anyone see the great seeing in Melbourne tonight

[janoskiss]

I was going to start a thread earlier today to ask that since we are in the middle of a high, will that make for good seeing. Well I didn't get around to asking my question here, but the heavens answered it for me anyway.

It was the best seeing I've ever seen in Melbourne tonight. Saturn 1am, not even 14 degrees above the horizon: Cassini division and several cloud belts clearly visible. 315x magnification still okay, 240x ideal.

I saw an Airy disk with my Dob for the first time ever, at 400x mag. I managed a star test that was useful. Got the collimation super and could see the results on Mars straight away.

I split Sirius, I think :D. It looked like it was just near the resolving power limit of my scope, with two Airy disks very close together (central disks almost touching). If I did see a real double then the two stars appeared similar in magnitude. I'll have to look this up.

Geez I'm glad I didn't sell my 7mm HD orhto! What a great little eyepiece. And the eye relief was not a problem. I only have a little trouble with it on the Moon I think.

Great moon filter (MUCH better than the standard Moon filters): Neutral density 0.9 + Blue #80A (both at once).

[asimov]

The 'pup' (sirius B) is a magnitude 8.4 white dwarf Steve, 10000X dimmer.

Glad you got some good quality seeing over there!

[iceman]

Seeing was great in Sydney area this morning at 3am for Saturn as well.. i'm sure Bird got some great Saturn images. I'm processing mine now!

[cventer]

Annoying how this clear run allways happens at the same time as full moon!!!! GRRRRRRRR!


Regards
Chris

[iceman]

You'll have to get into planetary imaging, Chris :P

[janoskiss]

:rofl: Thanks Asimov. Then I was just seeing double rather than seeing a double. I thought it was a double because when defocusing I get two sets of diffraction spikes due to the spider, which merge on focus. I guess seeing that was enough to let my imagination run out of control on the unsteady super high mag views. :P

[bird]

I had to go to Sydney yesterday on business, and was pretty darn pooped by the time I got home - but I checked the jetstream prediction anyway. It said that the seeing was going to be very bad, so I just went to bed :-)

Looks like we can't rely on the jetstream map after all?

Bird

[Stu]

I knew it was going to be excellent last night but I was at my parents place and when I got home I couldn't be stuffed.

Good on ya Steve. One weekend after chrissy we should organise a "drive up the mountain" night. Is the seeing any better at 1000-2000m?

Hey, finally got my Autostar #497 today! Whoo whooo!!!

[ballaratdragons]

Zenith was fairly good here last night Steve.

Everything else was in the fog.

[asimov]

Not to worry Steve! I see doubles all the time (nasty seeing does it to my imagination every time) Did you know the brightest star in the trap is actually a double double?? :nerd:

[janoskiss]

Well, I've observed at 1200-1400m altitudes on three separate occasions now, and seeing has been very good each time, even when people in Melbourne were reporting terrible seeing at the same time. So I don't think it's a coincidence.

Stu, Re w/e after xmas, i.e., have you cheked out my new year's "call to arms" thread? :D
BTW I finally got your 6" out last night on the EQ5, but I was too busy enjoying the Dob to really give it a good go. Still need to tweak the secondary.

[Starkler]

I had a look at the jetstream map and looked skyward shortly after dusk to see furious twinkling.

I glad someone got some good viewing in.

P.S Im not going to be checking jetstream maps anymore.

[Dave47tuc]

I did not think the seeing last night was that great. :confuse3:

About 6/10 I was able to view Mars at 240x tried 300x but no good.

Moon was very swimmy at 300x but better at 180x.

I would not have really gone out but my new Ortho's have arrived so I was keen to see how they went in my Mak. :)

I could see 5 Stars in the Trapezium but not the 6th.

But I have more trouble with heat of houses that anything else. :mad2:

[janoskiss]

Interesting, Dave. You are right about Mars, it wasn't the best. But later in the night 6 stars in trapezium were very distinct even at low mag. And Saturn at 14 degree altitude showed lots of detail.

[rat156]

Hi all,

Thanks to Steve selling me his Nagler I've rediscovered visual observing!!

Did not get out last night, but got out the night before, seeing was OK, but not fantastic. Sounds like I should have been out with the scope, not drinking with my car club buddies.

Anyway, thenight before I split Sirius easily with the 8" LX200 and the 13mm Nagler. I have only had the scope for about a year, so it was this time last year that I started out, it's nice to revisit some old friends with some different equipment. Everytime I slew to 47Tuc it reminds me of the first time I saw it :-))

Cheers
Stuart

[janoskiss]

Nice to hear you're enjoying the Nagler, Stuart. It is some "out there" eyepiece. In general, I do prefer my Panoptic AND 2"-barlowed Panoptic, especially on planets. I wish I had the Nagler on many DSOs though. Maybe I'll win one in the Xmas comp :prey:. Now, why can't Televue make some shorter FL EPs that perform like Panoptics? :P

[Starkler]

Pentax do, but with better eye relief and no pincushioning :)

[janoskiss]

Reading reviews here and elsewhere does not convince me about the 14mm Pentax, which would be the one I'd go for.

[Starkler]

No better way than to see for yourself next time we meet up .

[janoskiss]

Sounds good Geoff. I have gained a little experience since Snake Valley, so I'd better know what to look for next time I look through it.

[Stu]

But the Pentax EP are more expensive at the shorter focal length and most of the time you get what you pay for so I'd expect them to be better. I think the 15mm pano rocks though!

But I do wish they had made pano's in shorter FL's. I still haven't received my radian so can't comment on that one. I would like to use the pentax for a longer time than what I have. Hard when you don't own one...

[Starkler]

Sadly the panoptic design doesnt seem to scale down for shorter focal lengths without eye relief becomming an issue. All designs are a comprimise in one way or another.

[danielsun]

Yes I agree the seeing here in taylors lakes was the best i'd seen for a while!!!

All the popular targets eta carinae, tarantula,lmc jewel box, saturn etc, etc.. were fatastic especially with my new r&p focuser modification wich was a major improvment and made my viewing much more enjoyable!!!