What did you see tonight?

[Ags]

I waited for Jupiter to rise higher (42°) before setting up and was rewarded with a sharper image. I started at 157x with my C6 and then dialled back to 105x which kept all the details but was a sharper and richer view. The SLV 6 and NLV 9 were performing great, but I wished I  could cross them and produce an SNL 7.5!

I was flipping between glasses-on and glasses-off views, and I had to reluctantly conclude that glasses-on was better. I had a look at Capella to confirm, and the star was better formed with glasses on. Have to consider long eye relief eyepieces now!

[Ratlet]

Currently cat sitting for the in-laws.  No observing proper, but woke up to go to work at 0400 and got a sneak preview of the winter constellations.

I may have to come out here for some observing with the dob.  They have fabulous views that go lower inclination than back home where I'm restricted to 20° or up.  Keeps me out of the weeds, but still it would be nice to try.  Views south and east right out across the North.

Got half way to work before I remembered the binoculars were in the boot of the car 🤣

[RobertI]

Just returned from Kelling Heath and lucky enough to have had some clear skies and looked through some big dobs. The Crescent Nebula through a 20” was the highlight for me, having never been more than a hazy smudge in my scopes. Full report here…

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by RobertI

[Saganite]

At a recent dark sky gathering of our Astro Society, we had all set up when it swiftly clouded up and eventually dumped a shower on us.  It did clear after a while and my colleagues all got some decent observing, but I was the first to see stars as this image taken by a friend proves.

Edited October 19, 2023 by Saganite

[RobertI]

6 minutes ago, Saganite said:

At a recent dark sky gathering for our Astro Society, we had all set up when it swiftly clouded up and eventually dumped a shower on us.  It did clear after a while and my colleagues all got some decent observing, but I was the first to see stars as this image taken by a friend proves.

Wow, the transparency must have been amazing, you can even see the constellation names! 

[Saganite]

22 minutes ago, RobertI said:

Wow, the transparency must have been amazing, you can even see the constellation names! 

Absolutely Rob, it was just like watching Stellarium...🤣

[SwiMatt]

Had a chance to get a peek of the Winter constellations during my morning run, I was particularly happy to see my favorite, Gemini.

I should start doing my runs with binoculars, except that people would start taking me for a navy seal or something

[DirkSteele]

Clouds. Mostly clouds! Little unfair, as we did see Jupiter as it was rising in the east but was a mushy mess as it was so low and a few stars early in the session but alas the clear skies during the afternoon did not hold into the evening so about 50 attendees to the Baker Street Irregular Astronomers star party in Regent’s Park were not rewarded for their effort to travel.

I did attempt to find Saturn hoping it might cut through the high cloud in a scope even though it was not visible naked eye, using a compass and digital spirit level to point my manual Alt Az in the right direction (having checked that both were accurate by using the same method to find Jupiter without looking at it), but sadly the cloud was too thick.

[Nigella Bryant]

5 hours ago, SwiMatt said:

Had a chance to get a peek of the Winter constellations during my morning run, I was particularly happy to see my favorite, Gemini.

I should start doing my runs with binoculars, except that people would start taking me for a navy seal or something

Probably a peeping Tom, lol 😆 

[SwiMatt]

19 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Probably a peeping Tom, lol 😆 

I would assume that any astronomer who doesn't have a private backyard eventually becomes the peeping Tom of the neighborhood

[DirkSteele]

So those of you who paid attention to what did the postman bring v2 yesterday would have seen I have taken delivery of a new Tak FC-100DC. There was a brief spell of semi clear skies this evening. Looking a the forecast that might be it for quite some time. I wanted to try out the scope and thought I will have a quick peak at Saturn and the Moon. Here is the thing, neither of them can be seen from ground level at my house currently so I popped the scope out on the roof, about 40ft up (I travel for most of my Astronomy sadly).

 

Even with an uncooled scope, heat rising off the house and a turbulent atmosphere, I was quite impressed by the quick glance. Saturn held up quite well even at 185x. Look forward to seeing what this scope can do when I have a proper session with it.

Yep that is the chimney. Saturn was just under the dish.

Edited October 20, 2023 by DirkSteele
typo

[Stu]

Popped the 77mm Hilkin out again quickly tonight as I could again see the Moon! Lunar X visible quite clearly, along with the V a little way onto the surface. Popped in to get my phone for a snap, now behind thin cloud 🤬

[John]

Nice - no false colour in evidence there !

 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, John said:

Nice - no false colour in evidence there !

 

Possibly helped by the cloud cover, but it was pretty good. With the supplied prism and eyepieces it was quite ropey, much better with the Zeiss prism and little Circle V orthos.

[John]

Hazy cloud cover here but I can see some stars plus Saturn and Jupiter.

Nice views of Saturn, Neptune and Iota Cassiopeia so far with the Tak FC100. 

I don't think it's going to last though 😒

I'm so glad I've got a scope that needs hardly any cool down time and is quick to set up with the weather we have had this summer and autumn. 

 

[John]

26 minutes ago, John said:

Hazy cloud cover here but I can see some stars plus Saturn and Jupiter.

Nice views of Saturn, Neptune and Iota Cassiopeia so far with the Tak FC100. 

I don't think it's going to last though 😒

I'm so glad I've got a scope that needs hardly any cool down time and is quick to set up with the weather we have had this summer and autumn. 

 

Pah !!! - thin clouds have gotten thicker and thicker. Scope back in. 😒

Jupiter still not in view due to a large conifer. "Clear Outside" says that the sky might clear again in a couple of hours ...... 

Edited October 21, 2023 by John

[IB20]

1 hour ago, John said:

Pah !!! - thin clouds have gotten thicker and thicker. Scope back in. 😒

Jupiter still not in view due to a large conifer. "Clear Outside" says that the sky might clear again in a couple of hours ...... 

If it clears up and you can stay up for another hour, you should be rewarded with an Io shadow transit!

[John]

I've just had another session outside with the Tak 100. Jupiter clear of pesky conifers at last and a few breaks in the cloud cover gave some nice views. Best magnification tonight seemed to be 150x. I was using Astro Hutech orthos in the 7mm - 4mm range. Limited AFoV and tight eye relief but very sharp and very little light scatter around the planets. 

During the steady moments I could see 5 cloud belts plus the N & S polar zones. The north equatorial belt was showing some very interesting knots and whirls and I could see at least 2 festoons looping down from it into the pale equatorial zone. 

The seeing was good enough to be able to tell Ganymede and Europa from their apparent size in the eyepiece. Io and Callisto seemed about the same size but obviously Io is approaching the jovian disk currently. 

Cloud cover thickening again so I may well miss Io's shadow transit but this past 20 minutes or so has been a bonus 🙂

Edited October 21, 2023 by John

[andrew63]

Starting to see some Orionids ☄️

[John]

Clear here now for a bit. Io edging closer to the jovian limb. Shadow transit starts in around 20 minutes 😁

Lovely detail now on the giant planet at 150x. Switched to 6mm Ethos to get a longer drift time.

[scarp15]

Jupiter has cleared the chimney stack and is looking good ready for another Io transit. Currently using the same set up as last weekend; VX8L - F6 dob and 18mm DeLite, that will step up to 10mm Delos and probably a bit higher. Also a Baader Neodymium filter. Time for a coffee.

[John]

30 minutes ago, John said:

Clear here now for a bit. Io edging closer to the jovian limb. Shadow transit starts in around 20 minutes 😁

Lovely detail now on the giant planet at 150x. Switched to 6mm Ethos to get a longer drift time.

I've been watching Io's shadow ingress onto Jupiter's disk. Fabulous views at 150x under a really dark, clear sky. And after all that moaning and groaning about the conditions earlier !

Tonight is the strongest reminder I've had for a while of why I am in this hobby 😁

Probably the best observing I've had this summer 👍

 

[John]

Io is on the disk alongside it's shadow now. Lovely sight 😁

[Epick Crom]

2 hours ago, John said:

I've been watching Io's shadow ingress onto Jupiter's disk. Fabulous views at 150x under a really dark, clear sky. And after all that moaning and groaning about the conditions earlier !

Tonight is the strongest reminder I've had for a while of why I am in this hobby 😁

Probably the best observing I've had this summer 👍

 

Hi John, I'm happy for you that your night ended well. It's those special nights that keep us coming back for more!

[IB20]

6 hours ago, John said:

I've been watching Io's shadow ingress onto Jupiter's disk. Fabulous views at 150x under a really dark, clear sky. And after all that moaning and groaning about the conditions earlier !

Tonight is the strongest reminder I've had for a while of why I am in this hobby 😁

Probably the best observing I've had this summer 👍

 

Glad you got some good conditions John. 
I didn’t fancy the 2am bed-6am wake up from my two boys so will eagerly have to wait for my first shadow transit of the season.