The monsoon abates. For a while.

[MeerkatinBKK]

Not entirely sure which subforum to post this, so if I've erred, Mods please make amends...

The rainy season has been a real pain this year; mostly as it's made my first year of astronomy such a frustrating one. This hobby is definitely not a summer pursuit in this part of Thailand! Thanks to everyone here on SGL however, I have at least managed to keep the interest alive, even if only vicariously.

Anyway, today the usual late-afternoon storm didn't arrive, and I looked in amazement as the sun went down in a mostly blue sky. I knew the clouds would be back (the dry season is still officially about a month away), but I was determined to get at least a glimpse of a couple of old friends. Very limited views from our place here in the 'burbs (most of my observing is done from our weekend place in the country), but the wee patch of sky I had to play with had both the moon and Jupiter in all their glory.

No time to let the scope warm up (yes, really!), I'd just have to settle for average seeing. When doing the alignment, I noticed from the handset that the last time I'd set up was in August. I remember that session being a non-starter as no sooner had I done the alignment, the clouds rolled in. So effectively this was my first session since May. A quick alignment on Jupiter itself and we were away.

Jupe was glorious – my first visit this apparition. Because the tube hadn't warmed up it was a bit blurry to start with but I did manage to catch the end of Europa's transition (muggins here thought there was a mote on the e/p until I checked Stellarium – ). Got the Meerkittens out for a look – my fifteen year-old made a correct identification, but the youngest plumped for Saturn instead. I forgave him; he's only three.

No such problems with our other target tonight though. “Look daddy, look daddy. It's the moon. The moon. I can see it! Why's it so big?” As much as I love everything else the night sky offers, I do cherish a good moon, and tonight didn't disappoint. (I reserve the right to disavow that notion when observing DSOs.) We spent the next half hour or so making our way down the terminator, tallying what we could see with the Virtual Moon Atlas. It really was wonderful just to be sitting down at the scope again after such a long absence.

Back to Jupiter, and the currents inside the tube had settled down, offering a much better view, even down to 6mm/x338 – not an e/p I use much (Jupe gets pretty high here this apparition compared to back home, around 60 degrees alt tonight, so that was a big help of course.) The cloud bands were crystal clear, and Europa had by this time become a bright pinprick separate from its master.

Pleased with the detail I could make out by eye, I thought I'd grab a quick sequence with the cam – I haven't had the chance to use the NexImage in RAW mode on Jupe yet and was eager to see how it would compare with earlier efforts. And it was there that the evening fell apart as I saw the familiar wall of cumulus roll up from the south towards me. The summer monsoon is surely abating, but it seems it's not going to give up without a fight.

Anyway, it was a joy to get even just 90 minutes at the scope again after such a break, and hopefully it won't be long until I get dusk 'til dawn starry nights. I'll be making sure to cram as much in as I can before next May...

Wonderful hobby this, isn't it?

Nick

[Talitha]

Wonderful hobby, and a wonderful report... thanks Nick!

(Five months is a long time, i'd have gone nutz. )