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I have now had Nocturne for 5 months and whilst I have enjoyed some breathtaking views of many nebulae and galaxies I have not, until this evening managed to view either Jupiter or Saturn with it. Until tonight.
I have always been a refractor man -I love high quality optics and I have enjoyed simply spectacular views of the planets over the years with the TMB 152mm LZOZ refractor. I have, as a result usually avoided looking at the planets through Newtonians because the views are invariably ‘soft’.
I also think high magnification is a real test for any telescope of any type and it separates the chaff from the wheat as they say.
So it was with some trepidation that I turned the scope tonight to Saturn. Initially it was about 60 degrees altitude and it was an extremely promising view. It had a crispness I wasn’t expecting, Cassini easily visible of course and some banding on the planet and a pretty collection of moons. Jupiter was still behind a tree from my garden at this time.
I live very close to Brisbane airport and of course hopeless for anything but planets but I am blessed with extraordinary seeing on many a night. Tonight everything came together. By 23:00 Saturn was at the zenith (or close anyway), the mirror had cooled to within 1degree of ambient and seeing was good even by Nundah standards.
I sold my LZOZ refractor to Matt in Canberra as part of my journey to acquiring Nocturne -an expedient but regretful sale nonetheless and I despaired at the thought of never viewing the planets again with that sharp, contrasty clarity refractors are rightly famous for. To my delight however, that is exactly what I got tonight. My old refractor is in fact coming home as Matt was reunited with his much missed TOA, thus releasing control of the TMB. In light of my experience tonight, I look forward to comparing the views side by side and can’t rule out a beautiful refractor being advertised for sale if I find Nocturne is a match!
The 28” f/3.8 mirror from Normand Fullum will without doubt soon gain a reputation, and one it fully deserves. I have viewed the heavens through many Newtonians but this mirror is in a class of its own. If anyone is considering an SDM or other quality build scope, if mine is typical of Fullum mirrors, you can order with confidence. There are very few mirror makers producing mirrors of this size and choice is this limited. This one is, without doubt, a keeper -at least until the ravages of age prohibit me handling such a large scope.
I really hope that as many of you as possible get to see through this fine telescope in the coming years. Such experiences are to be shared.
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