That'll explain to poor viewing last night 🙄

[AstroNebulee]

Well I know now why my quick observing session was really poor last night. Re my observing report I was was amazed I saw anything really. Haha. All taken apart and re-seated the offending part (a baffle?) properly now. Let's hope the next session provides better views. It is only a cheap old Meade refractor but puts in a lovely performance when all the components are in correctly. Yes I'm a baffoon. 

Lee

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by AstroNebulee
New image

[LaurenceT]

That's a shame because the skies were pretty good last night. Is that scope your renovation project?

[AstroNebulee]

3 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

That's a shame because the skies were pretty good last night. Is that scope your renovation project?

Hi Laurence, yes this is my renovation project scope and have had some lovely views with it before. The baffle thing must of been a bit loose a ready to go at any moment. Hopefully it won't move again now with some fine adjustments done. It's looking good for Monday now to give it a proper test. 

Lee

Edited December 30, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[markse68]

That would have really messed things up! Shame it ruined your evening  Would have made for an interesting star test! Last night I was following Sirius for a good while in my now usual hunt for the pup. Suddenly i noticed an extra diffraction spike- it looked like a JWST image- what was wrong?? I racked focus and the star test diffraction image was a D shape instead of the usual neat circles 🤔Looking up I realised I had tracked the star up to one of the mobile network antennae on the roof I observe from and must have caught it at the point where half of my aperture could see Sirius but half couldn’t. Haha! Time to move the scope! Didn’t see the pup though- maybe next time 🤞

Mark

[AstroNebulee]

4 hours ago, markse68 said:

That would have really messed things up! Shame it ruined your evening  Would have made for an interesting star test! Last night I was following Sirius for a good while in my now usual hunt for the pup. Suddenly i noticed an extra diffraction spike- it looked like a JWST image- what was wrong?? I racked focus and the star test diffraction image was a D shape instead of the usual neat circles 🤔Looking up I realised I had tracked the star up to one of the mobile network antennae on the roof I observe from and must have caught it at the point where half of my aperture could see Sirius but half couldn’t. Haha! Time to move the scope! Didn’t see the pup though- maybe next time 🤞

Mark

It did make me wonder why before I could split many foibles and see the 4 trapezium stars in M42 ok but last night it was awful coukd hardly focus properly on any stars. When racking in and out of focus was like 3 stars emerging from one out of focus blob. 

Hopefully you can get the pup next time with Sirius rising higher now, good luck. I shall be trying to test again and hopefully get some double stars in, Monday still looking possible. Need a good observing session. 

[AstroNebulee]

Just a quick update, for the briefest of an observing session early in the evening of Monday 2nd, defocusing the star produced nice concentric rings 

After this the clouds started to descend, so was only really treated to a quick view of the moon, Jupiter and Saturn. Couldn't view any of the double stars I wanted from my observing area. Will have to keep and eye on that baffle that it stays in place. 

Lee 

Edited January 4 by AstroNebulee