Yes it's a bit disheartening when you see them rolling in like a sunami, which has happened to me a few too many times. But we move on.
Btw how are you finding the SSW14 ? I've read on CN that there a bit finicky with eye placement as the N13T6 which I did have. Still haven't replaced this eyepiece as yet and have been looking for something with a tad more eye relief .
Perfectly clear , still, moon lit night down the south coast NSW
Imaging M68 but a minor hiccup with my new EQ6-R Mount ( maybe an RA slippage ? )
Back on track again and hoping for 2 hours worth
Beautiful night here. Clear, still with very good seeing. I spent 2hr or more over about 2.5hrs at the eyepiece - 10 minutes observing the ringtail possum and the rest on a tea break. The view was crisp up to 400x, and 466x was solid but I couldn't see any more detail than at 400x. I had a chance to try my new (to me) 9mm LV vs. 9mm UO ortho (311x). The LV clearly wins on ergonomics and seem a trifle easier to focus. I'm undecided on outright performance; is it my bias that saw a smidge more in the ortho? (after all that's their reputation). Overall the most pleasing view was at 224x with a Tak 12.5mm ortho. All in all, the sort of night that makes this hobby great.
With the cloud coming in, my son asked me to read with him for a while. I threw a towel over the scope and spent an hour with him. When I came back out, holy dooly! Clear again! Must have been the same lucky streak of clear sky as you had Martin and David
After my whinge, what a lovely sky. Seeing not quite as good as yours, David. I settled on 270X for my sketch of the Moon - 400X didn't show more as the seeing wasn't quite there for it.
Spent a lovely three hours with Luna. Though one thing does concern me about this Intes Mak - my gosh I can see so much finer detail with it than I've ever seen before on the ol' Moon!
Oh well, that's astro. Think the Sky Gods have pulled a fast one on you by throwing clouds your way, and they were only having a pull of my leg to see if they could get a rise out of me. But after their little joke, I was then treated to a gorgeous sky
Jeremy, to get a feel for Wales and the UK's weather, I just need to go to Melbourne...
Have to agree with David, the seeing down here was very good earlier this evening, Copernicus, Plato etc at up to 416 X in the 250mm dob were about as good as I've seen them with my scopes. Tried to split Sirius but couldn't say for sure that I could see the Pup in the glare and the diffraction spikes. Split Adhara easily enough though. Have 3 satellite shadow transits on Jupiter this morning to observe and / or image if the seeing stays co-operative.
Well it was not too bad here even with the clouds appearing and disappearing although I was hopping all over shoting thru the openings. Anyways 2-00am saw it very foggy so I decided to go inside start some stacking so it will be finished by morning.
Alex
Well it was not too bad here even with the clouds appearing and disappearing although I was hopping all over shoting thru the openings. Anyways 2-00am saw it very foggy so I decided to go inside start some stacking so it will be finished by morning.
Alex
What has surprised me as I have mentioned is that you can still get an image even when you cant see the stars...at times☺...the dew shut down the widefield camera as I borrowed the dew hood for the finder scope (which I like to use both to find and observe) on the main rig...so need to make up some dew hoods for the camera lens....I had a nice little baffles one but I cant find it.
Maybe not today as I think widefield will be out given the Moon tonight even if clear.
Alex
I could not see the Lagoon and could not find it even thru the finder cause you could see only the really bright stars however when it appeared I lined up the scope like a pool que and turned to see it appear on the screen ☺ not centered ...so I need to practice my pool☺.
Alex
which has happened to me a few too many times. But we move on.
