Observing Report Jupiter 09/08/2010

[Jarvo]

Hello, -Thought I'd share my observations from last nights session with you all.

I took the Mak out last night (6" Maksutov Cassegrain from SkyWatcher) and focussed it on Jupiter. Had to wait until it had cleared the houses as the image was swimming around in the eyepiece.

Around 00:00 BST the planet must have been up about 20 degrees and was finally stable enough in the eyepiece now.

I used my 32mm Televue Plossl with my 5 x Televue ImageMate giving me 280 x Magnification. I was surprised how well the image stabilised.

This is the first time in the two years that I've owned the Mak that I've been able to view Jupiter high enough in the sky now its on the Celestial Equator.

Anyway, started observing and was really please with the view. North Equitorial Belt was mottled and looked like it has marks cutting horizontally though the middle. Other bands were visible an the Noth Pole but the best was yet to come...

When I started my observations I noticed what looked like a mark on the disk at low magnification.

Cranking up the power it was clearly a black dot of one of the Galilean s Moons.

I watched the Shadow move off to the limb of the Planet and it must have been around 01:00 BST when the shadow dissappeared.

Having just done a check on Sky and Telescopes Jovian Moon Utility it looks like I witnessed the Transit of Io. Really pleased that I caught this as it is the first time I've witnessed this phenomena.

In between observing I kept looking out for Perseids though from 23:00 to 01:30 I saw the grand total of three albeit bright ones.

All in all it was nice to get out into the garden after the long summer months of perpetual twilight.

P.S I've virtually given up trying to spot Galaxies with this scope. I know its not ideal for Deep Sky Objects but I tried to locate M51 whilst I was waiting for Jupiter to get high enough and couldn't track it down. Guess its a combination of a slow scope and a slow astronomer.

Thanks for reading and clear skies!!! :icon_salut:

Jarvo

[Talitha]

What luck to see a shadow transit, well done!

I'm no expert on what different scopes can do, but i imagine a 6" Mak should show galaxies.

[Doc]

Transits are great. Carol's right even though your scope is F12 you should still have the aperture to see the larger DSO's. Objects like M31, 81, 82, 51 should be within the scopes grasp.

[russ]

What a result, not only getting your first decent look at Jupiter but also a shadow transit of Io thrown in for extra. It's a very pleasing sight Jupiter when it all comes together.

Your scope is fine for the galaxies, i can say from experience. But your choice of galaxy to find was lousy

M51 is a right G.I.T. from the backgarden, regardless of what scope you have. It loves real dark skies and will only come out to play if you give it just that.

Have you considered a Meade or Celestron focal reducer for the 150 Mak? There's an adapter available to convert the thread on the back to an SCT thread. You can then use your scope with all the usual SCT accessories.

The f6.3 reducer would bring your focal ratio down to a more deep sky friendly f7.56. This would have a big impact on your FOV and ability to spot the fainter galaxies. For example, the TV 32mm Plossl with the regular 52deg AFOV has a true field in your scope currently of 0.9deg......not very wide at all. But with the reducer it would expand to a very generous 1.49deg.

The reducers come up for reasonable prices secondhand these days, around £40-50. Not bad if it effectively gives you a second scope.

[Jarvo]

Thanks for the kind comments Guys.

Russ - Good suggestion. Xmas is only 19 weeks away!!!!

Jarvo