Moon report

[Nexus 6]

Hi SGL, a summary of my observing session on the Moon and one or two other nice objects.

Date: 19.03.11

Time: 8.00pm-3.00am

Wind: negligable

Temperature: 0 Deg C

Latitude: 54 deg

Longtitude: 0 deg 23 mins or there abouts

Seeing: 5 out of 10 approx

Transparency: 3 out of 10 approx

Targets: Moon, Saturn, M13, M3, Betelguese, Arcturus, Castor, Mizar.

Scope: Celestron CPC 925

Eyepice's: 7mm Baader Genuine Orthoscope, 9mm Televue Nagler, 13mm Televue Nagler.

My primary reason for observing this evening/morning was to re evaluate my new 7mm Baader Genuine Orthoscope, bought for planetary and Lunar observation.

I had one test using it last weekend and needed another to make sure of my thoughts of it although I have posted one little report in the Hard to Nail Cassini This Year thread.

Well I am sure its really a bit too much I am pushing it at almost 336x! so that should be expected. I found it was far too much, the views delivered were suffering from atmospherics badly with detail hard to view, I had thought I could not focus precisely with the Moonlite focuser as it did take the full extent of the focus almost reaching the end of the drawtube but I could just get it!. In my first observations I had said it would not quite bring it to focus, not true.

I decided to fall back to the 9mm Nagler delivering 261x, again it appeared too much, I was hoping for some very high power views but alas the conditions again prooved too much even at this power, finally I went for the 13mm Nagler giving me 180x, what a transformation!

Its not that often I don't use my Lunar filter when it approaches a full Moon but I was able to scan around it with ease noting many fine sights, Tycho, Russell, Copernicus, Kepler, Vendelinus to name but a few of the major craters on the surface, I then scanned around the limb giving me a contrast with the satellite and space itself. How to sum up? Simple! this 13mm Nagler is superb! I was informed it would become my most used ep and I am begining to see why, it held the views delivered excellently with minimal distortion and breaking down of the image, I had a break and then turned to Saturn, the views delivered here were fantastic with the 13mm, at times it appeared as if someone had come up and stuck an image on the corrector and was fooling me! Titan, Rhea, Tethys and Dione were all seen but even athough I knew were to look for Encelidus I could not make it out, I even went back to the 9mm Ngler but again conditions were not in my favour at that power and it was more difficult to make out the satellites at all. Bring back the 13mm

I thought I would have a look at one or two other objects as it was clear to me that I was on the right power for observing even with a brilliant Moon dominating the sky, on that point its clear that one thing one does notice is the appearence of many major stars with such light in the sky, all the expected candidates were on show, I would guess as a rough guide around 100 were visible to me and not much else, naked eye of course.

On to a couple of globulars, both M13 and M3 were evident with many stars visable although M13 took the plaudits, what a mesmerising object it is even under powerfull light polllution from the Moon

To finish I had a look at a couple of double stars Castor in Gemini and Mizar in Ursa Major, both very nicely seperated although Castor only just showed so.

Who can resist Betelguese? I, like everyone else looked and hoped, maybe now would be a good time please

O well, Arcturus was also looking fiery but could not hold my attention for too long.One more trip back to both the Moon and first Saturn and the cold had beat me, not that the scope had given up, there was still no misting up of anything nor any build up of dew, in fact the scope was really quite dry as was the lens shade not the norm for me when out for so long especially round these parts, being really close to the Humber can have its problems with mist and fog rolling in to dampen the kit in quick fashoin but not for this session

Conclushion

I have to say this was one of my most enjoyable observing sessions I have had, is it the 13mm Nagler? I have to say it is!

It is hard to sum up its merits but in just one word......Outstanding

If anyone is thinking of buying just one Televue eyepiece this is the one you should get!

I did want to put in a report on the Moon but it may seem I am only praising an eyepiece, not so, I am certain we all have times like this, for me it was so good to be out and just enjoying what I like best, observing the night sky and thats something no eye piece will ever be able to compete with!

[Doc]

You must have found that sweet spot, sounds like a brilliant evening.

[Nexus 6]

You must have found that sweet spot, sounds like a brilliant evening.

thanks Doc, it was indeed! As I mentioned, that 13mm Nagler is one special ep, not using a filter when observing a near full Moon is not the norm, at least for me anyway.