NOT awful seeing...sorry guys!!

[G4YVM]

Down here in salisbury the eveing thus far has been stunning, crystal sskies and very clear seeing. No thermal noise at all.

Wheeled my homebrew 16" dob out, 30mm 2" EP, 25mm 1.25, 6mm 1.25 and a 2x Barlow all put to good use. Super super views of the Moon, really good stuff, just like being there. Great views of Mars (but no canals visible, how the hell did he see those???), nice views of Saturn, the moons and ring shadows.

Topped the evening off with M81 and 82. Nice crisp grey disks with a hot pip in the middle.

All in all a really good evening with friends round for a bbq...my own mini star party, which is what its about!

My Dob is still very new to me and I am learning much about using it. Started to set up the red dot finder, which has proved its worth already.

Sorry so many of you had poor sights tonight.

David

[barkis]

Nice to hear about a great night enjoyed in company.

Seems you were rewarded with perfect seeing, and the big light bucket did you proud.

You couldn't see Martian Canals becuase there aren't any, as you well know:D.

I hope none of your company left any grease marks on your eyepieces:rolleyes:.

Ron.

[G4YVM]

Ron, no grease I think but lots of vino breath. It's odd how

strongly people get the urge to touch the mirror though! Really

have to reign them in!

Ref the canals on mars ... Yes I know, but to see anything thT

could even resemble them!!! All I see is a shining planet!

David

[DarkerSky]

Super stuff David. Really good to hear that you've had a good evening.

Seeing was marginally better up here tonight - mainly because it was a lot more variable than last night with pockets of steady seeing inbetween the guff. Managed to see detail on Mars and get a sketch.

I did notice from the satellite imagery that the south coast looked to be in line for a good one tonight. More in the way of high cloud here, obscuring the view. Got a nice halo around the moon

[G4YVM]

Thanks!

I guess you saw the Martian detail through the 16" lightbridge? What EP were you using? Mine are, er, cheap ones! I got them with my Skywatcher 102 refractor so they are probably pretty poor, certainly when I go to the smaller end (6mm) then Mars became blurry. The main mirrors are Meades and Saturn was crisp as a crisp thing, so I imagine I was affected either by focus (its a Revelation 2 speed, so Im happy), the mirrors (but see my comments re Saturn and M81 /82) or the EP. Since good EPs cost a few hundred and mine were essentially give-aways, I am blaming the EP.

Id be interested to know what EPs you were using and to see your sketches.

David