Good seeing in Sydney tonight

multiweb (Marc) · #1 10-07-2018, 12:43 PM

A clear night with no wind and stable atmosphere tonight. Will be out imaging for sure. I'm not a planetary guy but I was thinking of getting Mars as it's pretty high up and nearing opposition but there's that bloody dust storm so no real features to see. Worth it or stick to deepsky for tonight?

glend (Glen) · #2 10-07-2018, 01:10 PM

If you have the necessary long focal length then Mars is worth a look, it's two weeks from Opposition but that happens right on the full Moon. If your imaging it then now could be a good time. DSOs there is a lot of choice rising in the East after dark, but if you have imaged all the usual suspects then maybe not. I look at Sky Safari and steer clear of things which i already have lots and lots of hours of data stored away. Maybe i am getting jaded, but I am looking at DSOs which are more challenging, fainter, etc.

multiweb (Marc) · #3 10-07-2018, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glend

If you have the necessary long focal length then Mars is worth a look, it's two weeks from Opposition but that happens right on the full Moon. If your imaging it then now could be a good time. DSOs there is a lot of choice rising in the East after dark, but if you have imaged all the usual suspects then maybe not. I look at Sky Safari and steer clear of things which i already have lots and lots of hours of data stored away. Maybe i am getting jaded, but I am looking at DSOs which are more challenging, fainter, etc.

I might give Mars a miss tonight. It's not going anywhere for the next few weeks.

I don't mind imaging stuff again and again at different focal lengths or different lights. There's always room to improve and dig more fine details out of it. I don't understand "more challenging". I do this for fun on the side. Work and life have enough challenges as is.

mental4astro (Alexander) · #4 10-07-2018, 01:29 PM

If you are after an interesting composition, comet Panstarrs is 3° away from the Fighting Dragons for the next couple of nights.

multiweb (Marc) · #5 10-07-2018, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mental4astro

If you are after an interesting composition, comet Panstarrs is 3° away from the Fighting Dragons for the next couple of nights.

Sounds good but I don't think my field will cover that much and I'll be doing Ha too. Too much LP here to do color. I've been waiting for a good night to get the C11 out and test now I've stiffened the primary cell and hooked it to the dovetails. So I'll probably pick something bright in Ha at 3m FL and stick to it and see what happens. Maybe the core of M20. There's a couple of jets in there to be had.

Wavytone · #6 10-07-2018, 03:40 PM

"now I've stiffened the primary cell and hooked it to the dovetails"

Sounds painful

Wavytone · #7 10-07-2018, 03:45 PM

Alex which "comet Panstarrs" ? There are several between mag 14.8 and 21.

A comet at 14.8 is way below observable or photographable in the city.

mental4astro (Alexander) · #8 10-07-2018, 03:48 PM

Panstarrs C/2016-M1

Mag 9.2

ChrisV (Chris) · #9 11-07-2018, 11:32 AM

Yes it was excellent seeing last night. First night out with my scope since early May, and PHD tracking was coming up with a ridiculously low RMS error for my mount.

multiweb (Marc) · #10 11-07-2018, 11:34 AM

Got stuck with work at the last minute. Didn't make it. Had a peek outside though and it did look steady.

mental4astro (Alexander) · #11 11-07-2018, 11:49 AM

Spotted the comet very easily last night from home (eastern suburbs Sydney). Faint, but unmistakable. Could only seevtje coma, not the tail. Should be awesome from a dark site with the busy Milky Way as the background. I'm going to the Blue Mountains this Saturday, and this sucker is a prime target for the night.

multiweb (Marc) · #12 20-07-2018, 04:16 PM

Looks like a small window of opportunity possibly this saturday night with decent seeing. Moonset around 1:00am so not bad.

Marke (Mark) · #13 20-07-2018, 04:25 PM

Yes saw that its been a mess lately

multiweb (Marc) · #14 21-07-2018, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marke

Yes saw that its been a mess lately

Tell me about it. Going to move to Canberra

Still looking half decent for tonight.

Marke (Mark) · #15 21-07-2018, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Tell me about it. Going to move to Canberra

Still looking half decent for tonight.

I've been watching it all week only have the moon to contend with now lol

Wavytone · #16 21-07-2018, 03:40 PM

Someone photographed Encke’s gap in 2003 using a 14.5” reflector.

Technology has moved on since then and the right scope in perfect seeing could do it again...

mental4astro (Alexander) · #17 21-07-2018, 05:51 PM

My target IS the Moon tonight!

Managed to set up early in anticipation. First glimpse at 200X was most promising half an hour ago. Best I've seen all week. Looks blooming good for tonight

multiweb (Marc) · #18 21-09-2018, 08:32 AM

Looks like some exceptional conditions in Sydney and most of the east coast for tonight's forecast. Jetstream is at a record low so is surface wind. The moon is up but an excellent night for planetary or imaging something very bright.

Djlpap (Laurence) · #19 21-09-2018, 08:42 AM

Thanks! The moon has been extremely clear this week. Some of the brighter star clusters have been amazing too.

Marke (Mark) · #20 21-09-2018, 08:44 AM

Lets hope but can I blame you if its not Marc