Hell of a observing I'm having now!

[HSK]

Hi everybody.
Almost perfect clear sky now. And already spotted some spectacle.
I finally took a video of Jupiter with it's faint cloud formation. I can clearly see all formation on Jupiter but it hard to capture on 8 Meg digital camera.
Also while observing Jupiter I saw a .... Shooting star. It was size of Sirius! I was gobsmacked. And after 5 min my brother spotted another one and it was fast and small. But i tracked it with 10mm eyepiece. AWESOME..
And that is only after 30 min out! Will be lookig at some nebule now. And I'll post the pics later, probably tomorrow.

Thanks

Tom

[supernova1965]

I am jealous The cloud has finally gone and now the wind is blowing at about 30klm's an hour. Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh:sad: I am really happy for you but you will have to help me to live through your images so please post them.:rofl::D

[mithrandir]

I've got a clear sky at home. It was uncomfortably warm while I installed the new flip mirror for the guide scope. The mozzies stayed out until about the time I finished the polar and drift align. An almost flat line in PHD.

And then the wind came up and it's jumping all over the place. :mad2: And I don't even have the dew shield on. I suppose I'll have lots of trailed stars. :sadeyes:

Tomorrow I might install my new Moonlite focuser. That will probably max out the load limit on the mount.

[HSK]

Don't worry supernova I got pics. Not best but it's my personal best.
It's is technically tomorrow so here they are. :rofl:
My first observation of Saturn and pics. On telescope it was breath taking. Literally crystal clear with cloud formation and shadow of its ring on the surface. I also saw tow of its moon. I need much better camera...:rolleyes:

Thanks

Tom

P.S. The second pic had been sharpened and edged using Gimp!

P.S. Rigel Kentaurus looked like ufo through my telescope. :ship2: It was blinking blue and red like plane but far to small and no movement for a plane. Same was for Agena.

[supernova1965]

Nice one thanks :thumbsup::D

[HSK]

Why does Rigel kentaurus have two seperate light source and has green blue red flash? Did any one see Rigel like this? It's strange. Every other stars looks normal but Rigel looks like it is a twin star with green and red and blue light. :? The scope had been cooled for hours and it was focused...

Thanks

Tom

[HSK]

Oh it's binary star. No wander... :)

[Jabba]

very nice Tom, I love your enthusiasm :D

[erick]

Good pick Tom - yes what you see is a double star - two components (A and B) much the same colour and magnitudes to our eyes. The flashes of colour is because of refraction thought the large air column - they are are quite low elevation at the moment - try again in some months.

Now the challenge, to try and find the third star in that system - Proxima Centauri - quite faint and well separated from the A and B stars - but, at the moment, the closest star to our solar system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri

[HSK]

Thanks guys