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Old 25-02-2008, 11:51 AM
你B
Its only a column of dust

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Exclamation There are good sessions, and then there are not so good sessions...

...just like everything else in life, astronomy has good times and not so good times

Last night was perhaps my worst session this year. Ok, the forecast was trash - showers ontop of more showers, but it was actually clear so I went out. Sirius was twinkling a bit but only very slightly and with a southwesterly wind I assumed seeing was going to be good. I look back now and laugh....

ANyway left the scope outside to cool for an hour and a half. This is where things started to go wrong. The batteries for the fan went flat. No biggie, but is basically symbolic of the whole nature of the evening. Then I found spiderweb across the tube. Last time I found spiderwebs on the tube, I woke up the next morning to find the inside of the tube laced with cobwebs

Anyway, my first target was Saturn. At 146x, Saturn was basically jumping and blurring in n out of focus. I immediately realised that as far as lunar and planetary viewing was concerned the night was a write-off. I also observed Regulus at 146x and geez its not often you get to see a star jumping and shimmering like that. I then turned to the moon. Nice and crisp at 146x, but at 250x I couldn't focus at all. Everything was just a blur. Just goes to show the crapness of the seeing. SO I figured I'll hunt some open clusters in the Milkyway but low and behold, that rotten Melbourne Cloud was already moving in. SO I had to pack up. During packup one of the finger loops on the scope's altitude springs snapped almost clonking me in the eye. Once again no huge deal but there could hardly be a more fitting way to top off the evening.

Tonight looks like it will be clear.....
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Old 25-02-2008, 12:10 PM
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iceman (Mike)
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You guys in Melbourne have had great weather for a few weeks, it's only fair you get your share of "normal" Melbourne weather
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Old 25-02-2008, 12:19 PM
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Starkler (Geoff)
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Living in Melbourne its such a common occurance that after a beautiful cloud free day, the clouds move in right on dusk.......sigh.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 你B View Post
During packup one of the finger loops on the scope's altitude springs snapped almost clonking me in the eye.
These things are damn dangerous and sooner or later they WILL let go.
For most people, including myself, when they let go you skin your knuckle on the sharp head of the bolt

To replace those loops, I recommend getting a couple of large split rings as used on key chains.
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