag at that time. I never saw ISS before, so it was exciting event for me that morning.

[UKDiver]

Perhaps not quite the intent of the thread, but I did see it. A fun couple of hours.

 

[Ags]

11 hours ago, Bedlasky said:

When I was going to work yesterday (around 5:30 CET), I noticed some very bright object in the west. I was really confused what it might be, Saturn was under horizon by that time and that mysterious object was definitely brighter than Saturn. After a while I noticed that object is moving. I quickly grabed a phone and look in to the Stellarium what it is. It was ISS with -1,69 mag at that time. I never saw ISS before, so it was exciting event for me that morning.

In a parallel universe... ISS tracking apps are fake, they are programmed to explain all UFO sightings as "ISS flyovers", like an appified, high-tech, self-service "weather balloon" default explanation. Stellarium is written by the NSA! 🤣

[Paz]

I got up early for a session on the planets and moon, with the Stella Mira 125 on an EQ5 with a pier.

Jupiter was very still even looking over the roof of my house. I've been getting good view like this recently, I think because the temperature is staying higher overnight so the heat from the houses is not causing so much movement. Jupiter was best at 217x with a 4.5mm Delos, straight away a good view and the scope did not really need to cool down due to the temperature. I tried a few filters, ND0.9, polarising, light blue, yellow, and a 10nm Baader Solar Continuum filter. The ND0.9 and continuum were too dim for me, polarising did not do much, light blue highlighted some different features but showed no more detail, and yellow was very good, or maybe I just got lucky with the seeing when the yellow filter was in. As the sunlight grew stronger I was hoping for better views but it stayed about the same.

Then clouds covered Jupiter, I had spent nearly an hour on this as the going was good. I checked the moon briefly, not expecting much as it was clear daylight by now, but it was very still seeing and fine views so I kept going. The moon looked like it could handle more magnification and I happened to have a 2.5mm SLV in the case so I thought why not? I was impressed to be honest, the view was holding up. This was 390x and a tiny exit pupil. I checked out the two elongated central peaks in Schiller which were well lit, and the inner wall terraces on the north/trailing wall of Aristarchus where there's a big drop from the lip then a steady set of more evenly spaced small terraces most of the way down.

I also got some awesome views of my own floaters, I haven't done the moon or planets much cyclops-style for a while so I had stopped noticing them. I'm still getting used to this new scope so have simplified what I'm using while I get the hang of it. Here's my highly professional sketch! 🤪

[PeterStudz]

Morning of Saturday 9th Sept. in Southampton. 
 

I decided to get up early at silly o’clock in order to try and spot Comet Nishimura. Although in my Bortle 7 location plus trees in the way it was a tall order. Not too much of a surprise but I failed here.

I had the 200p Dob out and took a look a Jupiter before trying for the comet. The seeing was excellent! and I could easily push it to 240x with banding nice and sharp. I also played around with a BST StarGuider 3.2mm for 375x and on occasions that actually worked. Watched the GRS swing into view at about 3:20pm - loads of detail too. Some of the best views of Jupiter that I’ve had. 

Saturn was too low for me which was a shame - should have got out of bed earlier. Had a quick look at the Pleiades but not dark enough to show it at its best. The moon looked great too and it was nice to see Orion back! Well worth getting up for.

[Neil_104]

10 hours ago, Paz said:

I got up early for a session on the planets and moon, with the Stella Mira 125 on an EQ5 with a pier.

Woke up at 3:30am this morning for some reason, couldn't get back to sleep due to the heat so after an hour or so of frustration, I got up. Checked if it was clear, it was! So I went out for my first look at Jupiter this season. I could make out the GRS, some decent detail in the two main belts and a darkening of the Eastern side of the Northern polar region. No real colour other than brown (was only using my 60mm for a quick set up). About 100x was about the maximum I could go to but that was enough. 80x with the WO binos was a bout the best views. Lovely 3D scene with the binoviewers.

I was planning on ending up with some doubles before going back to bed, but when looking up from the eyepiece(s) after about 1 hour, the sky had brightened and no stars were visible!

I'm very tempted by a 125ED myself...I knew viewing Jupiter would make me want one even more. Hmm, I wonder what REALLY made me want to go out and observe this morning 😄

[IB20]

Without a doubt one of my favourite nights observing. The perfect temperature, a wonderful 4” refractor on the perfect mount, brilliant seeing, Saturn looking jaw-dropping (I’ve been viewing it for nearly two hours 😅😅), an impressed wife and a few beers. It doesn’t get any better than this. 

[Froeng]

Jupiter is also magnificent! Just watched Europa disappear in Jove’s shadow. Now GRS is on show! The seeing is constantly improving whilst Jupiter climbs higher and higher…

Saturn is behind the house😠

[John]

Saturn was magnificent but is now hidden by rapidly rising and thickening mist. Jupiter is hidden by both a large conifer AND the rapidly rising and thickening mist.

Oh, well, it was very good while it lasted 🙂

Hope others get a bit longer to enjoy things 👍

[Froeng]

Just going inside now. The seeing has been amazing. The sharpest Jupiter I have seen for years. Clear and sharp cloud textures, the GRS a saturated orange and some white ovals and festoons between the EBs. Saturn was lovely, too, but too low down and wobbly. Saw Cassini and a cloud band on the disc. But Jupiter… !

[Franklin]

Jupiter, Venus and the waning crescent Moon all looking etched in the pre-dawn sky. The HR3.4 giving about X180 in the SD81 was outstanding, plenty of Jovian belt detail, hints of clouds along the Venusian terminator and the shadows in Schroter's valley revealed a wealth of detail. Had a quick look at Saturn in the evening but the sky was very hazy from the heat of the day, so glad I got up before the Sun, the seeing this morning is top-notch. Have some breakfast and get the Quark set up for a little later.

[josefk]

I achieved a small victory last night observing the Veil complex more completely than i've managed till now. Using 85mm of aperture but only 15x and 19x magnification for quite large exit pupils w/ filters (nearly 6mm with UHC and 4.5mm w/ O-III respectively) i observed the Eastern Veil [NGC 6995], the Western Veil [NGC 6960] and "the bit in the middle" NGC 6974. I still couldn't definitively "claim" NGC 6979 Fleming's Triangular Wisp confined toi the middle and to the North only.

The Eastern part was always brightest (and the only part that showed with UHC only). It was always the bit that revealed itself first after using any kind of red light between looks. In the Western part the brightest single fragment was a "plume" "rising" to the North from 52 Cyg. I didn't detect much extension to the south of 52 Cyg in the west. NGC 6974 in the middle was least bright but was quite extensive as puffy/wispy nebulosity running North South between the two named Veil parts and being grouped with a concentration of stars similarly running north/south.

This has only taken a year to see as a complex so i'm pretty happy this morning. Now i need to work out how to get a dim red light dim enough to be able to try and commit some of it to paper.

As faint references for the sky conditions last night i could see M110 and M33 with this 85mm scope but not M74.

[Deadlake]

Observed Jupiter and Saturn through a C11 (9mm XWA x431) and 105 mm LZOS (4 mm TOE x164). 

The bonus was Saturns rings where visible, wonder how long this will last before they are edge on?

On Jupiter I could see more image scale thru the C11  however the view was soft compared with the LZOS. 

There was no acclamation required for the C11, the scope was stored in the garage and it was still 22 degrees last night however the image was SCT soft while the LZOS did not have the image scale however the view was pin sharp.

Not a fair comparison as the C11 will never have an MTF similar to an LZOS scope and the price reflects this. 

 

[RobertI]

Why do stars look so colourful with binoculars? Just been out for a quick session with the 10x50s, and as always, astounded by the beauty of heavens through binoculars. Open clusters in Perseus and Cassiopeia, colourful doubles everywhere, asterisms, galaxies in Andromeda and Triangulum. And all in the time it would have taken me to set up my “grab and go” setup! 

[Epick Crom]

11 minutes ago, RobertI said:

Why do stars look so colourful with binoculars? Just been out for a quick session with the 10x50s, and as always, astounded by the beauty of heavens through binoculars. Open clusters in Perseus and Cassiopeia, colourful doubles everywhere, asterisms, galaxies in Andromeda and Triangulum. And all in the time it would have taken me to set up my “grab and go” setup! 

Yeah +1 for 10x50mm binoculars. Mine always give vivid and colourful views as you described, there is something magical about the views!

[SwiMatt]

7 hours ago, RobertI said:

Why do stars look so colourful with binoculars? Just been out for a quick session with the 10x50s, and as always, astounded by the beauty of heavens through binoculars. Open clusters in Perseus and Cassiopeia, colourful doubles everywhere, asterisms, galaxies in Andromeda and Triangulum. And all in the time it would have taken me to set up my “grab and go” setup! 

+1 here too! And not only because 10x50s have been my main tool for a few months before going for a telescope. We should really push more the idea that binoculars aren't just a tool for newbies

[IB20]

Clouded out last night but an earlyish morning start have granted beautiful views of a 12.6% waning crescent moon. A quick look on SkySafari showed that Venus wasn’t far away. After a bit of eye wringing, out popped bright Venus. Quickly got the 15x 70 bins out and despite the brightness of Venus saw its brilliant crescent shape; nice to have her back in the skies!