Virtual Star Party Tonight!

[glend]

It has been awhile since we did this, and tonight looks great for another Virtual Star Party.

Present conditions on the NSW Coast are sunny cloud free skies, and ultra low humidity, and the Bureau forecast, point to a cracker of a night tonight, and probably tomorrow night as well.
So get organised and get out there. Open to all, any location. Let us know what your doing.:thumbsup:

[glend]

Guess I am the only one out tonight. Beautiful sky tonight, very stable, no dancing stars. Working on refining the Sharpcap settings for EAA with the ASI294 on the ED150. There are a few focusing tools in the app but i find that focusing was quicker just using my old Bathinkov mask and checking it on the screen. The ED150 does have a speed sacrifice, even with the reducer it is limited to f6,8; so building a nice Stack of a dim object does take awhile, but the detail is substantially better than a visual peek.
Hope the conditions hold up for those out tonight.

[Startrek]

Glen
I’d say a lot of folk are away on annual holidays at the moment, hence the lack of replies (it’s nice to have a break away from astronomy for a few weeks , me included )
I’m up in the Central Coast at the moment with my wife’s family and everywhere is packed , beaches , shops etc. ( good to see everyone’s wearing masks and spacing apart )
I was down South near Ulladulla at my holiday place just after Boxing Day and it was the same , everywhere packed out
I think the virtual idea will pick up in February when a lot of folk are back home after holidays
Thanks for initiating it
Enjoy the clear nights ahead , I think it good next week too , I’m back down the coast again and will probably set up my 8” rig and do some imaging
Cheers
Martin

[The Mekon]

I was out last night. Got stuck into the Fornax cluster and surrounding skies with my SDM. Glen, I note that you posted at 2356 last night - sorry but I never work the scope and computer at the same time, only reporting the next day.

[Allan_L]

I had cause to be outside last night at 11pm and looked up to see an amazing clear dark sky.
I thought to myself its a Saturday, the weather is comfortable and the sky looks brilliant! What is wrong here?
I think it's been so long we all have forgotten to organise our astro plans.
What a wasted opportunity. Is it too late? Hmm!:question:
Then I went back inside and went to bed. :P

[PaulSthcoast]

I didn't see the thread till now !

I was out till midnight.....work again today....

Targeting Horses head and Flame nebula.

Conditions were really nice.....and no mozzies....
though I always have a zapper under my scope
just in case....

Images soon.


Paul.

[glend]

It is not too late Allan, and everyone else, tonight looks to be a repeat of last night (or at least the day light hours have started out the same). Still ultra low humidity (26%) here, but the breeze may change after dark. There was no dew up my way last night until about 2am.

It might even have cleared up for Alex by tonight.

FYI, Moonset is 11:28pm tonight I believe. It is just a sliver at the moment anyway.

[PaulSthcoast]

Silvery moon you say Glen ?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dHuNupyhSak

Paul

[glend]

Haha, that was a sliver of moon. But thanks for the Countdown throw back to 1974.;)

[PaulSthcoast]

Ah...the joys of dyslexia.

Paul

[jahnpahwa]

I got out last night but seeing wasn't up to the standard of the night before. Still too good to not be out!
Tonight also looking good, not sure I can be up again... But I'll probably make it happen :)

[glend]

Tonight is a loss up here, despite a brilliant day some high cloud moved in from the west at dusk. It thinned out after midnight as I had hoped, and I checked again at 3am, and while much clearer I decided it wasn't worth it tonight. Probably be clear again at dawn, go figure.:shrug: