Been a while...

[Talitha]

Finally, a few sessions after weeks and weeks of clouds!

Tuesday 7 Dec

5:30 till 7:30

-12C

16" LightBridge

Tonight, i was able to try out some new filters, and two new eyepieces. The eyepieces were received late last week, and the filters were received a few weeks ago.

The Zhumell filter set (4 for $80 with free shipping, how could i say no?) included a Moon and SkyGlow filter, an O-III, a UHC, and a variable polarizing filter. I'd heard mixed things about the SkyGlow filter, and had been meaning to get a variable polarizing filter for a few years but never got around to it. The UHC has always interested me because it's supposedly the best all-around nebula filter and i was curious to see how it compared to an O-III. The eyepieces are both 80 degree AFOV, one is 11mm and the other is 16mm.

The the lovely thin Crescent Moon was climbing down from the Aspens as i was setting up at 5:30pm, so testing the variable Moon filter would have to wait till some other time. The Veil was still high enough though, which meant i'd be able to try out and compare the new UHC and O-III, and also compare the new O-III to my Lumicon. The first thing i noticed was that 52 Cygni was a lovely green when using the new UHC and the new O-III. It had always been red through the Lumicon O-III.

To make a long story short, i could barely tell the difference between the new UHC and O-III. Also (and this really surprised me), i much prefer the new O-III to my Lumicon.. isn't that strange? The Lumicon is supposedly one of the best, but i prefer the Zhumell because it doesn't darken the background as much. Also, i saw the same amount of the Veil's structure while using the new O-III and the new UHC as i did while using my Lumicon O-III. Bear in mind that the Veil was the only diffuse nebula i looked at, so other nebulae may not be the same.

As far as the eyepieces went, the 16mm ep was fine but the 11mm ep needed more infocus. It works well with the barlow though, and also with my 120ST, so i'll keep it. Besides, i just found out there's a low-profile adapter available which adds a bit more infocus.. at only $40, it's worth a try. Sure wish i'd have known about it before returning the Hyperion zoom a while ago.

I spent some time looking at Jupiter using the Moon and SkyGlow filter. It gave the planet a very light blue tint and really cut the glare beautifully. I went in at 7:30 when the cirrus clouds began moving in... by 8:00pm it was snowing.

Wednesday 8 Dec

5:30 till 7:50

-15C

16" LightBridge

Before moonset, i cruised around Cassiopeia and then went to the Pleiades for a while, easily detecting the Merope Nebula with my new UHC filter. I'd gone out tonight intending to locate the Taffy Galaxies in PEG (UGC 12914 and UGC 12915) but by the time Luna had set, i knew it would be difficult at best. It was one of those 'heavy' nights when breathing caused huge vaporclouds that seemed to hang in the air forever. To make matters worse, the air was quite still and the vaporcloud encircled my head like a wreath, just like the smoke around Santa's head in the Christmas poem ... i had to constantly fan the eyepiece with my hand to keep it clear.

When conditions are like this it's best to stick with familiar territory, so i put the UHC back into the eyepiece and went to take a look at the California Nebula. At least i wouldn't have to hunt for it, it's huge. Starting at Xi Persei (Menkib), i slowly moved Seymour northward back and forth and easily saw the brightening of the sky. No details, but definitely there. By now my hands were getting cold, so i figured it was time to wheel Seymour into the shed and call it a night. Sure wish it hadn't been so moist and cold, but a few hours is better than nothing.

[WayBig]

Nice report , I know what you mean about "heavy" air - it's been like that here for weeks, foggy or borderline foggy where everything gets wet and dewy very quickly.

Not sure about your Santa poems though - I dont know any poems where Santa's head is on fire

[oldfruit]

Nice read. It`s always good to hear comparisons on equipment from the more seasoned observers such as yourself, especially as i am still undecided about which filter i would benefit from the most. Interesting that you were able to purchase 4 filters at what seems such a bargain price, and from what you have said even at that price they performed well.

Really like your articles in The Sky at Night by the way.

[Doc]

Nice to see a report from you Carol. My Baader O111 renders the stars green as well. As for the Califiornia Neb I've tried so many times to see this, and never manage it so well done.

[DarkerSky]

Interesting what you say about the Lumicon OIII. I have Lumicon too, and do get frustrated sometimes by the level of darkening I get from it. I just have to switch back to an unfiltered view to record star details in a sketch when I have been using the OIII. Might have to investigate Zhumell !!

[Nexus 6]

Very colourful review Talitha!

Alan

[Talitha]

Thanks, it felt good to get out...

Back to clouds and snow flurries again, ho-ho-ho.

"The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath."

[verse 11, 'Twas the night before Christmas' by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)]

[Nexus 6]

Don't mention snow!

I think it is on its way back over here next week

Alan

[Talitha]

Don't mention snow!

I think it is on its way back over here next week

Alan

I don't really mind the snow except when it falls after sunset.

[pvaz]

Nice to hear about the Zhumell filter set. Where did you purchase it?

[barkis]

I heard Wisconsin had suffered badly with heavy snowfalls Carol.

It's good you've been able to get out and do what you enjoy so much.

Ron.

[Talitha]

Hi Paulo, the filter set was purchased from Telescopes.com... looks like the sale is still going on.

Thanks Ron, we recently got about 18" of snow, but it was the powdery stuff that's pretty easy to clean up after. What really hurt was having -29C temps when the moonless sky was beautifully clear.

Oh, to be in Oz now that Winter is here.

[WayBig]

Thanks, it felt good to get out...

Back to clouds and snow flurries again, ho-ho-ho.

"The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath."

[verse 11, 'Twas the night before Christmas' by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)]

Crikey, the version of the night before christmas that I have doesnt have any reference to pipe smoking...I had no idea that health and safety had been reviewing christmas poems...next thing we know there'll be a verse about ensuring the reindeer have winter hooves fitted and that a suitable harness is worn before descending the chimney

[iamjulian]

Your UHC/OIII comparisons are very welcome, thank you. Am about to do some more research before submitting a birthday request in March. Brave to be out in those temperatures too.