What did you see tonight?

[SwiMatt]

6 minutes ago, Ed in UK said:

I tried to get M33 next, although the star hop seemed to have me scratching my head a little for some reason I arrived in the area to see no M33. Again stars pointed to being in the right area. Later read it can be very easily affected by LP.

Yeah... I tried M33 in decent Bortle 4 conditions one night with great transparency, but it was a fool's errand

Tough tough target, but great session!

[PeterC65]

Last night I paired the 72mm refractor with the FMA135 for a wide field EAA session.

Thanks to the tip from @Richard N, I streamed the laptop screen to a tablet via Google Meet, then outside I could focus with the tablet in one hand and the focus knob in the other. Genius!

Highlights of the evening were observing all three of Orion’s Belt stars (Cr70) while also observing the Flame and Horsehead Nebulae adjacent to Alnitak …

and observing Vesta pass by M1 …

There’s a full report here.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

I've just come in from a session.  We had an absolutely clear night last night but, naturally, I wasn't able to take advantage of it due to other matters.

It's not as good tonight but I did get a good view of M45 and M42 with my 70ED.  Had a scan around the Milky Way at Cassiopeia as well - always a fun exercise just drinking in the star field.

Then I decided that I wanted to have a look at some DSOs so swapped my OTA out to my C5 and went to the classic M81/M82 double threat and spent about 15 minutes gazing at each in turn.  M82 was much easier to spot than M81 for me - but both were very clear.  I couldn't make out any particular structure in M82 - probably as a function of high cloud, the capability of the C5 and (as ever) my ineptitude but M81/M82 are two of my favourite objects.

Unfortunately I have a bit of a galaxy fascination.  Fortunately I don't have the funds for a round of aperture fever but I would absolutely own a 16" Obsession given half the chance (and being booted out of the house).

[John]

Some small gaps have started to appear between the clouds so I've put my ED120 refractor out. I need to star test it following an objective clean so even a few stars will do. More than that would be a bonus - I wasn't planning on any observing this evening 🙂

 

[Captain Scarlet]

Just in from a nice shortish session with the LZOS 105. I’d decided it was to be a DeLite evening, so I had the 13, 7 and 3 in my pockets. Giving me 50x, 93x & 217x.

Moon and Jupiter were over Baltimore village so the seeing for them wasn’t good. But watching the Moon set behind Brow Head was beautiful. Seeing further east was better but there was thin cloud everywhere.

Almost exclusively in Orion, I saw M42, Trapezium E but not quite F, Sig Orionis with the faint C beautifully evident even in the 13mm, Rigel. I “discovered” iota Orionis, the bottom of Orion’s sword, to be a nice Polaris-like double too. M1 and nearby a stunning orange star which I think was 119 Tauri. Colour quite extraordinary.

I really like the DeLites. The 7 and 13 seemed extremely pure and sharp. The 3 at 217x possibly a bit too much mag but showing nice diffraction rings.

Sirius might’ve been a goer given the conditions but sadly it was behind branches.

Great to get a run of clear nights, even if the fingers drive you back inside!

Magnus

Edited January 17 by Captain Scarlet

[John]

I've got the 130mm triplet refractor out and cooled. Super start to the observing session with a beautiful moon, steady seeing and interesting moon action at Jupiter 🙂

Highlights so far are seeing the darker material "tyre tracks" running across the floor of the Messier crater (right hand one in this image) at 350x:

And Europa's shadow transit with Ganymede and Europa itself in close attendance (Stellarium generated image):

Much more to come, I'm sure 😁

 

[CraigT82]

5 minutes ago, John said:

I've got the 130mm triplet refractor out and cooled. Super start to the observing session with a beautiful moon, steady seeing and interesting moon action at Jupiter 🙂

Highlights so far are seeing the darker material "tyre tracks" running across the floor of the Messier crater (right hand one in this image) at 350x:

And Europa's shadow transit with Ganymede and Europa itself in close attendance (Stellarium generated image):

Much more to come, I'm sure 😁

 

Tomorrow at 6pm ish the moon and Jupiter will be 2 degrees apart, will be a nice sight in a low power EP. Weather looking good currently (for Somerset at least)

[John]

Thanks @CraigT82 - I'll look forward to that 🙂

Io has just popped out of Jupiter's shadow to join Ganymede and Europa. Quite a show !:

 

Edited January 17 by John

[Telescope40]

23 minutes ago, John said:

I've got the 130mm triplet refractor out and cooled. Super start to the observing session with a beautiful moon, steady seeing and interesting moon action at Jupiter 🙂

Highlights so far are seeing the darker material "tyre tracks" running across the floor of the Messier crater (right hand one in this image) at 350x:

And Europa's shadow transit with Ganymede and Europa itself in close attendance (Stellarium generated image):

Much more to come, I'm sure 😁

 

Hi John. Just been following the moon dance at Jupiter. 
As per S&T predictions I was in awe of watching Io come into view from being eclipsed by Jupiter. Took about 80 secs to go from - can’t see to full illumination - at 17.06 from my location. 
Great stuff. 
Did I mention it’s cold again. Sure I’m turning into one of the “Powerpuff girls” -  can’t hack the frozen feet. Only out for 50 mins. Lightweight 

John 

[John]

10 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Hi John. Just been following the moon dance at Jupiter. 
As per S&T predictions I was in awe of watching Io come into view from being eclipsed by Jupiter. Took about 80 secs to go from - can’t see to full illumination - at 17.06 from my location. 
Great stuff. 
Did I mention it’s cold again. Sure I’m turning into one of the “Powerpuff girls” -  can’t hack the frozen feet. Only out for 50 mins. Lightweight 

John 

It sure is cold John !!! 😬

Good observing though. I missed that 80 seconds as Io cleared the jovian shadow - I must have been looking elsewhere. So it seemed to be "now you don't see it, now you do" to me 😁

I'm popping in an out of the house this evening - I can't stay out for too long before the cold starts to seep in.

I've been looking at the jovian show at a rather silly 600x but the moons show very distinct disks that look spherical. With Jupiter in the centre and Europa's shadow skimming the cloud tops, the sense of seeing a 3-dimensional view is very tangible. My 130mm rocket ship has taken me into orbit around the giant planet, while I can handle the chilly earth air, that is 😁 

Edited January 17 by John

[Mr Spock]

Just come in for a finger warm after an extended session.
Fascinating watching Europa's shadow move across Jupiter. Lovely and crisp in the 12" at x217 (7mm Nirvana). I might try a drawing later when the GRS is about - though be warned my planet drawing isn't so good 
The other interesting thing is watching shadows move across Aristoteles. First one bright peak appeared, then two. 
I'm not sure what to look at!

I really need a 6mm eyepiece! I go 8, 7, 5, 4... I might dig out the old TMB Planetary II later. I haven't looked though that for about ten years... lol.

[globular]

13 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

I go 8, 7, 5, 4...

That looks like a countdown until someone suggests a SVBony 3-8 zoom.

[John]

17 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Just come in for a finger warm after an extended session.
Fascinating watching Ganymede's shadow move across Jupiter. Lovely and crisp in the 12" at x217 (7mm Nirvana). I might try a drawing later when the GRS is about - though be warned my planet drawing isn't so good 
The other interesting thing is watching shadows move across Aristoteles. First one bright peak appeared, then two. 
I'm not sure what to look at!

I really need a 6mm eyepiece! I go 8, 7, 5, 4... I might dig out the old TMB Planetary II later. I haven't looked though that for about ten years... lol.

Good stuff !

I think that shadow belongs to Europa though 🤔

I've found 6mm spot on for Jupiter with the 130mm refractor this evening - 200x with that scope. 7mm and 5mm have been doing a good job as well though.

 

[John]

7 minutes ago, globular said:

That looks like a countdown until someone suggests a SVBony 3-8 zoom.

😅🤐

[globular]

Just now, John said:

😅🤐

Yes, my 'someone' was you John, haha.

[Mr Spock]

5 minutes ago, John said:

I think that shadow belongs to Europa though

Edited - I don't know why I put that!

[Mr Spock]

I've just had ten minutes on Theophilus. What a lovely sight at x304 in the 5mm LVW.

As an experiment the 6mm TMB has gone back whence it came. IQ is awful. I know now why I've never sold it - I couldn't in all conscience give it away...

[Captain Scarlet]

In to warm up after also watching Europa’s shadow transit through my SV140. I could clearly see the shadow at 94x with my BGO 10, I could not see it with my Tak LE 5 at 188x, and I could quite easily see it with my Delos 4.5 at 208x. Dinner beckons then I’m out again later.

M

[John]

2 minutes ago, Captain Scarlet said:

In to warm up after also watching Europa’s shadow transit through my SV140. I could clearly see the shadow at 94x with my BGO 10, I could not see it with my Tak LE 5 at 188x, and I could quite easily see it with my Delos 4.5 at 208x. Dinner beckons then I’m out again later.

M

My supper beckons as well.

I felt that Europa's shadow got less and less distinct as it crossed the disk. Maybe it elongates as the angle between Europa, the Sun and the jovian cloud tops changes ?

Edited January 17 by John

[Mr Spock]

I've never actually looked through a Delos. Ooh look, they do a 6mm... 

[dweller25]

I just spent an hour trying to watch Europa’s shadow transiting Jupiter.

I planned to sketch it but seeing was very poor when I started observing at 17:40 and still poor at 18:40 so I came back in for the night to warm up.

Did not bother to do a drawing this time.

Tomorrow night is clear so will try again at 17:20 when the GRS is central.

 

[PeterStudz]

Far too cloudy here tonight. Mind, the forecast for tomorrow looks promising if rather chilly, but I can live with that!

[Mr Spock]

In out, in out, it's one of those nights. -3.3° at the moment and I'm not as tolerant of the cold as I used to be. Having yet another coffee at the moment 

Plenty to see though. The central peaks of Aristoteles are fully exposed now.

[AstroNebulee]

I just spent a relaxing and lovely if not rather cold hour out with my newly arrived today ST102, its a nice piece of equipment. Paired with my AzGti, 32mm plossl and zoom lens it gave some wonderful views, a usual tour of the favourites to test it out. . Even with the first quarter moon M31 was clearly visable the core and outer dust lanes. Yes there is CA when looking a the moon and Jupiter but putting the lens cap back on the front and taking off the small cap eliminated most of the CA. Lots of clusters viewed this evening, I forgot how thrilling they are to see, especially when you get a tight cluster and use averted vision to let them pop. I will have to make some form of list to observe each time I can. I do use sky safari to pick an area to observe and log them. But will transfer to my notebook for an at a glance view. 

I'm happy with observing as I can just go out for an hour or however long I want then back in to get warm. No worrying about a few clouds or a bit of wind or even the moon about. I think is one of my best moves. 

Clear skies 

Lee 

Edited January 17 by AstroNebulee

[Captain Scarlet]

It seems that Ganymede will reappear from shadow more than a full disc diameter NW from the planet around 2155 or so. I’ll be out for that.