ICEINSPACE
Moon Phase
CURRENT MOON
Waxing Crescent 23.7%
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14-05-2008, 10:08 AM
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Computer tragic
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Cheltenham, Victoria
Posts: 494
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Rubbish night in Melbourne 13 May
The astro gods are definitely not smiling on Melburnians. If we ever get a 'clear' sky it's either smokey, Moonlit or dewy. Took all my gear out last night and ended up not even looking into an eyepiece.  Dew came in very early drenching everything. Did anyone else even bother? Would massive dew protection be the answer? (Wouldn't help a 60% Moon though!).
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14-05-2008, 10:30 AM
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I have detailed files....
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kellyville Ridge, NSW Australia
Posts: 3,306
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Ahh see, its Melbourne, there's ya problem!
Sydney has been exceptionally clear lately, even with the waxing moon up. It was so bright last night that I was able to see and collimate my scope by its light.
Even so, the clarity with the ever present moon glow has been sparkling, with very little atmospheric disturbance.
Dew is a problem though, I had to run an extension cord out and the little hair dryer to de-dew my eyepiece and secondary which both misted up. By the time I finished and looked back into the EP, everything was GONE! I looked up and the mist/fog had set in! grrrrr
Maybe you should drive a little bit out of town, like 800kms or so!
Chris
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14-05-2008, 10:39 AM
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Computer tragic
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Cheltenham, Victoria
Posts: 494
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Jeez my neighbours would just love the whine of a hair dryer late at night. I have to be quiet as it is so they don't come out and trigger their backyard sensor spotlights
The previous night I had persisted, but when I look up and can't even see any obvious stars for aligning the Argo, that's when I give up in disgust! About the only stars I could easily see naked eye last night from my backyard at about 10:30 were all in Crux. It was that bad.
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14-05-2008, 10:43 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 283
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On the other hand: this morning at 3:30am, Jupiter was spectacular. I could see the disks on the Galilean satellites, & a wealth of detail on the planet.
Phil
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14-05-2008, 10:44 AM
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Computer tragic
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Cheltenham, Victoria
Posts: 494
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilW
On the other hand: this morning at 3:30am, Jupiter was spectacular. I could see the disks on the Galilean satellites, & a wealth of detail on the planet.
Phil
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I don't doubt it. Unfortunately realities of life (and work) prevail for me
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14-05-2008, 10:58 AM
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Its only a column of dust
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: New Iceland
Posts: 761
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I didn't even bother at all. Seeing looked crap, Transparency was non-existant, I could even smell smoke. Let's not even speak of the dew.
I am truly disgustedf with melbourne's climate of late. This is without a shadow of a doubt the most disgraceful Autumn I've ever experienced.
Next person to mention global warming will get a broken jaw courtesy of me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Screwdriverone
Ahh see, its Melbourne, there's ya problem! 
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Yes, but even by Melbourne standards this is unusually ******* ****.
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14-05-2008, 11:27 AM
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Starry Eyed
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wonga Park
Posts: 692
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Quote:
The astro gods are definitely not smiling on Melburnians. If we ever get a 'clear' sky it's either smokey, Moonlit or dewy. Took all my gear out last night and ended up not even looking into an eyepiece. Dew came in very early drenching everything. Did anyone else even bother?
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Grrrr, I was out there too Programmer and you're right, things looked damn promising in Melb late afternoon with fantastic blue skies. Was not too bad until about 8pm, but it misted up terribly with no wind to speak of ... just like the night before.
To make matters worse, took me ages to get the Argo star aligned too ... was getting confused between Arcturus in the NE and Antares in the East. I think I need to get familiar with some new stars.
Have been using your article Chris to help polar align my old (but newly acquired) EQ5 mount. Has helped the learning curve - Thanks. Was pretty impressed with the way the EQ5 tracked (with RA motor only) after the polar alignment.
Got lots of noobie pics of the moon and Saturn with the DSI. Have loaded RegiStax on the laptop and plan to have a play with the captured frames later in the week.
I need to remove my neighbour's Elm tree to get decent views of Jupiter at the moment (3:30am on a weeknight is a bit of a stretch for me too). Have placed a couple termites at the base of the tree .. hope they do their stuff!
Last edited by Jeff; 14-05-2008 at 12:23 PM.
Reason: Chris's name spelt right
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14-05-2008, 11:39 AM
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Computer tragic
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Cheltenham, Victoria
Posts: 494
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff
To make matters worse, took me ages to get the Argo star aligned too ... was getting confused between Arcturus in the NE and Antares in the East. I think I need to get familiar with some new stars.
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That's about the only thing I still use Stellarium for  My brain just refuses to learn the constellations.
Quote:
I need to remove my neighbour's Elm tree to get decent views of Jupiter at the moment (3:30am on a weeknight is a bit of a stretch for me too). Have placed a couple termites at the base of the tree .. hope they do their stuff!
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I have 1 huge tree that is stopping me seeing much SW. I'd love to give it a massive haircut. And also a neighbour's tree blocking much of the NE
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14-05-2008, 11:39 AM
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I have detailed files....
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kellyville Ridge, NSW Australia
Posts: 3,306
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff
Have been using your article Cribs to help polar align my old (but newly acquired) EQ5 mount. Has helped the learning curve - Thanks. Was pretty impressed with the way the EQ5 tracked (with RA motor only) after the polar alignment.
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Hi Jeff,
Who is Cribs? Is that meant to be me?
If it is, glad I could help, if not, then ????
Cheers
Chris
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14-05-2008, 12:06 PM
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4000 post club member
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 4,900
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Quote:
Originally Posted by programmer
Did anyone else even bother?
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Had the heq5 mount sitting outside ready to go with the promise of a clear night. Transparancy and seeing looked to be rubbish but I did sneek a peek with my GNG vixen newt at Jupiter and spotted a shadow transit around 2am.
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14-05-2008, 12:16 PM
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Computer tragic
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Cheltenham, Victoria
Posts: 494
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starkler
Had the heq5 mount sitting outside ready to go with the promise of a clear night. Transparancy and seeing looked to be rubbish but I did sneek a peek with my GNG vixen newt at Jupiter and spotted a shadow transit around 2am.
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Glad somebody got something out of it!
Actually I lied.. I did a quick star collimation test, and while I had the 9mm double barlowed  I had a few minutes looking at Luna at 555X Surprisingly crisp, and didn't even need a filter it was dimmed so much
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14-05-2008, 12:17 PM
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No obs, raising Harrison
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 796
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Quote:
Originally Posted by programmer
Did anyone else even bother?
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Nah, I had some friends over. When they left I had a peek at the sky around 11:30 - looked very hazy. There was much better transparency on Monday. I was thinking of setting up for a look at Jupiter, but it was still a bit low.
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14-05-2008, 12:22 PM
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No obs, raising Harrison
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 796
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 你B
I am truly disgustedf with melbourne's climate of late.
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Situation normal then, SAB?
Quote:
This is without a shadow of a doubt the most disgraceful Autumn I've ever experienced.
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Actually, I think I agree. Until Monday, it seemed to have been overcast for about a month.
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14-05-2008, 12:30 PM
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Computer tragic
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Cheltenham, Victoria
Posts: 494
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goober
Situation normal then, SAB?
Actually, I think I agree. Until Monday, it seemed to have been overcast for about a month.
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The Saturday before last (I think it was) was brilliant; clear, dark and dry!! And I only stayed out til 1AM  Not knowing what the future had in store... We live and learn.
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14-05-2008, 12:40 PM
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Its only a column of dust
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: New Iceland
Posts: 761
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goober
Situation normal then, SAB? 
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if this was Maqcuarie Island, I guess you could say it was normal...
Today actually looks promising. It is sunny (can't say that every week) and looks like the haze haze dissappeared.
If I don't get called to work, I'll be out with the 12" for like the first time since March. Although, if the last 2 nights are anything to go by, I'll wager that both mirrors will fog up within the first 5 minutes and then to cap it off, the dew will seep thru the shroud and drip on the primary.
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14-05-2008, 12:43 PM
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Starry Eyed
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wonga Park
Posts: 692
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Quote:
Who is Cribs? Is that meant to be me?
If it is, glad I could help, if not, then ????
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Sorry Chris, don't know how I managed Cribs. 
Maybe I need to join the D.A.S. (Australian Dyslexia Society)?
Jeff
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14-05-2008, 01:04 PM
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I have detailed files....
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kellyville Ridge, NSW Australia
Posts: 3,306
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 I am a founding member Jeff,
Our motto is "Dyslexia Rules KO!"
Chris
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15-05-2008, 12:14 AM
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Computer tragic
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Cheltenham, Victoria
Posts: 494
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Well the gods must have listened to my whingeing because it's a much better night tonight. Much better transparency, and no dew! Bugger of a Moon though, so I only stuck at it for 2.5 hours or so. I hope new Moon weekend is like tonight!
PS: Love my new (2nd hand) Lumicon OIII filter! Believe it or not I hadn't ever observed Eta Carina neb before tonight (just barely clears a big tree in my yard) and the OIII really makes it jump out. Sure gives M42 a run for its money
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15-05-2008, 12:34 AM
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The Observologist
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Billimari, NSW Central West
Posts: 1,664
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Nowhat
Hi 你B
你B wrote:
"If I don't get called to work, I'll be out with the 12" for like the first time since March. Although, if the last 2 nights are anything to go by, I'll wager that both mirrors will fog up within the first 5 minutes and then to cap it off, the dew will seep thru the shroud and drip on the primary."
And in that short space of time, how many nowhatian boghogs will have bitten you on the thigh?
Oh well, just wondering
Best,
Les D
Contributing Editor
AS&T
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15-05-2008, 12:51 AM
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Starry Eyed
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wonga Park
Posts: 692
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Agreed, great night for observing in Melbourne - clear and mild. Seems like the gentle breeze has been preventing mist and fog from settling. Glad you got to gaze at the Eta Carina neb ... the rich star field really makes it something special. Looking forward to photographing it somewhere down the track when my skills and toys are up to the task of long exposure AP.
I'm stoked - managed to sight another 9 Messiers (due more to the Argo Navis than any skill on my part mind you). Moon was too bright for galaxies, but fine for open clusters and globulars.
To make matters better, the good wife even kept up the supplies of coffee, wine and cheese through the evening. Might be something to do with that roast I cooked for her and the in-laws on Mothers Day.
Weather forecast suggests it could be a bit cloudy again in Melb over the coming week, so I think I might keep going for a bit longer. Here's to sleep deprivation!
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