The Moon and Jupiter

[bish]

Hello all,

For once it was clear last night. The Moon was very bright though and there was a bit of a mist so I decided to not bother with any DSO's.

My first target was Jupiter, which I had not seen in a while. At first, even at x50 the image was wobbly from terrible seeing. I stuck with it and eventually found that with a blue filter at x200 seemd to work best for me. I could pick out the main belts/bands easily and the slightly fainter ones. No swirls or impact scar but then my eyes aren't up to much and I think I may have knocked my scope out of collimation a bit. I was pleased to get some brief glimpses of a crisp Jupiter with quite a bit of detail.

I don't often look at the Moon, but when I do always think that I should more often as the views are incredible. I think the magnification was about x250. Mare Crisium was very big in the fov and it was fantastic. It was like looking along the floor of the mare with all the intricate details evident. The edge of the mare was in shadow but the tops of some of the montains in the light - creating an effect that looked like rocks floating out of the sheer blackness. Incredible. I did a rough sketch that I will try to tidy up a bit and post (I warn you , I can't draw very well!).

I spent about 2 hours 30 mins or so on Jupiter and the Moon, then moved on to Uranus. It was in the murk a bit but after a bit of searching with the bins I found it and could just make out the colour. In the telescope (at about x200) it was still very small, but I still like to see the tiny dot resolve into a small blueish sphere - even though I can't see any detail. The mist/cloud got worse at about 01:20 so I packed up as quietly as possible so as not to disturb my other half.

Even though they are things I have often looked at and the conditions weren't great I still went to bed with a sense of achievement.

[Talitha]

Well done Bish, it sounds like you made the most of the clear sky. I know what you mean about the illuminated lunar peaks hovering in the darkness... they always remind me of those little mini-marshmellows floating in a cup of cocoa, lol.

[bish]

Thanks Talitha. Marshallows in a cup of cocoa sounds good to me!

[ncjunk]

Sounds like a wonderful night! I saw these two next to one another the other night and I had fun showing my niece (shes not really into astronomy.."Oohh thats nice! ok I am off to bed...")

oohhh Marshmallows and cocoa...hhhmmm

Neil C

[bish]

Hi Neil,

My girlfriends reaction is the same as your neice. I look at these things with amazement and my girlfriend looks for about 2 seconds and then goes back in to watch telly!

[Svenito]

I got my scope a few weeks back. My wife got me it for my birthday. (skymax 127) Not having anything but the standard eyepices I have to make do with out the filters and such.

However I did manage to get my first glimpse of the moon through a scope and I was gobsmacked. Firstly about how bright it is! Secondly the amount of detail visible. I could see the raised peaks along the edge of the "disk"... incredicle.

Later that night Jupiter made its way out from behind the tree and I thought I'd give that a go. Wow... with a 27mm eyepice I could make out the lines across it and also get all its moons in view. No eye or anything yet, but we'll get there eventually

I have to say, that telescope was an amazing present

now for some filters at christmas

[bish]

I know what you mean about the moon. When you first look you are blinded by how bright it is and then your eyes adjust and it's incredible how much detail you can see. Nothing like seeing the bands on Jupiter or rings of Saturn for the first time.

[mike.brightmore]

Hi Svenito

I know you are waiting to get filters but it really is worth getting a moon filter to cut the brightness down a bit. Otherwise it is a bit like looking at a light bulb.

[Svenito]

Thanks Mike.

That's the plan really. There's two filters I really need: one's a ND and the other a light pollution filter... perhaps after payday