19th - 20th July New scope + clear skies

[philj]

The forecast was for a clear night from 23:00 on and the dear old Met Office got it right. It was looking like I would get a few hours putting the new scope through it’s paces both visually and photographically. Eventually the skies cleared and were very transparent, the days heavy rain having washed the murk out of the atmosphere, however it was humid so dew heaters were a must tonight.

The new Meade 127 ED refractor had been fitted and set up on the mount in the observatory previously so there was little to do initially except await excitedly the 1st stars to peek through the twilight.

Vega was the 1st to come through so the mount was powered up and slewed just so I could get a look at a star.

Then as the skies darkened I busied myself bagging a few double stars:

Epsilon Lyra was split with ease at 119x each pair was easily split into separate components.

Albireo, a firm favourite showed the superb colour difference between components.

Mizar, well what can I say, you could drive a bus through the gap at 119x.

Polaris, I often forget this is a double star and the fainter component was easily discernible as the skies darkened.

This was a night to try the scope out for imaging as well so when the skies darkened sufficiently I took a few subs of M13 for my 1st image. Later I imaged M27 and M31 all images may be seen on my threads in the imaging/deep sky section. I restricted myself to a maximum of 25 minutes on each image to make the most of the short period of darkness.

Once M13 was bagged I removed the camera and slotted in my favourite eyepiece, a 2” 30mm Vixen Lanthanum which gives superb widefield views, and went DSO bagging

M13 A lovely sight resolving into thousands of pin point stars even with the 30mm. The jet black sky was helping pulling out fainter components.

M57 Nice, a little small but very bright and I thought I could detect the central star. I swapped to a Vixen 8mm and the central star was just there so I think I was being optically illuded with the 30mm. Some structure in the ring became evident with the 8mm using averted vision.

M27 Wow, almost as good a view as the C11 with just a hint of the fainter side lobes visible. I fitted a 24mm Vixen with an OIII filter and looked again, yep the fainter side lobes stood out very nicely now and some structure was evident in the main apple core area.

M11 A nice tight cluster this, contrast was a little compromised by sky glow from the roads just over the horizon but it was still a good sight.

By this time Jupiter was nice and high so the 30mm was swapped for the Vixen 8-24mm Lanthanum zoom and I slewed over to the planet shining like a beacon in the south east.

OMG! it was beautiful and there was the GRS, very clear and smack bang in the middle of its transit across the disc. Unusually seeing was very stable and the cloud belts were very striking in there colour as well as contrast. Now, I have looked at Jupiter many times through the C11 and that scope gives stunning views but there was just something different about this view that was better, I think it was the contrast that made the difference. Old hands say that a refractor is best for planets, I think there may be something in this.

I couldn’t resist slewing to Neptune which was close to Jupiter, and there it was a little greenish disc at 119X. Doubling up with the Barlow only made the disc bigger but more disturbed by atmospherics so I stood no chance of bagging any moons.

By 02:00 I was getting tired so I decided to end the session by doing a sweep around and took a look at M31 which was massive and bright with just a hint of dark dust lane evident. The double cluster with the 30mm is a spectacular sight through the C11 so I wondered if the refractor would deliver the same wow factor. It did. Both components were encompassed by the fov and were like diamonds on velvet. The orange of some of the component was also very obvious. I never tire of looking at this cluster.

By the time I reluctantly packed away and locked up, the skies were starting to lighten and I went to bed satisfied that the new scope was a good performer and that I had broken the summer fast from decent astronomy at last.

Just before I drifted off I suddenly remembered, I hadn't tried looking for the Veil, arrrrgh!

Next time eh:D

Philj

[Doc]

Wow what a night you had Phil.

Your Meade sounds a realy great instrutment. You must have great skies and the seeing was spot on to see the central star of M57 so congratulations on that one.

Thanks for posting a very interesting observation report.

[calibos]

Fabulous report Philj. One thing I have to point out though is that I don't think even your C11 could pull out the central star of M57 never mind the 127ED refractor. Its mag 15.7

[JamesK]

Great Report. Enjoyed reading. I missed the GRS last night, wispy cloud got in to fast, did see Io emerge though.

[philj]

Glad you liked the report folks, I always do write ups during or the morning after for my log, it helps me remember what I did especially with imaging and also is nice to read on those cloudy nights.

M57 central star

Yeah I reckon I was being illuded again. It was iffy but the skies were the best I have had round here for years. The C11 certainly pulls the central star in, (with a Mintron fitted:D)

Some say the central star is mag 13 and some 15 but I understand there are actually 2 close by, one at each mag so I understand

philj

[albedo0.39]

Great report Phil and interesting to stir up the possibility of finding the central star in M57 with the apertures you have at hand. your description of Jupiter makes we want to tough it out looking for it in the sky, but I predict that unless I demolish my house, it's going to have to wait until Salisbury (so looking forward to that)

Again, good report

Steve

[Doc]

I have sometimes thought I've seen a fleeting averted glance of the central star of m57 in my 16" dob.

It's very hard to be sure you have seen it as your mind seems to play tricks.

[Dante]

Hi Phil

Read you report and I enjoyed the read.

I have read many other reports tonight by other gazers and it came to me that all the great stuff viewed and written about would make a great hit list for the likes of me.

OK the kit is purely beginner stuff but the descriptions and the locations make super pointers.

Soon I hope to be better equipped and I will be using your report and others like yours as guidance to goad me on to better things.

Thanks a lot:headbang:

Danny

[philj]

Glad you liked it Dante

Your in the right place for advice and recommendations on what to look at and how to do it.

Philj

Additional to original report:

Finally got to try the scope on the Veil at the weekend. Conditions were not as good as the 1st session but were still good. Using a Vixen 8-24mm Lanthanum at 24 I let the mount slew to what it called the Veil. This is actually the bit we call the Witches Broom.

Nowt, zilch, nada, only stars and lots of em.

So I swapped for the wide angle 30mm Vixen and there it was just on the point of detectability a long sweep of a ghostly arc across the field of view.

To confirm I fitted the Hbeta filter and yep I wasn't seeing things this time, there it was quite easy to pick out aginst the jet black background.

philj

[bish]

Great report, very interesting. I wish my observing sessions were as good. Be sure to post more.