What did you see tonight?

[Bugdozer]

I am cursed with an obstructed view to the northwest, so this evening I travelled to a nearby park to get a clear view in that direction, aiming to bag two objects I have not seen telescopically before - Mercury and Comet Pons-Brooks. 

Mercury was easily found, being visible to the naked eye in a still fairly bright sky. I wasn't expecting much from it through the telescope, but at around 128x magnification I could clearly see the half phase of it, tilted towards the direction of the sun. Unfortunately the seeing was pretty poor and the low altitude was producing lots of colour fringing too. But it's the last planet I had left to see through a telescope, so I was happy enough. 

I spent some time observing Jupiter whilst waiting for the sky to darken a little more, then by the power of typing coordinates into my goto scope, I had the comet nicely centred. I saw it a couple of days ago through binoculars but there was haze in the sky. Tonight's view was much better. I couldn't really see a tail, but I could tell there was more fuzz on one side than the other. I also didn't detect any colour. After about 15 minutes, haze began to form in that part of the sky, so I packed up. 

[Mr Spock]

Having a couple of hours rest now. My back isn't up to long spells at the eyepiece yet.

The moon is too bright to look at faint doubles. Castor looks splendid through the 100mm and 4mm eyepieces (x185). The TOE, Nirvana, Svbony 3-8 @ 4 and ortho all looked great on Castor, with a crisp airy disc and 'broken' diffraction ring (showing how good the scope's optics are.

Sirius was pleasing. Not the usual jumble of colours but a clean disc in steady moments with glimpses of the pup in the same moments. Very nice!

I'll go back out later tonight to have a look at the moon. At the moment it's behind the house.

[Mr Spock]

Had a brief look at the moon, but there's too much high cloud now to get much done. Everything brought in now 

Despite the cloud the Svbony 3-8 @ 3mm seemed clear enough at x247.

[Littleguy80]

Been a good astronomy day here. Bit of late afternoon white light solar with the really complex AR on display. Caught Jupiter and then Mercury at dusk. Mercury showing a nice phase through the scope. The ISS passed over around that time too.  Popped out after tea for Comet 12P. Just before bed, came out for a little Lunar, the double double, M13 and Izar. The 4” frac living up to its reputation as a versatile scope. 

[josefk]

@Bugdozer snap for me too with Mercury last night. I’ve only ever seen it (found it) with Binoculars THEN seen it naked eye. Last night it was a naked eye find THEN telescope observation. My observation sounds identical to yours -  clear phase but huge amounts of atmospheric red and blue dispersion. 

[josefk]

After an initially quite thrilling Mercury (i'd not seen it in a scope before and the phase was "obvious") it was quickly apparent i wasn't going to get much more out of it due to its altitude and so i swung left for Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks - sketched here: https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/420515-comet-12ppons-brooks-240324/#comment-4472212

This was very satisfying as i had begun to fret (with our current weather) that i was missing the opportunity.

I also found that it is worthwhile experimenting with magnification even for familiar objects and extracted a lot of pleasure from M37, M36, and M38 trying to balance the darkest sky against the largest FOV.

... and I think i may have seen the open cluster King 8 but i need to check how much i should see versus what i did see and finally; i couldn't see the secondary to the bright orange star (HD 34545) in the middle of the open cluster NGC 1857 (even though i could see dimmer stars nearby) but wow, HD 24545 was lovely anyway.

Edited March 25 by josefk

[paulastro]

Last evening I went to Penistone Hill Country Park to attempt to see the predicted aurora.  No aurora alas, but I did take my Seestar S50 for its first field trip.  I did manage an image of 12P/Pons-Brooks.  Also I took one of the Orion Neb to see what the S50 could perform on a night with theMoon 99% illuminated.  There was also a fair amount of haze. Being a non- imager I was pleasantly surprised.  The comet was 8 mts exposure and M42, 60 mts.

 

 

Edited March 25 by paulastro

[SwiMatt]

I'm missing the shadow transit on Jupiter as I'm clouded over. GRS would have been visible at the same time. Weather looked OK just 30 minutes ago... when will I learn to not get so excited every time? 

[scotty1]

This was early Sunday morning 00.30 GMT 

Aurora struggling against 99% moon. 

 

Edited March 26 by scotty1

[DaveL59]

Not observing as such, more having a smoke out back and surprised to see some stars, Orion low in the sky from where I am (trees). Next thing I see a bright white streak passing Orion headed East-West leaving a fair trail as it went by. Wonder if that'll provide someone further west with more of a display or even some fragments 🙂 

Edited March 27 by DaveL59

[paulastro]

I went to Penistone Hill Country Park again as it has a better horizon to see 12P/Pons-Brooks.

They all the same pic with a couple of quick enhancements using  the camera phones software to bring out some of the detail in the tail. 

Time and exposure at bottom of pictures.

Pic with the Seestar S50.

 

 

Edited March 27 by paulastro

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

I visited Liverpool Astronomical Society's Pex Hill observatory tonight and while having a natter, one of the chaps who was demonstrating in the dome ran down the stairs to tell us they had in the eyepiece 12P/Pons-Brooks. So up trotted twenty amateurs forming a disorderly queue. 😄

I managed a good peek through the club's LX200.  Very unexpected considering the horrible weather this evening. We were lucky the rain stopped and clouds parted for several minutes.👍

[Mr_Cat]

On some levels last night was disappointing and frustrating but at the same time I did quite a bit of work on my process so I'm claiming it as a win.
Scope out at 1330 to cool as it looked like the sky was going to be clear.

1900 I got out with the finderscope on a tripod and had a look at Jupiter - when the clouds cleared I could discern some banding and 4 moons. It always surprises me when I can see something through the scope and look up and see the target is covered in cloud - but there is enough light that the telescope can pick it up..

About 2015 the clouds had cleared enough so I move the C925 and mount onto the terrace - first outside session with the Asiair - and the issues started. 
It wouldn't plate solve with the camera in the OAG suggesting the issue was the focal length, then I remembered the Focal reducer was in place - so I calculated the new focal length and tried again - still no go..
I was tempted to go back in the house at that point but persevered, replaced my finder scope with one I could put the camera on - and it plate solved. Went through the all sky polar alignment - which took ages with the clouds. While I was waiting I took the OAG off and on went a diagonal and an eye piece.
With the mount polar aligned I started slewing to targets and realised that the guidescope was out of line..
Thought about calling it quits there but persevered and aligned everything - swung to split Lyrae and as the mount slewed total cloud cover rolled in..
So not much seen but a good evenings work in poor conditions which should save me time when when do get a clear night !


 

[PeterC65]

10 hours ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

I visited Liverpool Astronomical Society's Pex Hill observatory tonight and while having a natter, one of the chaps who was demonstrating in the dome ran down the stairs to tell us they had in the eyepiece 12P/Pons-Brooks. So up trotted twenty amateurs forming a disorderly queue. 😄

I managed a good peek through the club's LX200.  Very unexpected considering the horrible weather this evening. We were lucky the rain stopped and clouds parted for several minutes.👍

Is that Pex Hill in Widnes? I come from Widnes and regularly went to Pex Hill as a child but didn't know there was an observatory there.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

1 hour ago, PeterC65 said:

Is that Pex Hill in Widnes? I come from Widnes and regularly went to Pex Hill as a child but didn't know there was an observatory there.

Aye.. Pex Hill in Cronton.

https://liverpoolas.org/weekly-meetings/

 

[AstroNebulee]

A lovely evening spent comet chasing. I wanted to capture something of comet Pons Brooks before it disappeared under the horizon, so with mixed weather reports I headed up the northern part of the village with a clear view to the north western horizon with my dslr and 50mm yongnuo lens (not the best but my longest focal length prime). 

The clouds were stubborn offering few breaks but enough for me to get the lens in the right area and eventually the clear spell arrived and manged to get some images, experimenting with higher iso. It was showing up quite nice with its green and white glow of the coma and onto the faint white tail. 

I was so pleased to get something of it especially with the hour shift in the clocks this weekend and it getting even lower to the horizon. So possibly my only chance to to bag it. Sadly I forgot to take my binos with me (maybe tomorrow if its clear again). 

A superb view of Orion chasing the Hyades, Pleiades to the west and towards the horizon for it's departure. I came home very cold fingers and toes but with a warm glow inside for eventually seeing Pons Brooks. If the images are any good I'll share them in the imaging section. 

Clear skies 

Lee 

Edited March 28 by AstroNebulee

[Captain Scarlet]

Our local Astro club meet tonight, and a very good showing. Of people, not skies! Forecast clear, so it was when I started setting up. Literally the exact moment my scope touched the mount, I heard pat-pat-pat on my jacket. OTA back in the car for half an hour or so, then it seemed to clear. As we were all back out and I’d just done my alignment, the heavens truly opened! 
So what did I see tonight? Just Alcyone, my 1-star align.

All kit, OTA, eyepiece, diagonal, finder, lifepo4, handset etc etc now arranged on my table, dabbed down with towel and drying.

Magnus

Edited March 28 by Captain Scarlet

[Whistlin Bob]

A nice little surprise session tonight. Forecast very mediocre, but skies really looking good - if in doubt always trust mk 1 eyeballs! I got the 14" out...

Inspired by the Tegmine thread I decided to start there and managed to get a nice split, wheeled over to Castor and enjoyed those cats eyes for a bit and deciding I was in the mood for some doubles I slid across to Algieba. I was enjoying myself but the view abruptly disappeared behind some cloud. It looked good overhead, so I treated myself to a nice view of m51. I was using 7mm Celestron xCel, which I always feel is a little underrated, and I was getting some nice hints of spiral arms when the clouds hid that as well.

Couple of drops of rain had me packing away sharpish- as the forecast was now predicting an imminent downpour, but ten minutes later it was all clear again. Didn't feel like setting up fully so first had a little play with binoculars around Auriga (couple of clusters bagged) and then managed to find the beehive. Very nice!

[paulastro]

Observed from around 11pm on March 29th to 2.30am on 30th. Fairly transparent, some couds and haze and gibbous Moon rising.

Pics taken with Seestar S50.

1  Comet 62P Tsuchinsha, quite faint, m12.9 according to SkySafari.  2     M52,  3 IC5070   4 M100 with fainter galaxies nearby,  5 NGC 7000,  6  Moon just risen in the E.

 

 

 

 

[Captain Scarlet]

So far, Mercury through an actual scope (rather than simply “ticked off” by eye which is what I managed a few days ago) and at 21% phase too and very little atmospheric colour. Very pleased, certainly the best view I’ve had of Mercury ever. Comet beckons a little later 🤞.

Edit: so finally, FINALLY, I bagged the comet after many cloud-foiled attempts. The tail was very evident through both 15x56 bins and at 36x through my LZOS 105. Doubly pleased.

Magnus

 

Edited March 30 by Captain Scarlet

[Mr Spock]

I've just been for a short drive west. It's 250m higher than here and has a clear horizon - I have houses. Got a real good look at Mercury with the 12x36is bins. I wish I'd taken a scope with me.

Got back, put the Tak out. Had a look at Jupiter. It's just a bit fuzzy at x185, probably because it's so low above the houses. I think that might be my last view for this season.

Same for Sirius. It was dancing around a bit at x185 but I caught a couple of glimpses of the pup.

[Mr Spock]

Just having a coffee break from my doubles session on the Gemini / Cancer border. My back is aching a bit and I don't want to push it.

I'm changing the eyepieces I use for doubles. The Svbony 3-8 is outstanding. It takes me all the way from x93 to x247. Shame it's not par focal with any other eyepieces though.

[Mr Spock]

Just been looking at Tegmine. With the 100mm I can see two clear, but joined discs. I put the 120mm achro on and that splits them at x250 - I can see a fine line of dark between them. That old Helios is quite good on doubles, I don't see much CA at all.

[Paz]

I took my ST120 a d Delos eyepieces around to the village hall for a low western horizon  to have a look at 12P Pons Brooks. I could see a fairly extended core but couldn't see a tail or elongation for sure

Jupiter was a bit low and the ST120 showed some noticeable CA here but the main belts were clear.

M42 was a fine sight. I had a filter wheel and could flick between...clear focusing filter, UHC L, OIII, Hb, and C2 SWAN. There was so much direct light pollution that no filter was best, but with my observing hood on the OIII was very good. None of the filters made the comet any better. The UHC L is fairly new to me, I think it doesn't seem to know if it is a uhc filter or a light pollution filter , but it is promising.

M45 was pretty, I had settled on a 10mm Delos by this point and didn't want to change eyepieces again.

Castor was slightly too bright for the ST120 to keep full control of the colours but a fine sight even at only 60x. 

At around 20:50 I saw a very bright meteorite heading straight down towards Sirius and burning up and disappearing above Sirius. It appeared and burned out faster than I could turn my head to look at it directly.

M34 was pretty and M35 even better, a fine scattering of faint stars.

The eskimo nebula was not seen but I didn't want to change from the 10mm Delos and 60x was maybe not ideal for this target. I looked for this for a while and my brain just wasn't getting it, so I gave up on this one.

Cloud was slowly moving in from the north west, so I swung around to Leo and had a go at the triplet but they were too close to the line of sight to a street light to  be visible.

A great session, just wandering around familiar objects and it brought back lots of good memories of my early observing days with this scope.

[Mr Spock]

5 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

That old Helios is quite good on doubles, I don't see much CA at all.

I should qualify that a little. While looking at Tegmine I put the Svbony in the x2.5 Powermate with the Tak. It help up well at 4mm - x463... still sharp airy discs.

The 120mm is still good at 4mm, x250, but at 3mm, x333 it's pants