Triesnecker Rilles In Fine Detail

[cloudsweeper]

4.40am, Saturday, sky clear, 10" Bresser Dob in action.  Third quarter Moon high, SE, above Orion, then Mars and Aldebaran in a line from Luna to the SW.  I started with a quick look at Mars - initially bright in the eyepiece, with the usual diffraction spikes.  Increased mag reduced the brightness, and revealed some albedo differences on the disc.  By x212, the image suffered from 'scope wobble.  And so to the main target, the Moon:

x73, with 17.5mm Morpheus - nicely framed, quite bright, crisp detail, Rima (Rille or crack) Hyginus stood out as a fine line with a change of direction at the small, eponymous crater.  Very nice.  

At x141, the glare was reduced, and the fainter zigzagging Triesnecker Rilles appeared, just south of the above.  Going to x190, I had a Wow! reaction at the fine detail and clarity, seeing the Rilles as parallel pairs with tiny pits in the region.  The view was stable too, showing just a slight shimmer by x212.

I decided to push the mag with this splendid spectacle, and the view was still very good at x318, although as before, 'scope wobble was more evident.  Finally at x423, the image was still quite crisp.

To finish, I took at a look at M42 and the Trapezium - the first in a while.  

5.50, session over - sky getting lighter, observer feeling the cold!  A most satisfying start to the day.

Doug.

 

 

[Knighty2112]

Nice work Doug. You certainly had good seeing conditions if you could push the magnification that much? I too could make out some slight albedo colour changes on Mars last night, but the best the highest magnification I could get before things went south was approx x204 with my 80ED ‘frac with 2x barlow and 4.5mm TV Delight EP fitted. Was too tired to stay out much longer than about an hour and 30 mins approx, so didn’t look at the moon (apart from when getting focus as sharp as possible with the scope), then viewed the shadow of Io start to creep across the face of Jupiter from 1am for around 20mins before I called it a night.

[wookie1965]

I need a quick set up I am seriously looking at the 10" Celestron Starsense dobs. I was out yesterday morning at 4.45 Orion was spectacular the best I have seen it in a while but it would take me an hour set up by myself and could not really get my son up to help.

Glad you had a look at Orion.

Paul

[Stu]

Great stuff Doug, the Treisnecker rilles are amazing to view under good seeing conditions, and it sounds like you had those last night. Thanks for the report 👍

Have you considered an EQ platform for the dob? My 8” f8 is tall, skinny and prone to vibration when nudging it and an EQ platform transforms it for high power planetary and lunar observing.

[cloudsweeper]

Thanks all!

Gus - yes, the seeing at best must have been really good for x423.

Paul - you'd like a 10" Dob.  Good power and fineness of detail.

Stu - the Triesnecker Rilles are indeed a must-view target.  Re an Eq platform: what would be the advantages (apart from easier tracking)?  And how would it reduce wobble?  It might be something for me to consider!  {PS/Edit - got it!  Since it tracks, there is no need to nudge it, so it won't wobble as much!}  (Incidentally, we were in your part of the world last week - Glastonbury.  Great place, many attractions.)

Doug.

Edited September 17, 2022 by cloudsweeper

[Stu]

28 minutes ago, cloudsweeper said:

Stu - the Triesnecker Rilles are indeed a must-view target.  Re an Eq platform: what would be the advantages (apart from easier tracking)?  And how would it reduce wobble?  It might be something for me to consider!  {PS/Edit - got it!  Since it tracks, there is no need to nudge it, so it won't wobble as much!}  (Incidentally, we were in your part of the world last week - Glastonbury.  Great place, many attractions.)

 

Exactly that Doug, you only have to touch the scope to focus, the rest of the time you are ‘hands off’ so the scope is more stable. I definitely find I see more as the target remains centred with no interruptions for nudging. Worth considering anyway.

Yes, lovely area around there 👍