ZeroID
08-03-2013, 10:27 AM
I bought Gary Beals ( thanks Gary ) Lunt 102mm ED doublet. It arrived yesterday and I loaded it up on the EQ6 with an RA Finder and my GuideScope patched onto the side of the rings. Nice piece of gear for sure in beautiful 'as new' condition and well packed in it's own case.
Surprisingly we got a clear night !! No clouds, no wind and pretty good seeing. Transparency was not brilliant but ok.
I did an finder alignment across the valley in the early evening ( 4-5 km ) and was able to clearly see a seagull on a power pylon insulator at that distance. Good start !
First up was Jupiter in the early evening before it got too dark. It's the first time I've really been able to differentiate the bands and that was just with a 20mm SuperView. I finished up finally getting my moneys worth out of the 6mm & 9mm TMB Planetaries with quite stunning views of Jupiter and the moons enough to even impress my wife. No GRS but it will come round again.
Bear in mind this is in my low NW sky overlooking the houses and the volcano just behind us so air condition could be anything but good. Impressed ! Bring on Saturn !!
Mounted up the A77 and managed a final pic of Lemmon ( see amateur pix ) with half the aperture obscured by the top edge of the Ob roof. Had a quick visual and could make out a tail through half a roof and some dusk sky glow . More impressed !
Spent the darker hours doing pix of M42, trying to focus it all and cursing PHD for it's vagaries. I should have done more visual to see the possibilities for myself but that will come. I'm looking forward to trying some planetary video, something not workable with my previous setup and some DSO pix. I'll remount it with a dual plate to carry the 80mm which may become the guidescope, it's original intent but also so I can view while imaging.
Have to say it's a big stepup for my gear and I'm looking forward to exploring the possibilities. It's an excellent addition to my growing stable and I have to say thanks to Gary who went out of his way to make sure I knew what I was getting and made sure it all came toether.
Now I just have to keep up the anti cloud payments a bit longer ..
Surprisingly we got a clear night !! No clouds, no wind and pretty good seeing. Transparency was not brilliant but ok.
I did an finder alignment across the valley in the early evening ( 4-5 km ) and was able to clearly see a seagull on a power pylon insulator at that distance. Good start !
First up was Jupiter in the early evening before it got too dark. It's the first time I've really been able to differentiate the bands and that was just with a 20mm SuperView. I finished up finally getting my moneys worth out of the 6mm & 9mm TMB Planetaries with quite stunning views of Jupiter and the moons enough to even impress my wife. No GRS but it will come round again.
Bear in mind this is in my low NW sky overlooking the houses and the volcano just behind us so air condition could be anything but good. Impressed ! Bring on Saturn !!
Mounted up the A77 and managed a final pic of Lemmon ( see amateur pix ) with half the aperture obscured by the top edge of the Ob roof. Had a quick visual and could make out a tail through half a roof and some dusk sky glow . More impressed !
Spent the darker hours doing pix of M42, trying to focus it all and cursing PHD for it's vagaries. I should have done more visual to see the possibilities for myself but that will come. I'm looking forward to trying some planetary video, something not workable with my previous setup and some DSO pix. I'll remount it with a dual plate to carry the 80mm which may become the guidescope, it's original intent but also so I can view while imaging.
Have to say it's a big stepup for my gear and I'm looking forward to exploring the possibilities. It's an excellent addition to my growing stable and I have to say thanks to Gary who went out of his way to make sure I knew what I was getting and made sure it all came toether.
Now I just have to keep up the anti cloud payments a bit longer ..