What did you see tonight?

[markse68]

@F15Rules sorry to read your sad news Dave- best wishes to you and your wife. The sky can wait!

Mark

[bosun21]

@F15Rules My sincere condolences to you and wife Dave.

[bosun21]

25 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

I just managed to get aligned here, looked up - sky full of clouds.

But the forecasts are still optimistic.

My skies are cloud free but there’s a thick fog that just isn’t shifting.

[Mr Spock]

Transparency is poor tonight. I know Pisces is there, somewhere. I just can't see it!
Had a look at Jupiter. There were some steady moments giving fine detail with the 18mm ortho and 2.5x Powermate.

My EQ platform isn't functioning properly. The play in the drive spindle means when I move the scope the spindle turns into a part of the rotation where it's not engaging. It does catch up but by that time the object is out of view and we're back to square one. I'll have to figure out how to remove the play 

The poor conditions, cold, and the EQ mean I'm going to call it a night shortly. I'll just wait a bit until Mars comes out from behind the house.

[Stu]

37 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

I just managed to get aligned here, looked up - sky full of clouds.

But the forecasts are still optimistic.

Clouds here to Paul. Think I’m done for the night, film night with Mrs Stu 🤣

[Zermelo]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Clouds here to Paul. Think I’m done for the night, film night with Mrs Stu 🤣

Well the low cloud did clear, but transparency was a bit variable, the seeing was quite good, same as last night. In the end, it was the cold that drove me in. This was my third night in a row, and I think it's gotten into my bones.

I had a good look at Mars for half an hour, which was showing better than yesterday for me. And a few doubles, and the Eskimo Nebula, but my goto is having a hissy fit at the moment, so it's back to the red dot and RACI. My main aim this week was to compare my recent Svbony 3-8mm zoom with the rest of the stable. I'll get around to writing it up when the weather changes.

[Ratlet]

3 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

Well the low cloud did clear, but transparency was a bit variable, the seeing was quite good, same as last night. In the end, it was the cold that drove me in. This was my third night in a row, and I think it's gotten into my bones.

I had a good look at Mars for half an hour, which was showing better than yesterday for me. And a few doubles, and the Eskimo Nebula, but my goto is having a hissy fit at the moment, so it's back to the red dot and RACI. My main aim this week was to compare my recent Svbony 3-8mm zoom with the rest of the stable. I'll get around to writing it up when the weather changes.

What scope will you be using the zoom with?  I've found it to be excellent with my 130pds, even if the eye relief is a bit tight compared to my Starguiders.  I look forward to seeing your experience with it.

[bosun21]

27 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

What scope will you be using the zoom with?  I've found it to be excellent with my 130pds, even if the eye relief is a bit tight compared to my Starguiders.  I look forward to seeing your experience with it.

I was considering getting the SVbony 3-8x zoom. How have you found it?

ps: did you get the reply to your pm?

[Ratlet]

8 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

I was considering getting the SVbony 3-8x zoom. How have you found it?

ps: did you get the reply to your pm?

I've found it to be excellent.  The eye relief is tight, especially towards the 3mm. 

It has better contrast than my 8mm BST (either just the 8mm or with Barlow).  It snaps to focus more, which the Starguiders do not, they tend to wallow through.

You are very quickly able to dial in the the ideal focal length for your sky conditions, you do need to adjust focus when changing focal length however it's a small adjustment on the fine control and I'm usually nudging the focus similar amounts when I stay on one focal length.

Paired with the cheap yellow filter and moonglow filter at the same time it gave the best views I've had of Jupiter and Mars.

I will add on that I'm on 6 months in on observing and previously had little interest in planetary, largely because of issues the svbony has addressed. 

[Zermelo]

56 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

What scope will you be using the zoom with?  I've found it to be excellent with my 130pds, even if the eye relief is a bit tight compared to my Starguiders.  I look forward to seeing your experience with it.

I've been testing it with a Skymax 127. I will also be using it with a 150mm F/5 Newt.

[Saganite]

Can't complain about tonight, it has been a terrific week of observing.  The seeing started out ok and the transparency was ok, but Just in now because the transparency is dire. So the evenings haul was Jupiter, a bit meh as was Mars,  the Auriga clusters, the wonderful Double Cluster and 15 double stars. Could not see M1 by the time I thought about it.

 

Oh, and Uranus, how could I forget that !

APM ED 152 and Carton 7-21mm zoom mostly , with Pentax XW 3.5 when needed

Edited January 21, 2023 by Saganite

[allworlds]

Looked for and found comet 2022 E3 with the binoculars. Faint round averted vision fuzzy that I would never have noticed if I didn't have Stellarium showing me exactly where to look. Still, more than I've seen in a little while.

[SuburbanMak]

Went out late to see if I could pick up the comet from the local park with the venerable Clarkson 3” f15 - it didn’t disappoint. A really nice view of the comet in the BCO 18mm at x61, then on to favourite doubles and clusters and  back to the comet in, by then, failing transparency. 

Another splendid session with the  “Gentleman’s telescope”.

 

[Sulaco85]

Clear skies but transparency was awful for me, spent some time at M44, M42 and my old friend plaiedes. Started frosting up at 1am so called it a night as I couldn't feel my feet haha. 

[Saganite]

3 hours ago, SuburbanMak said:

Went out late to see if I could pick up the comet from the local park with the venerable Clarkson 3” f15 - it didn’t disappoint. A really nice view of the comet in the BCO 18mm at x61, then on to favourite doubles and clusters and  back to the comet in, by then, failing transparency. 

Another splendid session with the  “Gentleman’s telescope”.

 

Lovely atmospheric images there, with a good result. I looked out this morning at about 3.30am and last evenings dire transparency was now fog, so I have yet to see the Comet.

 

[Mr Spock]

Here's when you start to feel really stupid....

You know my EQ platform not tracking... Well, when I switched it on the other night and it didn't work at all, I actually flipped the N/S switch instead of the On/Off switch. Doh!!!

[westmarch]

41 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Here's when you start to feel really stupid....

You know my EQ platform not tracking... Well, when I switched it on the other night and it didn't work at all, I actually flipped the N/S switch instead of the On/Off switch. Doh!!!

It is so easy to do in the dark!  Pointing the south pole of the platform north is another one I have done - that’s a real hassle to correct! 🙄

John

[Mr Spock]

...especially as the switch is between the two platforms so I have to crawl on the ground to reach it.

[SuburbanMak]

Quick peek with the old Hilkin 60mm before dinner, BCOs 18/10/6mm, TS 32mmPlossl & TV15mm.  Good seeing. Transparency a bit iffy and getting worse. 
Jupiter - lovely alignment of all 4 moons, good view of N/SEB & darker pole, Mars - nice red coloured disc, maybe something at the N Pole.  Split Castor, Sigma Ori, Mintaka, Rigel (BCO 10 & 6mm). M42 - 4 trap stars. M45 looking fab and just fitting in FoV with the 32mm.  
Really should use this scope more, pin sharp and weighs nothing - rock solid on the AZGTI/PB70 manual mount on Berlebach 312 Report.  
A worthwhile hour there :). 

[Nakedgun]

~

Poor seeing tonight due to wind, so no telescopic observation scheduled.

However, binoculars were employed at sundown to catch the Venus/Saturn conjunction, as well as the 3% illuminated setting Moon, which I photographed:

 

1/3rd degree separation:

 

 

Streak of a plane seen sliding past Luna, just to its left:

 

 

Near horizon.

 

 

 

.

[Nakedgun]

15 hours ago, Nakedgun said:

~

Poor seeing tonight due to wind, so no telescopic observation scheduled.

However, binoculars were employed at sundown to catch the Venus/Saturn conjunction, as well as the 3% illuminated setting Moon, which I photographed:

 

1/3rd degree separation:

 

 

Streak of a plane seen sliding past Luna, just to its left:

 

 

Near horizon.

 

 

 

.

 

~

A tighter crop of the last shot:

 

 

 

.

[MalcolmM]

I took a picture of M46 a few nights ago and managed to capture NGC2438 the planetary nebula. I tried with the 100DC to see it a couple of nights later. I could barely see M46 let alone the embedded planetary nebula! So tonight I kept watch for the clouds dissipating and tried again with the Mewlon and a Tak Erfle. M46 was feint but visible, despite a milky haze and mucky smoke coming from a neighbour's chimney. But despite knowing where to look (having studied my pic), I could not see it. I then tried a UHC filter, and there it was! Visible with direct vision as a feint smokey disc, no hint of a donut shape and no hint of any colour. Very exciting all the same 

A quick go at M42 with the filter and I was stunned at the sight! What an improvement over not using a filter! Lots of detail, very obvious shape, very bright core and wispy tendrils further out. I could still see the 4 stars of Trapezium despite the darkening of the filter. I was just getting into studying it in more detail when the clouds arrived but a very interesting short session and the first time the benefits of a UHC have been so obvious to me.

Malcolm

[Stardaze]

Got up at 4 this morning to finally sneak a peak at C/2022 E3 with the bins. I did have a quick glimpse before bed through the tree next door but being nicely positioned during the early hours made it pop in the 15x70's. The glow of it really does cover a lot of sky. I daren't wake the family and get the scope out of the garage, so felt satisfied with that along with some if the spring constellations. I was joined by the brother-in-law too so that he could see his first comet.

 

 

[josefk]

Icy cold short GnG session last night - so icy cold kit i had taken out from a warm house was frosted over quite thickly within 2 hours.

I was looking for various Nebula in Gemini and Monoceros but failed to see the Medusa Nebula (2nd miss in two weeks), Nebulosity around the Christmas Tree cluster and the Rosette Nebula. I know these are not going to drop in my lap so no disappointment. 

In the positive observations list: Struve 1110 (Castor) - i was starting my star hop here but also wanted to particularly note the fainter CaCb component and did. It's not tricky its just a matter of not being seduced by the bright AaAb BaBb "pair". Then NGC 2392 the Eskimo Nebula. I'm becoming a regular visitor here here but I'm finding it quite fascinating to use different kit and different magnification to appreciate this object. Last night it was detectable as PNe at just 30x and distinctly smudgy with a bright core at just 70x. 

While not seeing nebulosity around the Christmas Tree cluster i did see the fantastic NGC 2261 Hubble's Variable Nebula and this was the highlight of the night. This was discovered by William Herschel but isn't a H400 object. Goodness knows why as it is both interesting in itself as a variable nebula and visually interesting at the EP being very comet like even at just 70x magnification. The comet like nature was very apparent after about 20 mins of drifting it across the EP and that without any preconception that it "should" be comet like. Recommended.

Cheers

 

 

 

 

[Ratlet]

The wife is sick today and after letting work know I wouldn't be in I managed to sneak out for 10 minutes before the kids got up for school for a quick look at C/2022 E3.  Very high in the sky around 0600 in the tail of Draco.  There is no way I would have been able to track it down without the goto.  The tail was pretty pronounced, trailing off to the north and west at the eyepiece.  The nucleus was very bright and was framed on either side by two bright stars.  I thought my 12mm BST gave the best view (x54) with the starfield providing some good context although the 32mm wasn't too bad I just found it made the nucleus look a bit brighter in the 12mm.