What did you see tonight?

[Peter Drew]

1 minute ago, Stu said:

Well done @Peter Drew 👍. I’m too far south here for the occultation, but I’ve JUST managed to see Uranus through hazy cloud very close in, just past the end of the terminator and fairly near Clavius. I used my 150mm f6 AstroSystems scope, very handy for a quick session.

There are times when only the best will do.    🙂 

[Stu]

5 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

There are times when only the best will do.    🙂 

Indeed 👍😀

[wesdon1]

8 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

Just got in from viewing the Uranus occultation, previous cloudy sky cleared just in time.  Only scope available at home was my Meade 90mm Maksutov on an AZ3 mount using a Baader zoom giving 150x.  Seeing very good but Uranus quite faint and would be difficult to see emerging from the bright limb.  First successful observation in 2023.     🙂 

I tried to view Uranus a couple weeks ago, but I just couldn't get it in the FOV with my 8 inch reflector? I was using my GoTo system aswell, so I guess maybe I didn't do the alignment properly. One "planet" I really want to see with my own bare eyes is Pluto ( and YES it IS a planet! In my personal opinion! LOL Seriously though, I hated it when they demoted Pluto to "Dwarf Planet" status!? ) Anyway I hope one day to see Pluto, probably need atleast 12" aperture ? I currently only have 8" aperture, but I am planning on getting a big 14-18" Dob in the coming months. 

[paulastro]

Well I managed to see the Uranus Occultation, but only just..

Out by 10.05 and I could see the Moon well enough, through varying thicknesses of cloud.  No sign of Uranus though!  Using the 8inch Starsense Dob, it wasn't until 10.14 it popped into view, though only for a couple of minutes. A lovely light green disc to my eyes.  I was lucky, as it came back into view about a minute before it was due to be occultated.  After a minute or  it went behind the dark limb of the Moon - phew, a close call.  Almost immediately the cloud thickened and the  Moon itself was completely hidden from view.

I waited for the reappearance, but although I could see the Moon's limb, the cloud was too thick to see Uranus.  Still, perhaps I was being too greedy expecting to see both phases of the occultation 🙂.

[HarryLP]

Clearsky was showing total cloud cover for my location last night (1st Jan 2023). Looked outside at about 9pm could just about see the moon through the clouds and nothing else.

Happened to look outside later around 11pm and the moon was shining brightly, Orion and lots of stars clearly visible. Taken by surprise and not expecting the skies to remain clear I quickly decided to give it a go (I wanted to see Uranus) so I grabbed the Bresser 70/700, a 20mm Plossl and my 15mm omni.

Moon views good and clear but unable to pick up Uranus. However I stuck with it and after about 45 mins, with better dark adapted eyes ( as much as you can with a bright moon) I found it sitting below the Moon. Quick dash into the house to get the 6mm omni and the TMB II 4mm. The 6mm resolved it into a very small disk, the TMB as expected was too powerful on the small scope. Did I detect a hint of color or maybe just wishful thinking but very pleased. Almost two years since my last sighting with the dob when it was next to Mars.

Checked out Mars with the 6mm, not too bad, looked like Srytus Major was showing, quick look at M42 first of the season.

So for me and unexpected success and a good start to the New Year; chance I may be able to get the dob out this evening.

[Stu1smartcookie]

Finally a chance to test the ED80 and of course the 8se , on the moon and Mars ... A bank of cloud coming in but I think I may be out here for a while yet . Good seeing at present with the moon showing exceptional detail , bless it . 

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by Stu1smartcookie
spelling

[Saganite]

I am finding the same here.  Lovely cold sunny day in Cambridgeshire today, and the atmosphere is currently allowing very stable and sharp Lunar views at 100x.

Fairly good on Jupiter also.   Just finished watching Gannymede slip behind the planet, with the GRS visible also.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Saganite

[Ratlet]

Collimated the scope with a Cheshire after it all suddenly clicking on what I was supposed to do.  Very close to what I could get with my laser to be fair.

Quick star test on Vega and the collimation looks good.  Quite chuffed since I've also figured out how that works too.  Seeing also looked very good.  Very very good.

Had a peak at Jupiter at 180x and it was easily supporting it.  Contrast was garbage, but very sharp views.

I'll be back out later but looks to be an exceptional night, lunar light pollution excepting of course.

[Mr Spock]

For once, it's clear! Big lad is out ready for a planet fest! 

[SuburbanMak]

The last relative visit of Christmas today presented an opportunity to give my brother’s kids a look through the “gentleman’s telescope” (Old brass Clarkson 3” f15) at the moon & an early evening Jupiter.  Lovely crisp, steady sky & a great view of one of the Galilean moons just off the disc of the planet about to slip behind (Edit: just checked Stellarium & it was Ganymede). Also good resolution of the main equatorial bands at 114x  - this scope gets a bit iffy with colour fringing much above that but performs amazingly well at lower mags considering it’s age and is quite an exciting thing to look through. 

  Definitely got some ooohs & ahhhs, brother suitably impressed by Jupiter whereas young Henry preferred the moon,  you never know  a possible astronomy convert in the making. 

I spent a nice hour afterward on Saturn, Mars & more on Jupiter. Lovely way to end the Christmas break! 

Edited January 2, 2023 by SuburbanMak

[Telescope40]

1 hour ago, Saganite said:

I am finding the same here.  Lovely cold sunny day in Cambridgeshire today, and the atmosphere is currently allowing very stable and sharp Lunar views at 100x.

Fairly good on Jupiter also.   Just finished watching Gannymede slip behind the planet, with the GRS visible also.

Hello. Very similar in Mancland this afternoon. Out about 4.30. Very steady as noted.
Saw Ganymede occultation, a vivid GRS and had fun trying for Plato craterlets. Got 2 for sure. 

Mars was definitely worth a look. Could be my best Mars session of the last month. 
 

John 

[cloudsweeper]

Very cold, grass wet, so I quickly set up the short focus 4" frac on the patio. 

Jupiter and three moons on show, then the waxing gibbous Moon.  Nice starfield in Cygnus.  Called my son and two grandsons out for a look.  They were greatly pleased with the views.

Not so much what I saw, rather who was there to share it with!

Doug.

[Mr Spock]

Just had a good session on Jupiter. Seeing is variable with some steady patches. Some nice detail at x217 in the steady moments. Moons showing disks too. Had a look for Almalthea which should be close to Io, not seen though. I'll try again later.

Also variable is the temperature. It was -0.5° when I went out - half an hour later it was 1.2°. Weird.
 

Finder and Telrad are dewed up - scope is fine.

[Mr Spock]

I should add Ganymede will be emerging soon, so all four main moons will be on view.

[PeterStudz]

Just come in for a break after a short session in Southampton with the 200p Dob. Clouds coming and going.

Jupiter was a bit disappointing (contrast poor) but it was starting to get low. Mind, I think I’ve seen the best of it for this year.

Mars on the other hand not bad at all. Interestingly the clouds actually helping at times giving a sort of “filter”. The planet is no longer a disc with a slight phase. The North Polar Hood is still visible but getting thin. Albedo features visible and Mare Cimmerium was nice and clear at times and could get magnification up to 300x. Syrtis Major will swing into view soon and I hope to get a nice view if (and the forecast isn’t great) the clouds stay away or at least I have some gaps.

Haven’t looked at the moon through the telescope yet but it looks nice!

[Mart29]

Jupiter with Gannymede slipping behind earlier,  looked a nice evening but the seeing wasn't great! 

[Ags]

Out with my granddaughter with my 90 mm frac. Some haze and cloud but it looked like the best weather we would have. Started with the Moon and Mars, then showed how the Bahtinov mask worked with Betelguese. With focus nailed we had a look at Castor and M42 / the Trapezium. Biggest wows for the Moon at 130x and Castor.

[PeterStudz]

There are some nice sharp views of the moon with very little “boiling”. Clouds holding off. On Mars Syrtis Major just coming into view along the limb. 

Edited January 2, 2023 by PeterStudz

[Saganite]

The Moon is now taking 285x and steady, though clouds are beginning to appear.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Saganite

[Saganite]

1 hour ago, Telescope40 said:

Hello. Very similar in Mancland this afternoon. Out about 4.30. Very steady as noted.
Saw Ganymede occultation, a vivid GRS and had fun trying for Plato craterlets. Got 2 for sure. 

Mars was definitely worth a look. Could be my best Mars session of the last month. 
 

John 

Hi John,

I have spent the evening so far on Lunar and Jupiter, both showing really well, in fact the Moon is taking almost 300x now !

Just had a peek at Mars  while I wait for Orion to clear my neighbours damn silver Birch tree !

Enjoy your session, it is good tonight for sure.

[PeterC65]

My first visual session for a while tonight. I setup for really widefield, using the widefield 72mm APO with the new (to me, curtesy of @bosun21) 2" diagonal and the even wider field 36mm Baader Hyperion Aspheric. With this setup I get x12 and a 6° field of view so I did some prep looking for big targets on Stellarium.

M31 was disappointing as it usually is visually, no sign of the Veil or North American Nebula but the star fields looked nice. M45 and Hyades looked good with widefield though. With plenty of dark sky surrounding them the objects really stood out.

I had come up with quite a list of widefield targets but then the cloud banks came rolling in. I had a quick look at Orion's belt, nicely framed and with the S shape of stars between Alnilam and Mintaka clearly visible, then that was it.

The Moon was still poking through the cloud so I switched to the 1.25" diagonal and the Binoviewer with x2.25 Barlow which after testing this afternoon I now know gives me x4.0 with the Binoviewer. That seemed about right as the Moons disc just fitted inside the field of view. During the breaks in cloud the Moon looked crisp and sharp. I do love observing it with the Binoviewer.

 

[Froeng]

Wow, the seeing is amazing tonight. Not too much luck on Jupiter as it sits boiling over the neighbouring apartment block, but Mars is incredible tonight! This is easily the best Mars session I have had this opposition season. Sharp at 335x in the C8 with binoviewer. Nice details everywhere - didn't know where to start drawing. Just warming up now, going back out soon...

Edited January 2, 2023 by Froeng
misspeelung

[PatG]

A brief session this evening in London from circa 6-7.30pm with the FC60Q / F10, in conjunction with 30mm, 12.5mm and 5mm EPs, and using a BB observing chair for the first time. Some wispy high cloud and a lot of humidity in the air. 

Still not got round to getting a finder or RDF fitted so used the relatively wide angle SL 30mm UF and pointing manually / by sight on brighter objects. 

Started on Mars, very turbulent, possible due to insufficient cool down time but none the less, I think some albedo feature evident in stable periods at both 12.5 and 5mm. Need to use a filter I think as very bright / dazzling. 

Moved onto Castor, still very low to East circa 20deg, at the time, and just rising above neighbouring houses. Still a reasonable split at 12.5 and 5mm but not split at 30mm. Always a pleasing sight.

Over to M45, really close to Moon, couldn’t see it naked eye, in glare of moon, and found more by luck, knowing roughly where it was, it was washed out and a lot of stray /scattered light entering scope, but pleased I could still make out the grouping of 3 stars next to Alcyone, that I was admiring the other day with a larger scope.
 

A quick check on Stellarium in doors and then headed over to Almach, a current favourite double and found quite quickly and immediately rewarded with a very pleasing double (actually a quadruple) with yellow orange primary and blue secondary. Although quite a bit of thin high cloud dimming down the view. Comfortably split at all 3 mags. 
 

As tea beckoned wrapped up with with a brief meander down the terminator on the moon with a 5mm EP for some lovely detail and called it a day. 
 

A very brief yet rewarding session, found using a proper observing chair a great improvement and allowed me to spend some quality time at EP, concentrating on looking rather than focus on leaning / balancing awkwardly or straining to get into position. Got my observing fix for a few days. Back to the grind tomorrow! 

 

 

 

 

 

[PeterStudz]

Just had to rush everything in as it’s starting to rain! A Shame as it was shaping up to be a good night 🙁

[PeterStudz]

14 minutes ago, Froeng said:

Wow, the seeing is amazing tonight. Not too much luck on Jupiter as it sits boiling over the neighbouring apartment block, but Mars is incredible tonight! This is easily the best Mars session I have had this opposition season. Sharp at 335x in the C8 with binoviewer. Nice details everywhere - didn't know where to start drawing. Just warming up now, going back out soon...

Yes, I was surprised how good Mars was. Eg I could see detail in the albedo areas and I’m sure it would have got better as the planet got higher, but I now have light rain in Southampton!