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An hour well spent

ashenlight

By ashenlight
in Observing - Planetary

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ashenlight

ashenlight

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Dear all,

Just got in from a lovely hour out in the garden with my new 5" newt. I'm only just getting the feel for it and understanding the mount, so my viewing sessions tend to be short and sweet. However, I had a great time this evening.

I started with Saturn. I was using the 2x barlow and the 10mm lens. It is a warm, soft yellow colour and now and again I had fleeting moments of detecting faint banding on the surface. Now and again the seeing was incredible and I could see the rings infront of the planet - amazing. I spotted three moons - Enceladus, Tethys and Titan (I used skyandtelescope's Saturn's Moons Javascript Utility to ascertain which was which). I spent about 45 minutes at the eyepiece following this gas giant across the sky. It has a wonderful squashed shape to it, rather like a slightly flattened satsuma! It moves across the FOV so fast. I haven't set up the motor that came with the scope yet, but I'd like to have a go at sketching Saturn at the eyepiece so I will get on to setting it all up soon. My mum had a look at it too and gasped - like she did last time. It's the most beautiful sight. Even though Saturn was smaller when using the 25mm eyepiece... I could see more moons. Why is this?

Next I moved the scope around to look at Mizar and Alcor. After having used binos for quite a few years, I have found observing double stars a challenge. Through binos doubles appear close together and it is a very satisfying sight, but through the scope, they are split even more... so sometimes I wonder if I am looking at the right thing! However, I've seen so many photos of Mizar and Alcor that I was prepared for them to appear quite a way apart. After looking up the double shortly after I got in, I was shocked to see that Mizar is a double in itself - I think I might need higher magnification to see this (note to self: buy more eyepieces).

Even though Orion is sinking fast and is fading into the urban glow I decided to have a go at locating M42. I couldn't even see it naked eye, but after using the red dot finder to position the scope in the region I thought it was in, I saw a region of tightly packed very white and bright stars, and above this a smaller region the same, but with less. Having not seen M42 in anything but 10x50 binos before, I can't really say if this was M42... will have to wait until the Autumn to find out!

My last few observing sessions have led me to come up with some of my own tips for beginners, so here is my contribution:

1) Don't be afraid of your scope! I was worried about dropping it, breaking it, and I even found it a bit intimidating at first. Don't let this hinder your first observing session - just get on with it! It isn't scary once your start!

2) Ahem... take the dustcap off before you start swearing at why you can't see anything... :)

3) I've managed to drop the screws for the eyepieces I don't know how many times. Get an old white sheet - or any light sheet - and lay it on the ground under the scope. It has saved me hours of searching the last two times I have used it.

4) If your scope comes with a motor, don't be worried about not using it straight away. I felt a bit of a cheat not hooking it up straight away, but I was so keen to get outside I couldn't wait. Yes, things do move fast, but it's nothing a bit of fine adjustment won't sort out. You can always attach the motor once you have satisfied that urge to get outside - and of course, when/if you want to start astrophotography or sketching.

5) Take advantage of the adjustable tripod height - it will save backache the next day.

6) Put a dab of glow in the dark (or white - anything is better than it being black) paint near the screw holes for the eyepieces - saves loads of time.

Well, there we are. Many more observing sessions to come :) I would probably still be out there now, if it wasn't for the cloud!

Clear skies,

Amanda

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Talitha

Talitha

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... Now and again the seeing was incredible

Even though Saturn was smaller when using the 25mm eyepiece... I could see more moons. Why is this?

Hi Amanda, thanks for posting another wonderful report.. you have a real talent for writing. :)

The seeing can vary during a session, and it always pays to stick with an object for a while (as you most certainly did :eek:). There are several layers to our atmosphere, and the seeing we have depends on how they cooperate. When they're all flowing the same way, the seeing can get pretty good for a few minutes (or more:D) but when the layers are flowing in conflicting directions it's like trying to read a newspaper through a waterfall. Ever see one layer of clouds moving one way and another layer moving in the opposite direction? That's it. :eek:

But even when the seeing is average or less, there are moments when the atmospheric cells 'pop' together and provide a window of better seeing which is a real treat. I think that's what you experienced.

Regarding seeing more moons at lower power...

When you increase the magnification you actually decrease the exit pupil size of the eyepiece and less light reaches your pupil, which can make things look dimmer. When I was going through the two Herschel 400 lists (8" SCT), it was much easier to spot the faint fuzzies with the 32mm ep (64x, 47'fov) than it was at higher power. Just proves the point that sometimes less is actually more.;)

Btw, you made a very good point about placing something below the scope in case you drop something.. been there done that, lol.

:)

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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Thats a good tip Amanda about putting some visible paint near the screw holes in EP holder.

Its really great your enjoiying the scope and getting good views and its always fun to see other beginners having fun. I cant get out much mysrlf but reading others reports kind of makes up for it.

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Mikea

Mikea

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Well done for spotting 3 of Saturn's moons! I only managed to see 2 last night (Titan and Rhea) and that was only after my son pointed them out to me. I used Stellarium to check which they were, after forgetting about the inverted image!:)

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ashenlight

ashenlight

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Thankyou everyone for your replies, it's great to know people are enjoying my reports.

Thankyou for the explanation Carol, you have a knack for making things really clear, I'm the kind of person that always wants to know 'why' and can't be settled with a 'just because' so I really value your indepth explanations :)

astrobaby - it has made my observing sessions so much easier having a blob of paint where I need it. And yes, I love reading reports too, makes you feel like you are there doesn't it ;)

Mike - that inverted image is a pain isn't it! I tend to forget about it now though - apart from having to relate what I see in the eyepiece and translate it to a 'right way round' moon map - if you see what I mean!

I was wondering, does anyone use scope and binos in the same observing session? It only occured to me to do this last night, but using the wide FOV with the binos I find it easier to ascertain where I am and what I am aiming for, then I can use the scope to sidle up to what I want a closer view of. I expect this is common place for some of you more seasoned astronomers, but it's a good tip for beginners I think - certainly helped me.

Thanks again guys, it's great to know people are enjoying my reports. I certainly enjoy reading everyone else's descriptions of their nights out.

Clear skies, and get out there and observe asap phillc! and more moons Mike! :)

Amanda

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ashenlight

ashenlight

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Thankyou dark knight, glad you enjoyed it. I love typing the reports up for you all to read, it's part of the 'winding down' for me. I really think I've found a life long hobby - or obsession - in astronomy, especially with a fab forum like this to keep me up to date and to answer all my queries! I've said it before, but thankyou SGL.

Clear skies (with layers of atmosphere all flowing in the same direction (thankyou Carol :)))

Amanda

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ashenlight

ashenlight

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I don't understand why you are dropping the screws. It isn't necessary to take them all the way out of the focuser to change eps. :)

I did start taking the screws all the way out, but quickly realised this was wasting time and they will just 'hang there' whilst I change the eps. I tend to drop the screws when I open the box with the barlow lens in.. it has its own pair of smaller screws. I drop them because I'm excited and rushing and trying to get the barlow in right now- I'm too impatient for my own good sometimes, hehe! But yes, I dropped the barlow screws about 3 times last night when experimenting with different eps and combinations, having the sheet there saved lots of time :)

Amanda

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