What did you see tonight?

[badhex]

Hello all

Was out on Friday at the Amateur Telescope Makers of London club, first time back in 8 years! When I got back home I realised it was actually clear, so I got the Mak out to cool (again, first outing for this scope in 8 years!) as Saturn was visible from the balcony. Unfortunately I didn't have long before Saturn disappeared behind a tree but got a few minutes. I really must find a good spot somewhere on the grounds for a better viewing spot. Seeing was a bit wobbly and I found it hard to get a snappy focus - could also have been a couple of rogue tree branches but cooling shouldn't have been an issue as it was out for around an hour before I started observing. 

With cygnus riding high, I moved over to Deneb just to do a star test and check both seeing, and collimation of the scope. I think all is in order and circles seemed concentric but need to compare against some Mak specific diagrams as I felt the pattern looked different to a frac. I also had a quick look at M39 as well, although I'll admit it didn't feel super impressive. 

Since it's been a long time since using a Mak, there were a few things I'd forgotten such as the tiny tiny TFOV; a finder will definitely be necessary and I also want to upgrade the visual back to standard SCT thread and fit a compression ring or clicklock.

[John]

Very briefly, Europa's (rather small) shadow transiting Jupiter's southern hemisphere, with my 100mm refractor.

This is from the Sky & Telescope Jupiter's moon's app:

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by John

[Saganite]

On 23/09/2023 at 00:37, John said:

According to Stella Doppie it's .9 of an arc second Steve plus quite a difference in brightness. A tough one !

 

Just had a look at this John.  What a treasure trove...Thanks.

[Nigella Bryant]

I observed Europa's shadow transit last night, early hours of the night plus as it moved onto the disk of Jupiter before the clouds moved in. It was fascinating to see how bright Europa was against the limb of Jupiter. 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Nigella Bryant
Pic added

[Ags]

My home renovation is nearly complete so the Zenithstar 66 is out of its dust shelter and mounted on my AZ-GTI. The only problem is I can't find my talentcell battery, so the past few days I have been using the AZ-GTI as an unpowered manual mount. It's been good to see Jupiter again, and this morning I caught a crescent Venus just before sunrise. No Saturn so far, that observation spot is still occupied by a large number of exiled house plants!

[SwiMatt]

Extremely hazy skies here yesterday but there was a possible window of observation between 10pm and midnight according to the weather forecast. I assessed the conditions from my balcony, the only visible star to the naked eye from my balcony was Vega, which means transparency was horrible. With the binoculars I had a hard time seeing even Mizar and Alcor. So I decided to stay in... I did get to set up my Mak to take a look at Venus this morning when I woke up! But I'm craving more...

It's another month with clear afternoon skies and cloudy nights here in Sweden, with no end in sight  

[Marvin Jenkins]

Couldn’t sleep! Despite the ridiculous full moon allowing me to see some colour in my garden at 3am I grabbed the binoculars.

Turns out I didn’t them for this arrival. 03:40 travelling south to north across my eastern horizon a Bolide.

It was quite slow compared to a shooting star but it was larger, orange and sparkling as it tore across the body of Orion. Then a piece broke off and burned away in a shower of sparkles whilst at the same the main body momentarily flared bright white and continued behind some trees.

The angle of entry was very shallow so the whole thing was more across the horizon than down towards the ground.

Not a fireball but the best bolide of my life. To top it all off I walked my dog this morning just after 7am with Jupiter bright and high, Venus a little way behind and to my surprise the brightest Mercury I have ever seen and not a telescope in sight

Marv

Edited September 29, 2023 by Marvin Jenkins
Multiple typos

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

Very few astronomical sighting compare with excitement of seeing a bolide. I've witnessed three in about 50 years of interest in the night sky. Each was absolutely magical.

[Marvin Jenkins]

1 minute ago, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

Very few astronomical sighting compare with excitement of seeing a bolide. I've witnessed three in about 50 years of interest in the night sky. Each was absolutely magical.

I can only agree. This one just didn’t want to give it up and just kept on burning. My previous bolide which I captured on my dslr was just as bright but lasted just a second, this one had my jaw on the floor.

M

[Ratlet]

Took the 130pds in to work and showed the folks Jupiter and the moon.  Jupiter was okay, but a bit low down just now to be any real good.

Moon looked spectacular though, even if it was full.

[Ratlet]

Back out again.  Managed to time it really well as io was just coming round the limb.  Started as a little wart and eventually got black between it and the planet.

Seeing was much better.  Oddly the BST's (8mm and 12mm) both performed better than the svbony 3-8mm.  Eventually settled on the 12mm with 2x Barlow.

The mobile phone adapter was very popular and we got some cracking images along with a really good video of Jupiter showing clear banding considering the setup.  

[JeremyS]

7 hours ago, Ratlet said:

 

Is that an altazimuth child seat? 🤔

[Mandy D]

11 hours ago, Ratlet said:

Back out again.  Managed to time it really well as io was just coming round the limb.  Started as a little wart and eventually got black between it and the planet.

Seeing was much better.  Oddly the BST's (8mm and 12mm) both performed better than the svbony 3-8mm.  Eventually settled on the 12mm with 2x Barlow.

The mobile phone adapter was very popular and we got some cracking images along with a really good video of Jupiter showing clear banding considering the setup.  

 

It just needs a bobble hat and a smiley face sticking on it!

[Ratlet]

6 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Is that an altazimuth child seat? 🤔

For my favourite child.

[SwiMatt]

Little observing report from my frustrating night... 

 

[Captain Scarlet]

On 30/09/2023 at 16:20, Ratlet said:

For my favourite child.

Don’t let your 10” know! It’ll put it right out of collimation.

[Captain Scarlet]

Just in from a mostly clear night. Only planets, with the 140. Seeing around Saturn seemed really good. I wanted to get as many moons as possible and managed Titan, Dione, Rhea, Tethys, Enceladus, Mimas and Iapetus. I tried hard for Hyperion but no luck. Jupiter again the best I’ve seen it. And I also found the Lunar Crater Clerke, named after Agnes Mary Clerke, born very near here, who was responsible for our recent storm Agnes.

Worthy of a full report, will write it up tomorrow.

Cheers, Magnus

 

[John]

3 minutes ago, Captain Scarlet said:

...... I wanted to get as many moons as possible and managed Titan, Dione, Rhea, Tethys, Enceladus, Mimas and Iapetus. I tried hard for Hyperion but no luck....

 

 

I'm pleased that you saw Mimas with your 140 Magnus.

I think I managed to see it a few weeks back with my ED120:

I'm not sure that anyone believed me though 🙄

[Captain Scarlet]

19 minutes ago, John said:

I'm pleased that you saw Mimas with your 140 Magnus.

I think I managed to see it a few weeks back with my ED120:

I'm not sure that anyone believed me though 🙄

It was quite odd. I was also comparing my various ortho-style eyepieces, and the first I put in was my BCO 10mm (first light for that), for only 94x but that initial view was the best all night by far. Tethys was below the easternmost ring-edge and a much fainter but perfectly obvious and sharp Mimas was above. I struggled to get it with the Tak LEs and TOE at higher mags. But there was cloud steadily rolling in as the night went on so that might’ve affected comparisons.

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by Captain Scarlet

[John]

The Baader 10mm Classic ortho is probably one of the best eyepieces around for picking out faint point sources and nebulosity 🙂

 

[John]

Just had about 20 minutes or so with the 8 inch dob dodging clouds with enough gaps in them to make it worthwhile provided that I didn't mind a whistle stop tour.

Saturn and Neptune looked nice plus brighter galaxies despite the moon. Best one was Mirach's Ghost, NGC 404 which was glowing quite strongly. 

Not really a session as such, more a reminder that there are still some very nice things up there, if only the clouds would clear 🙂

[JerBear]

Howdy/Hola from Southernmost Texas, just joined because did anyone else see bright object (1)west of 27 Piscium? Was as bright as Diphda maybe even Fomalhaut. Between 21:45-22:05 CDT(-5UTC?) tonight on 03/10/2023. Then (2)ended under (SE -118) of 29 and 27 Piscium then slowly faded. (1&2 are for placements shown on attached pic( fromStellarium app).

Edited October 11, 2023 by JerBear

[Epick Crom]

Hi fellow stargazers!

Sagittarius is still placed well for us south of the equator, so last night I visited this incredible constellation.  Among the highlights were:

M22: Absolutely magnificent, beautiful view at 70x in my 10 inch dob. The resolved stars looked like LED lights in this globular.

Polis ( Mu Sagittarii): A nice double star with fainter companions either side of it.

M25: A stunning messier open cluster. Underated!

M23: Another beautiful underated open cluster in Sagittarius. This looked so nice at 50x using my 24mm Panoptic.

NGC 6567: A new to me planetary nebula, first time seeing it last night. It is nestled close to a faint field star. 534x showed it nicely as a tiny nebulous puff of light.

M24: This is an insane star cloud! So much happening within and around it, I got lost observing in and around it for over an hour, dark lanes, asterisms, packed starfields, multiple stars and even several open clusters reside there. A great visual stimulation!

I ended the night by observing the always stunning Saturn. It looked razor sharp even at 686x. Three of its moon's were in a line on one side, with bright Titan shining on the other side. 

A very satisfying observing session!

 

Clear Skies

Joe

[maw lod qan]

A quick look a Jupiter and the four big moons.

Just killing time for another of E. Musk's space junk, I mean Starlink launches.

Now I'm in the drive, watching the Moon rise amongst 5 billion mosquitoes, waiting out another delay!

With the Moon rising in the perfect place, I'll wait this delay out, but that's it.

[badhex]

9 hours ago, Epick Crom said:

Hi fellow stargazers!

Sagittarius is still placed well for us south of the equator, so last night I visited this incredible constellation.  Among the highlights were:

M22: Absolutely magnificent, beautiful view at 70x in my 10 inch dob. The resolved stars looked like LED lights in this globular.

Polis ( Mu Sagittarii): A nice double star with fainter companions either side of it.

M25: A stunning messier open cluster. Underated!

M23: Another beautiful underated open cluster in Sagittarius. This looked so nice at 50x using my 24mm Panoptic.

NGC 6567: A new to me planetary nebula, first time seeing it last night. It is nestled close to a faint field star. 534x showed it nicely as a tiny nebulous puff of light.

M24: This is an insane star cloud! So much happening within and around it, I got lost observing in and around it for over an hour, dark lanes, asterisms, packed starfields, multiple stars and even several open clusters reside there. A great visual stimulation!

I ended the night by observing the always stunning Saturn. It looked razor sharp even at 686x. Three of its moon's were in a line on one side, with bright Titan shining on the other side. 

A very satisfying observing session!

 

Clear Skies

Joe

Sagittarius is a constellation I usually only get to see on holiday with a 73mm - wish I could view it with a 10" dob! I hit a few of the same targets a few weeks ago and I can only imagine what it was like with that huge aperture 🙂