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  #21  
Old 05-12-2018, 09:01 AM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
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Pirrima Park in Pyrmont it is this Friday!

Location of Pirrima Park in Pyrmont

I'm hoping to be set up by 7pm, giving me about half an hour before Mars appears. If you'd like to bring a scope and join me, you would be most welcome - would be nice to have a couple of scopes and another enthusiast. If you are in the area, come by and say hello and have a look

Alex.
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  #22  
Old 06-12-2018, 08:08 PM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
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Fine tuning my new set up tonight, and the planetary couple are bang on easy to spot together in the one FOV. Wee white polar cap on Mars with scant dark markings, and Neptune with its distinct blue colour.

Had my kids have a look. Both were excited about seeing snow on another planet Always nice to spot the polar caps.

Having seen their close proximity tonight, I'm really looking forward to their even closer apparition tomorrow night

Alex.
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  #23  
Old 06-12-2018, 08:21 PM
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Stonius (Markus)
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Not looking too good for Melbourne at this stage unfortunately. :-(

Pity, It looks like a good one.

If you (or anyone) get some good shots, I'd love to see them posted up here.

Markus
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  #24  
Old 06-12-2018, 09:10 PM
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Alex what EP are you using? I took a look with my c8 and TV 32mm plosl neptune was just a dot and Mars was just barely a disc
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  #25  
Old 06-12-2018, 09:35 PM
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Fahim 32mm in a C8 ( ie 62X) is not a good choice.

Last weekend in the MK91 at 220X (focal length 3100, eyepiece 14mm) in poor seeing Neptune was a very small blue-green disk, just discernible as non-stellar, and Mars was a small red disk with a phase visible, but no discernable markings. Tomorrow night in the MK91 - with 9" aperture - 300-400X will be nice if the seeing will play ball.

So I'd have to say in a C8 you will need a 9mm eyepiece and resolving Neptune will be not easy. I could loan one if you need.

However... we have a family member in serious ill health so at this stage I'd say its 50/50 for me. If I can make it I will set up the MK91 at Pirrima for a little while.

It may not seem like a great spectacle for many but the point is more to bring home to people that this is the real thing, they're seeing it with their own eyes - not a photograph and not (god help us) an "artistic rendering" (sorry Alex).

PS if you do bring the C8 and I'm able to make it, I'll volunteer to collimate it to get the best out of it.

FWIW its clear here and not too windy tonight, so fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Last edited by Wavytone; 06-12-2018 at 10:01 PM.
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  #26  
Old 07-12-2018, 06:52 AM
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Fahim,

It really doesn't matter what eyepiece you use - both planets are small, especially Neptune. Neptune won't show much of a disk at all.

Last night EP wise I was using a Hyperion Zoom at 8mm, and I had both planets in the FOV. Both close to the edge of the FOV, but still easy to see both together. Tonight they will be even closer. I'll be using as high magnification as seeing will allow. Last night seeing wasn't great, but 340X was usable. If the same conditions are on tonight, excellent!

Alex.

PS, Nick, no offence taken, though it's a bit rich coming from a grown man who plays with train everyday...
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Old 07-12-2018, 07:36 AM
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thx Nick thats a fantastic offer but by the time i get home its best for me to setup at home. I may go and join the chaps at the Dural Pony Club which is very close to me, but even that is a stretch. I have two 9mm a TMB clone and vixen lv 5 9. i also have a ES 11mm. But these smaller ones did not get both mars and neptune in the same FOV last night while the 32mm was just right with both near the edge. seeing was not great and there were some ciouds to. My colimation which used to be pefect for years on my c8 seems be fiddely now but i used mars itself to adjust it a bit. Will fine tune tonight. Neptune was not sure it was neptune even at high mag was quiet poor seeing.

Alex not sure how you fit both in fov together with 8mm on your maksutov ?
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  #28  
Old 07-12-2018, 07:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by netwolf View Post
Alex not sure how you fit both in fov together with 8mm on your maksutov ?
Mate, I agree! But there they were, unless another wee star appeared that resembled Neptune... Or I had a bad curry... I also double checked with Sky Safari, and the star patterns all matched up.

Won't be any doubts tonight... hopefully...
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  #29  
Old 07-12-2018, 08:47 AM
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Alex my skysafari shows them just fitting in 32mm at 2000mm.
there were some nearby stars.
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  #30  
Old 07-12-2018, 09:26 AM
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I revised my observations and Sky Safari - i did make a mistake with my high power observation. I too couldn't figure out why I was seeing "Neputne" but I had confused it with a star that sat between the two planets. So yes, I too only saw the pair at low power...

Thanks Fahim for pushing. Made me verify what it was I was looking at. What also threw me off was how sharp that stellar image was. An atrifact of a better quality scope meaning that the image does not break down so readily. Going to have to be a bit more careful.

Alex
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  #31  
Old 07-12-2018, 12:34 PM
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Looks like I’m good for Pirrima Park this evening
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  #32  
Old 07-12-2018, 01:25 PM
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Nick Alex where do you guys park your cars for Pirrima park?
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  #33  
Old 07-12-2018, 03:38 PM
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We HOPE to be able to park right beside the park itself so We can set up beside our cars or as close as possible.
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  #34  
Old 07-12-2018, 05:07 PM
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Fahim there is 90 degree parking along the point.

Head for the northernmost end - you should see the harbour bridge.

I will take a folding trolley just in case stuff has to be moved some distance but some question as to when I'll get there as wife isn't home yet
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  #35  
Old 07-12-2018, 05:37 PM
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Not sure yet guys my daughter is under the weather so may not be able to go out. I will setup at home i think at this stage. What time do you guys plan to be there and for how long.
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  #36  
Old 07-12-2018, 09:13 PM
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Seeing for me maxed out at my ES 11mm 82deg EP which was nice sharp and bright. my Vixen 9mm was just ok. The wind did not hell matters so was only out there just over an hour. how did you guys fair out there.
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  #37  
Old 07-12-2018, 09:42 PM
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Ah we were on the west side of Pirrima park with a big cliff acting as a windbreak but the sea breeze was nevertheless very unpleasant. As usual the two maks tolerated poor conditions remarkably well.

Alex wound his mak up to 380X on Mars... I left mine at 220X (SSW 14mm) which fitted Mars and Neptune nicely. Didn't see much point in more - as Alex's scope showed, no details to see on Mars.

We had just one passerby stop for a look then finally a party group from one of the smaller cruise boats stopped by.

Packed it in after 9 but had a very slow run home - RBT squads literally blockading every exit out of the city and off the harbour bridge - the Pacific Highway was down to 1 lane.

Last edited by Wavytone; 07-12-2018 at 10:41 PM.
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