What are your astro plans for 2022?

[UKDiver]

Just get more observation and learn how to find targets.

[John]

2 minutes ago, UKDiver said:

.... and learn how to find targets.

I feel this is one of the biggest challenges for newcomers to the hobby who do not wish to invest in GOTO mounts. Once the obvious and easy to find targets have been observed and the enthusiasm fired, quite naturally folks want to progress onto slightly more challenging targets but can find this daunting and frustrating.

I have wondered if we could start a thread or even a sub-section in the observing part of the forum where more experienced observers can post their favorite "star hops" or similar target finding advice, charts etc which can gradually build into a readily accessible resource for those building their experience and widening there observing "repertoire" 

I'd certainly be happy to contribute to that (and borrow some as well !)  

 

[UKDiver]

2 hours ago, John said:

I feel this is one of the biggest challenges for newcomers to the hobby who do not wish to invest in GOTO mounts. Once the obvious and easy to find targets have been observed and the enthusiasm fired, quite naturally folks want to progress onto slightly more challenging targets but can find this daunting and frustrating.

I have wondered if we could start a thread or even a sub-section in the observing part of the forum where more experienced observers can post their favorite "star hops" or similar target finding advice, charts etc which can gradually build into a readily accessible resource for those building their experience and widening there observing "repertoire" 

I'd certainly be happy to contribute to that (and borrow some as well !)  

 

There's certainly a lot out there on the web, but I like the idea of a library. A new section perhaps with one thread per target. Else all the replies etc will mix targets.

Is there any kind of measure of difficulty? Magnitude perhaps, number of hops, degree of fuzziness.

Edited December 29, 2021 by UKDiver
Difficulty

[JDF]

My plan is to get some structure to my viewing sessions, I'm hoping to do the Lunar 100 list this year coming rather than just randomly looking at the moon.

[Xilman]

1) Clean the ash out of the observatory.

2) Refit the camera and get everything working.

3) Everything else, including tracking down Earth's quasi-satellite Kamo`oalewa  (which will be very hard if even achievable), start measuring VS in M33 and adding more in M31 to the program, imaging a few asteroids named after colleagues, trying for more and/or better images of outer solar system satellites, a few more extragalactic GCs and the regular program of VS and exoplanets.

Should keep me busy.

[Xilman]

19 hours ago, John said:

I feel this is one of the biggest challenges for newcomers to the hobby who do not wish to invest in GOTO mounts. Once the obvious and easy to find targets have been observed and the enthusiasm fired, quite naturally folks want to progress onto slightly more challenging targets but can find this daunting and frustrating.

I have wondered if we could start a thread or even a sub-section in the observing part of the forum where more experienced observers can post their favorite "star hops" or similar target finding advice, charts etc which can gradually build into a readily accessible resource for those building their experience and widening there observing "repertoire" 

I'd certainly be happy to contribute to that (and borrow some as well !)  

 

I would like to try to help, though I've been using GOTO for the last few years. However, most of my astronomy was done by pushing around a Dob or a simple EQ reflector so I have had lots of practice back in the day. Still have a Dob which doesn't get much use. Perhaps I should start practising again.

[SuburbanMak]

Great thread & a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year all! 
 

Like most my plans are to observe as much as weather & commitments permit. 
I have also acquired quite a bit of kit in a short space of time so want to ensure it all gets use so am assigning loose observing projects to each ‘scope: 

Mak 127 - finish the Messier list, currently 75/110 and have a combination of very faint things still to see and low-down summer objects I didn’t quite get this time (mainly globs).  This will be the main goal of any darker site outings. I’ve a couple of decent (SQM 21.04) within 15 minutes that I should get out to more this year. 
The excellent Philip Pugh’s “Observing the Messier Objects With Small Telescopes” is 
my guide & O’Meara’s “The Messier Objects” my inspiration. 

Towa 339 80mm f15 - this is a beauty on doubles and I recently acquired the Cambridge Anthology of Double Stars (pristine thank you @F15Rules!) not all of which are within the grasp of the Towa but I want to explore how many I can get with this crisp refractor. 

Clarkson 3 inch f15 - see how many of the lunar 100 I can track down with this 120 year old refractor. 
 

& not buy any more telescopes until the above projects are complete  

 

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by SuburbanMak

[AMcD]

What a good thread.  My plans for 2022 include:

1. Producing a passable light curve in AstroImageJ from a transiting exoplanet.

2. Completing my first mosaic of a DSO using SGPro.

3. If the weather maintains its firmly anti-astronomy outlook, looking into building an amateur radio telescope 😂

Wishing a peaceful and happy New Year to you all...

A 

[DaveS]

Silly to make any astro plans when this is the view from my conservatory.

[kirkster501]

I want to improve my planetary imaging - it sucks at present.  This has not been the easiest time to do this due to the low altitude of the gas giants in the UK in recent years.  Whilst technically still very difficult, planet imaging does not need the sustained hours of clear sky that DSO does making it an attractive alternative.  I already dabble in lunar and solar and would like to improve on that too.

Also want to get out with the Dob on the [few] clear nights to a dark sight and start to do some Herschel 250 objects.

I am increasingly pessimistic on the outlook of DSO AP in the UK.

Edited December 31, 2021 by kirkster501

[Mr Spock]

Now I have kit that suits me (not too heavy to move) I hope to be doing a lot more observing. A lot more lunar, and a lot more doubles.
Also some solar now I have a 102mm fit for purpose.

[barbulo]

Move to mono (ASI294MM currently in the shopping cart, waiting for wife’s approval) and move back to Spain, where I hope I have more clear nights (no backyard in my flat though 😭). 

[Doc]

1. Automate my Fullerscope IV Mount

2. Replace my bog standard focuser on my Clave 80mm F15 scope

3. Build my new Alt/AZ mount I have designed.

4. Having completed the Lunar 100 using a 16" dob I want to have a go with the Clave F15 and see how many I can see.

[Gfamily]

If travel restrictions are lifted, we're aiming to get back out to Astrofarm France at the beginning of April to try and do my first Messier Marathon.

Later in the year, we have outstanding re-booked tickets for Bluedot Festival (under the dish of the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank) in July, and the ever brilliant Solarsphere music and astronomy festival in August. In between, we hope to get back out to Astrofarm, simply because it's a great place to be.

 

[dannybgoode]

My plans are modest; actually do some imaging and observing.  I have invested in some lovely gear and I must actually use it.  I came close to selling my TMB 105/650 LZOS was I was at the bottom of my depression but something held me back and I am glad I did not - I would have missed it I think.

So far though this year (a short length of time it has been admittedly) I have actually been setting up each night, even when it has been cloudy, and just running through getting everything set up and running.  Rinse, repeat.  Just making sure that when it is a clear night I will be able to get set up quickly and with the minimum of snags.

I also want to get my rig fully mobile and get to my RC plane club field where I have much better views of the skies and much darker ones than I do at home also.  Again, I just about have everything together for that...

[Davesellars]

Been out of it for a while due to major time constraints...  Still have major time constraints but i'm going to try to make most of any clear night!   Tonight's looking good at the moment with perfectly clear skies at the moment...

[Joacim]

1. Plan my sessions a little better

2. Start to sketch in my log book

3. Attend local astroclub meetings 

[Gfamily]

On 01/01/2022 at 19:26, Gfamily said:

If travel restrictions are lifted, we're aiming to get back out to Astrofarm France at the beginning of April to try and do my first Messier Marathon.

Later in the year, we have outstanding re-booked tickets for Bluedot Festival (under the dish of the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank) in July, and the ever brilliant Solarsphere music and astronomy festival in August. In between, we hope to get back out to Astrofarm, simply because it's a great place to be.

 

Well, the 15 day weather forecast is suggesting that we'll end up in France just as the current excellent weather ends and we get a week of cloud and rain. 

However, I have prepared a Google Sheet for the Messier Marathon based on Dan Machholz's suggested sequence, beginning with M77 in Cetus as the evening starts, and ends with M30 in Capricornus as the light begins to grow again. 

Shame it'll be cloudy, but here's a link to it if anyone wants to try (NB M69 and M7 are probably not possible for anyone basically in the north of UK)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L2jp_22MnaoI4cD_hnvzZvcM8z2pLOATz35xKsvpAwE/edit?usp=sharing

Edited March 24, 2022 by Gfamily

[Guest]

Well the wife will be glad that the gas giants are back and we will be spending some time looking at them.  For me, if it isnt blocked Ursa Major will be on my list to look at more closely.  There is a lot to see there.

[russ]

On 12/04/2022 at 02:05, Mike Q said:

Well the wife will be glad that the gas giants are back and we will be spending some time looking at them.  For me, if it isnt blocked Ursa Major will be on my list to look at more closely.  There is a lot to see there.

I'm also looking forward to the planets returning. Should be good in the morning over the coming weeks and months. Saturn, Mars and Jupiter. And Jupiter is getting up to a good height this year.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, russ said:

I'm also looking forward to the planets returning. Should be good in the morning over the coming weeks and months. Saturn, Mars and Jupiter. And Jupiter is getting up to a good height this year.

The wife would look at Saturn all night if I let her lol.  She generally likes to look at the whole planet but this year I will be running up the magnification a little to see how well I can do just the rings.

Edited April 17, 2022 by Guest

[russ]

2 minutes ago, Mike Q said:

The wife would look at Saturn all night if I let her lol.  She generally likes to look at the whole planet but this year I will be running up the magnification a little to see well I can do just the rings.

Cannot blame her, I can sit and look at Jupiter and Saturn all night. Jupiter last year was epic. I replaced my cheapo diagonal with a Baader prism and added a couple of Vixen SLV eyepieces. On good nights the details were superb. Now just bought a Takahashi LE eyepiece to add to the Vixens. Also going to push the mag now they are rising higher in the sky. Fingers crossed they can take it. 

[Space Hopper]

Planets for me too with my 140mm refractor which will hopefully yield some nice views.

Jupiter Saturn and Mars are all going to be good targets later in the year, and at improving altitudes from the UK

I've also invested in 'Discovering Double Stars' by Agnes Clarke. 300 to track down, which will keep me busy.

And hopefully a bit of imaging with my new mount.

 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, russ said:

Cannot blame her, I can sit and look at Jupiter and Saturn all night. Jupiter last year was epic. I replaced my cheapo diagonal with a Baader prism and added a couple of Vixen SLV eyepieces. On good nights the details were superb. Now just bought a Takahashi LE eyepiece to add to the Vixens. Also going to push the mag now they are rising higher in the sky. Fingers crossed they can take it. 

It will all depend on our skies here.  300x is about the max it allows most nights.  

[russ]

2 hours ago, Mike Q said:

It will all depend on our skies here.  300x is about the max it allows most nights.  

200x is the max, sometimes not even close to that. 150x was the optimum last year. Mars and Jupiter so high this year, hoping they will take more.