I did it! I used my telescope!

[iceman]

No, this is not a joke. This is not april fools day!

I setup my telescope last night, first time in 4 months, and I actually used it! I took some video data of Mars at around 12:30am-1:00am, and got up again this morning to image Saturn at 4:30am.

Wow it had been a while.. I didn't forget anything but everything just took a little bit longer and felt a bit more clunky. The seeing wasn't horrible, which was nice for a change. But it wasn't good either.

Unfortunately fog this morning prevented any useful Saturn data - it was really dim even at 7.5fps, so I just captured 1 dim red channel and packed up. I couldn't believe how high Saturn is already! I was looking for it lower on the horizon but it turned out to be just a star :lol:

Anyway I'll process the Mars data later and see what comes of it.

Once I got into it, I was enjoying it enough - but it didn't start out that way. At the start, I had the usual thoughts... "please be cloudy", "please be horrible seeing" - anything to turn around and crawl back into bed. :lol:

But I fought through those feelings, and this morning I have that tired, gritty-eyes feeling that I remember.. LOL.

[h0ughy]

well done - you never know mike i might end up taking a planet shot this year too

[sheeny]

:lol::thumbsup:

Al.

[Omaroo]

Ditto! :lol::thumbsup:

[iceman]

.. and to prove that I did get up and try for Saturn, here's the terrible result from a very very dim capture run of just the red channel.

Maybe next time :lol:

[h0ughy]

we have just had a southerly change of some description come through - you would have had that to contend with?

[spacezebra]

Congrats Mike, good to hear that you are back in action.

Cheers Petra d.

[el_draco]

Sniffle... whimper... sob...

5 outa 7 weeks of holiday gone... 2 crap observing sessions... :sadeyes::sadeyes:

NOT ONE pixel !!!! :(

Sniffle... whimper... sob...

Sniffle... whimper...

Sniffle...

boo hoo

[RB]

Hah !!
About time !!

I've been waiting to see you do Mars again, cool !

Now hurry up and process......:)

[rogerg]

Good on ya Mike :)



Yeah, I know what you mean.

[leon]

Yea I had wondered what had happen to your scope, your Planet stuff was always sensational.

Leon

[bloodhound31]

Mike, I'd be happy with even that image of Saturn...it beats my best of the planet.... LOL.

[Satchmo]

Mike , You are definitely ready to take up a new hobby ;)

[floyd_2]

There was a period not so long ago that lasted about 2 years where I didnt get the scope out once (shame on me). But I'm back...as usual! I'll see you outside tomorrow night Mike! :thumbsup:

[Nightskystargaz]

Mike,

Now since you got out, You'll have to get out more often. :thumbsup:

:thanx:,

Tom

[Doodles23]

Mike:

Yes. Your Saturn looks like our Saturn from a few days ago. And we also are immersed in fog and constantly irritating clouds and what I call "Sky Sludge". Typically, in January, we get 3-4 nights of possibly clear enough Skies for dragging the scope out. So don't bother getting on a flight to Miami as it's the same story here. We pray for the Southern winds and the super seeing that comes with it. Instead we get a jet stream right over our face.
Are you serious that you had to wait 4 months????? What is your temperature at night in your winter time?
We did finally get a halfway decent Mars with our C14 on Jan 20th as you can see here.

Dave in Miami