What did you see tonight?

[Stu1smartcookie]

10 minutes ago, paulastro said:

Stu, I'm not trying to tempt you or anything, but I think I've seen a SW 200mm dob and a stellaLyra one recently, either here or on astrobuysell for good prices 😊.

I sold my StellaLyra on here ... so it was probably mine you saw for sale lol ... but i reckon i would be looking at a larger size maybe a 10" or a 12"

[paulastro]

3 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I sold my StellaLyra on here ... so it was probably mine you saw for sale lol ... but i reckon i would be looking at a larger size maybe a 10" or a 12"

Ah, that's ok then  as long as you're getting a bigger one 😊

[Mr Spock]

As the sun is out (suggesting it will be clear tonight) I’m having a solar session with the 4”. Only a couple of spots on view and the seeing is poor. It’s good to get out though. 

[Stu1smartcookie]

So, the next three nights all forecast to be clear... Setting up the large and the small with another hybrid bracket for the starsense... Got to line everything up before darkness.. the wind has dropped considerably which is nice... Hopefully everything goes according to plan... Good luck to everyone setting up tonight.. we've earned these clear nights . 

Stu 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Stu1smartcookie

[Froeng]

1 minute ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

So, the next three nights all forecast to be clear... Setting up the large and the small with another hybrid bracket for the starsense... Got to line everything up before darkness.. the wind has dropped considerably which is nice... Hopefully everything goes scorching to plan... Good luck to everyone setting up tonight.. we've earned these clear nights . 

Stu 

 

 

Good luck tonight and the coming ones. The moon is still around and I have a busy few days ahead. So, unfortunately I will have to give this a miss…

Enjoy!

Frank

[Mr Spock]

Moon is looking fabulous. Aristarchus, Gassendi and Schiller are all well placed. The SAP is really obvious tonight.

Here's why I need more than one scope. The 12" can only reach due south (to the left) and the moon is where the Tak is pointing.

 

[Ratlet]

Good luck folks.  Cloud for miles up here.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Clear skies!!!!!!!!!

I popped out the Ascent 102ED early to acclimatise for Venus daylight observing and wasn't disappointed. 

As demonstrated above astronomy attracts a broad church of intellect and talent. 😂

[Peter Drew]

37 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Moon is looking fabulous. Aristarchus, Gassendi and Schiller are all well placed. The SAP is really obvious tonight.

Here's why I need more than one scope. The 12" can only reach due south (to the left) and the moon is where the Tak is pointing.

 

Why can't the 12" point to the same direction as the Tak?  The Moon should be high enough this lunation not to be locally obstructed.   😀

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

I should have waited before posting above because I managed a first telescopic view of Mercury. I've observed the planet previously with binoculars but this was a proper "Woo!" moment. 🥳

Mercury was just over the garden fence and scraping down a neighbour's wall but at 150x it was an obvious planetary disc with a hint of a phase with (bear in mind I'm colour blind) yellow/orange tinge. 👍

Edited April 2, 2023 by ScouseSpaceCadet
Colour blind!

[Mr Spock]

26 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Why can't the 12" point to the same direction as the Tak?  The Moon should be high enough this lunation not to be locally obstructed.

Because my house is right behind me  The moon will come into range of the Dob in another couple of hours.

[Grogfish]

Sounds like a good evening for Mercury!

I got my first image of it - admittedly on my phone by hanging out of my son’s bedroom window (bright dot just over centre trees)😁 

[Mr Spock]

1 hour ago, Mr Spock said:

The moon will come into range of the Dob in another couple of hours

Make that an hour - it's there now. Going back out in a few moments. Fingers are a bit chilled after having to change batteries in the EQ5 🥶

[Marki]

Got no view to the west, so I've been enjoying some doubles in and about Com Berenices/U Major/Bootes. Tried to see some fuzzies, but given up and the sky is pretty washed out. If you can't beat it, enjoy it, so now I'm seeing how high I can push the magnification on the moon.... . Clavius is a treat in my LZOS 130/1200 . Hope you are all having fun too!

[Telescope40]

Hello. Just in from a couple of hours worth of EP time. Been a while yet again.  Began with Venus. Nice views. BV's in use with a polarizing filter. Phase in full view. Could be a marking or two but unsure. Mercury already departed past next doors roofline.   As, of course, clear sky and everyones friend ze Moon is with us.  Lets go !! 

Decided to concentrate on the Aristarchus area and Schroters Valley. Aristarchus in half shadow. Looks real black. Valley practically on the terminator.  The Herodotus Mountains just popping into the sunlight. Look like 3 "lights" all in a row !! Agricola mountains also showing clearly too with the similar lighting in play.  The half crater Prinz nicely lit. 

Been using a book - Discover the Moon by Lacroux and Legrand to help me with names and info. Finding it to be a help in locating and recognizing features. Has made lunar viewing much more rewarding.  

Nice session for sure.  A quiet evening with little wind and nicely warm with only  a beenie on the old cranium required, rather than full the battledress required over the winter. 

Could be on for another go tomorrow. Guess I've just jinxed it. I'll apologise now just in case. 

John 

[rojay]

I had an enjoyable session, mostly on the moon (unsurprisingly). Aristarchus and Herodotus, with mountains casting triangular shadows. For a bit of variety, I swung over to Venus, which was very low down, and showing plenty of colour from atmospheric dispersion, and to Mars, but couldn't make out any detail. Also split Castor just for fun.

[Epick Crom]

3 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

So, the next three nights all forecast to be clear... Setting up the large and the small with another hybrid bracket for the starsense... Got to line everything up before darkness.. the wind has dropped considerably which is nice... Hopefully everything goes according to plan... Good luck to everyone setting up tonight.. we've earned these clear nights . 

Stu 

 

 

I hope you all get clear skies my UK friends 🤞!

[Mr Spock]

Called it a night. Seeing has deteriorated badly with 'waves' of blurriness moving across the view. Shame - the 12" was showing considerably more detail than the Tak (as you would expect). Both scopes affected equally by the drop in seeing.

[Zermelo]

First time out since March 9th, and just a short one.

Conditions were mediocre, so my first attempt with the binoviewer was probably not a fair one. The moon was boiling a bit, but there was some nice detail between Mare Humorum and the terminator. Schickard looked good, half in shadow.

Mars is small now, though I think I could just see some albedo detail in the Svbony zoom at x375.

M36 and M38 were OK, though a bit washed out, even away from the moon. And some doubles: HR 1847, SAO 114265, and HR 1902, the best at 1.2".

Hoping for more tomorrow.

Edited April 3, 2023 by Zermelo
Amended crater name after consulting atlas

[bosun21]

4 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

So, the next three nights all forecast to be clear... Setting up the large and the small with another hybrid bracket for the starsense... Got to line everything up before darkness.. the wind has dropped considerably which is nice... Hopefully everything goes according to plan... Good luck to everyone setting up tonight.. we've earned these clear nights . 

Stu 

 

 

Won't you bang your head where the Starsense is placed?. Nice scope by the way.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

So, the next three nights all forecast to be clear... Setting up the large and the small with another hybrid bracket for the starsense... Got to line everything up before darkness.. the wind has dropped considerably which is nice... Hopefully everything goes according to plan... Good luck to everyone setting up tonight.. we've earned these clear nights . 

Stu 

 

 

What are these clear nights and skies you talk about?  I am still waiting for one 

[bosun21]

I gave the Starfield a short first light tonight. With the moon being so prominent and high it was the obvious first target, but I quickly slewed to the fast disappearing Sirius to check the optics on the scope. I focused and defocused to check the airy disc each side. All was well in that respect. When focused the star was suffering from atmospheric dispersion due to being so low. For this reason I moved up to Procyon to check for any CA. None detected. Now to the moon. I started off with the Morpheus 4.5mm for 157x. It was tack sharp and the terminator was stunning, at this moment i realised why I wanted to replace my refractor. I then upped to 247x with the 6.5mm Morpheus barlowed by 2.25x. I viewed both Clavius and Tycho respectively and the image remained sharp. I will need to get a 1.25" diagonal as I normally use a variable polarising filter when viewing a bright moon and this wasn't possible with the 2" diagonal I was using. I then caught the Beehive cluster which was nice, although a bit washed out. I quickly split Alcor/Mizar and Castor before I checked the ascending Vega for another CA check on the scope. Again none detected. I wrapped up with a quick look at M13. Whilst it was pleasant the outermost stars were somewhat washed out with the moons presence in the sky. For some reason my fingers are frozen while my feet are toasty hot. All in all I'm pleased that this Starfield is as sharp as my previous one. Time to break down my gear and make myself a coffee and cream.

[Stu1smartcookie]

11 hours ago, Marki said:

Got no view to the west, so I've been enjoying some doubles in and about Com Berenices/U Major/Bootes. Tried to see some fuzzies, but given up and the sky is pretty washed out. If you can't beat it, enjoy it, so now I'm seeing how high I can push the magnification on the moon.... . Clavius is a treat in my LZOS 130/1200 . Hope you are all having fun too!

Me too , regarding no view  to the west ... Unless .... I set up at the front of the house which I rarely do because there  are numerous houses around . But Monday evening I'm giving it a go because most of the "action" in the sky is there. Targets will inclued Venus and I might have a small window to view mercury . 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Stu1smartcookie

[Stu1smartcookie]

8 hours ago, bosun21 said:

I gave the Starfield a short first light tonight. With the moon being so prominent and high it was the obvious first target, but I quickly slewed to the fast disappearing Sirius to check the optics on the scope. I focused and defocused to check the airy disc each side. All was well in that respect. When focused the star was suffering from atmospheric dispersion due to being so low. For this reason I moved up to Procyon to check for any CA. None detected. Now to the moon. I started off with the Morpheus 4.5mm for 157x. It was tack sharp and the terminator was stunning, at this moment i realised why I wanted to replace my refractor. I then upped to 247x with the 6.5mm Morpheus barlowed by 2.25x. I viewed both Clavius and Tycho respectively and the image remained sharp. I will need to get a 1.25" diagonal as I normally use a variable polarising filter when viewing a bright moon and this wasn't possible with the 2" diagonal I was using. I then caught the Beehive cluster which was nice, although a bit washed out. I quickly split Alcor/Mizar and Castor before I checked the ascending Vega for another CA check on the scope. Again none detected. I wrapped up with a quick look at M13. Whilst it was pleasant the outermost stars were somewhat washed out with the moons presence in the sky. For some reason my fingers are frozen while my feet are toasty hot. All in all I'm pleased that this Starfield is as sharp as my previous one. Time to break down my gear and make myself a coffee and cream.

Lovely report Ian ... Cold out there wasn't it ? But totally worth it . Tonight and Tuesday night is forecast clear . We are a hardy but incredibly enthusiastic bunch aren't we  

Edited April 3, 2023 by Stu1smartcookie

[Stu1smartcookie]

6 hours ago, bosun21 said:

Won't you bang your head where the Starsense is placed?. Nice scope by the way.

It would have been a problem but I angled the EP a full 90 degrees and it worked a treat . To be honest Ian I actually prefer the starsense on a dovetail but then I can only utilise one scope ( first world problems eh? ) The  brilliant thing about the starsense is that  it doesn't mind what scope it's paired with ( what a tart !!) I think I might go down the EQ route the same as you and add some motors for silent tracking as I found the SkyTee a bit clumsy . I suppose describing it as "industrial" just about covers it  

Clear skies mate 

Stu

Edited April 3, 2023 by Stu1smartcookie