What did you see tonight?

[badhex]

8 hours ago, JDF said:

Same for me, first time looking at Orion with the mak 127 and 32 plossl. I wasn't even sure i was on it until I spotted the trapezium, I thought I was only interested in the moon and planets, not so sure now 😀

Good to hear you enjoyed the Orion nebula 🙂

As @Franklin just said, there are some genuinely breathtaking deep sky objects, and viewing them the first time is often an unforgettable experience! 

Next time you're out, perhaps try a cluster, something like M45 the Pleiades, if you haven't already. It's beautiful objects like these that you'll likely come back to again and again 🙂

Edited December 24, 2021 by badhex

[JDF]

5 hours ago, Franklin said:

The Moon is always a fantastic sight through any telescope and the Planets come and go, some years are better than others, but the Deep Sky objects are always there. They come around at the same time, in the same place, year after year. Asterisms, Star clusters, Globular clusters, Planetary Nebulae, Emission Nebulae, Galaxies, Double Stars and Variable Stars. You could spend your entire lifetime stargazing and only see a small fraction of what's up there. Moonless dark skies are the best, if you can see the Milkyway with your naked eye, you know it's going to be a good session.😀

I agree on the Moon, it's all i've looked at in the year i've had the scope. I intend to see as much as I can but I suspect my mak 127 is limited in this respect.

 

 

[JDF]

4 hours ago, badhex said:

Good to hear you enjoyed the Orion nebula 🙂

As @Franklin just said, there are some genuinely breathtaking deep sky objects, and viewing them the first time is often an unforgettable experience! 

Next time you're out, perhaps try a cluster, something like M45 the Pleiades, if you haven't already. It's beautiful objects like these that you'll likely come back to again and again 🙂

M45 has only been viewed through the binos so far but it is absolutely stunning, clouds came in last night before I could try to line it up in the scope, certainly the first thing I will be going for next time out.

[PeterC65]

52 minutes ago, JDF said:

I agree on the Moon, it's all i've looked at in the year i've had the scope. I intend to see as much as I can but I suspect my mak 127 is limited in this respect.

49 minutes ago, JDF said:

M45 has only been viewed through the binos so far but it is absolutely stunning, clouds came in last night before I could try to line it up in the scope, certainly the first thing I will be going for next time out.

My first scope, bought in early summer, is also a Mak 127. The field of view is a bit limited but don't let this put you off. I had a 'wow' moment a few months back when I first observed M42 through this scope, and M45 also looks great, if a little as though you are looking at it through a keyhole.

To remedy the limited field of view I've now bought a 72mm APO refractor, although it hasn't seen first light yet due to all the cloud we've had. I can't wait to see M45 through the new scope in all it's glory.

 

[maw lod qan]

Last night was spent with Luna and yes, Orion's nebulae. 

[Kon]

I had a look at Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter showed some banding and Io and Callisto were offset of each other, quite nice than the usual linear formation of all the moons. Saturn was quite low on my SSW horizon and not much details. It looks clouds might hold for a few more hours of observing. Maybe Santa listened to my request of clear skies.

Edited December 26, 2021 by Kon

[JDF]

On 24/12/2021 at 13:05, PeterC65 said:

My first scope, bought in early summer, is also a Mak 127. The field of view is a bit limited but don't let this put you off. I had a 'wow' moment a few months back when I first observed M42 through this scope, and M45 also looks great, if a little as though you are looking at it through a keyhole.

To remedy the limited field of view I've now bought a 72mm APO refractor, although it hasn't seen first light yet due to all the cloud we've had. I can't wait to see M45 through the new scope in all it's glory.

 

Hi Peter,

Thanks or the reply, i'm actually thinking of buying the Evostar 72ed for the same purpose. 

[PeterC65]

10 hours ago, JDF said:

Thanks or the reply, i'm actually thinking of buying the Evostar 72ed for the same purpose. 

The Evostar 72ED was on my list too. I went for the TS Optics equivalent because it has better glass (FPL53) and because the Evostar focuser doesn't have compression rings. I've yet to properly try the new scope because of all the cloud we've been having!

[F15Rules]

On 15/12/2021 at 22:58, John said:

Clouded out again tonight and it looks to stay that way for the next week as far as I can see.

What we call a "lean patch" I guess

 

Here, as at 28th December John, I'm not so much thinking "a lean patch" as a "biblical famine"!😂

I'm actually fairly sanguine about it as for most of the last 3 weeks my wife and I have been severely under the weather with really nasty colds, so I couldn't have got outside even if I'd wanted to..

But for all our sakes I'm really hoping this terrible spell of weather comes to and end soon..

In the meantime, reading reports of even short or imperfect sessions is a real pick me up☺️👍

Dave

[F15Rules]

On 23/12/2021 at 22:09, Franklin said:

It seems very smart and at a slight discount from Europe. I think it is going to give my FS78 some serious competition. Sits on the AP mount like it was made for it. But now I've got the difficult decision on which one to keep.🙄

Keep the SD81s, Tim..

Remember.."Aperture always Wins"!

😂🤣

Dave

[Franklin]

5 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Keep the SD81s, Tim..

Remember.."Aperture always Wins"!

It's a good'n Dave. The FS78 is a superb 3" refractor and I'm really pleased to have had the opportunity to check it out, but I can't keep both of them and the SD81S is much more portable. It even sits on the Porta II really well, so I will be able to get them out to the darker skies in my neighbouring Peak District national park. That's the plan anyway, that is if this perpetual cloud decides to clear before I die!😀

[JDF]

Just in from a half hour session during a break in the cloud ( there really is a benefit to keeping a mak in a shed ) no cool down needed. Orion Nebula above the house but looking lovely tonight with a very distinct fog around it, really stood out, I'm hoping for even better when UHC filter arrives.

Got a chance to look at M45 for the first time through this scope and the view is very tight but the stars really pop against the blackness, beautiful, though I do prefer the view with 10x50's. One thing I noticed in M45 is a star that seems to appear the disappear almost rhythmically , it is to the left of a faint triangle of stars (i'm probably imagining this). Was really good to get this quick session given how poor the nights have been lately. 

It would have been much better if this was later tonight when my back would be shielding the local light pollution rather than side on but I'll take anything at the moment.

Edited December 29, 2021 by JDF
spelling

[Epick Crom]

Last night I saw ..(actually in the daytime) Mare Orientale for the first time on the waning crescent moon. Very inspiring sight seeing this elusive lunar mare!

[HollyHound]

The shortest of grab and go sessions ever… popped out to put some rubbish in the bin, and looked up… the sky was actually clear 😮

Grabbed the FC-76DCU (already loaded with XW20) and was out observing within 3mins!

Pleiades, Betelgeuse, Rigel (just through the trees), Aldebaran, plus a few more in and around Taurus 😃

Then the clouds rolled in… total viewing time was less than 10mins, BUT it was at least some actual observation… the briefest clear oasis on an otherwise completely cloud covered desert over the last two weeks 👍🤣

[Mr Spock]

Looking outside it's cloudy again 

[Sunshine]

More clouds 😭

[JeremyS]

3 hours ago, HollyHound said:

The shortest of grab and go sessions ever… popped out to put some rubbish in the bin, and looked up… the sky was actually clear 😮

Grabbed the FC-76DCU (already loaded with XW20) and was out observing within 3mins!

Pleiades, Betelgeuse, Rigel (just through the trees), Aldebaran, plus a few more in and around Taurus 😃

Then the clouds rolled in… total viewing time was less than 10mins, BUT it was at least some actual observation… the briefest clear oasis on an otherwise completely cloud covered desert over the last two weeks 👍🤣

Grabbed and went 👍🏻
 

10mins more thanI had this evening!

[Ags]

All I've managed recently has been eyeballing Capella through some gaps in the clouds. 

[Mr Spock]

Just had 20 mins on Jupiter with the 102mm. Conditions are poor but a couple of belts were on view. Moons looked lovely though.

[John]

I've just seen Capella and a couple of other stars in Auriga plus Dubhe in Ursa Major

No scope or even binoculars involved - the gap in the clouds was just a few minutes.

Clouded over solid again now though. Seems to be the story of the past few weeks here

 

[Epick Crom]

Last night I saw Comet Leonard for the first time. What a sight! Big light green coma with a long white tail. Made my night!

[Kon]

I have seen plenty of clouds recently, does that count? I think we need an Observing Clouds section at SGL, it will have plenty of reports ☹️

[IB20]

Two lines on a lateral flow test 🤒😅.

It feels like the universe is conspiring to keep me from getting first light with my new Tak! At least the online updates for the JWST are keeping me entertained. 

[F15Rules]

14 minutes ago, IB20 said:

Two lines on a lateral flow test 🤒😅.

At least you're being positive about it.. 

Sorry ☺️...Get well soon👍

Dave

[F15Rules]

Just clouds again last night, and more rain.

This morning was wall to wall sunshine and blue sky.. the best morning weather for almost a month!

It lasted for 4 hours, now cloud is back and heavy rain forecast again by dark..so all is normal!🥴

To be honest, as I've had a nasty flu like bug for two weeks as of tomorrow, I'm almost relieved as I'm not missing any sessions. But I've also had my new Pentax XW30mm since Christmas Eve, and no first light for that yet, either!

Good to hear a few of you are getting some kind of sessions though, however short..😊👍

Dave

Edited January 2, 2022 by F15Rules