Lastnights viewing 19th/20th August.

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Hi all,

Yesterday was an awesome day for Astronomy. The day started at about 11:30am where I went up to Stockport Observatories, about 45 minutes from me. When I got there not much was happening, during the day there was meant to be a Working bee and a telescope clinic with members viewing night afterwards along with BBQ.

By about 2pm things started to roll, with some people bringing a range of telescopes which had problems to varying degrees as well as mirror cleaning to the usual collimation tips and hints. I was mainly there to get my 8” F7 Newtonian mirror checked out for possible signs of deformation. We set up the apparatus in the main dome where the atmosphere was the most stable. The fellow doing the test was very careful to do it correctly although his equipment was over 30 years old. We stuck with a Ronchi test, as this was the one to show a majority of the problems if I had any. Once the apparatus was set up it was very apparent that my poor old 8” f7 mirror suffers from a turned down edge and also has a minor hill in the middle, which wouldn’t be noticed behind the secondary. So I have a small lemon, which confirmed what I had thought all along. I was given advise on how I can correct this from the simple fix of masking off the mirror so it becomes a 7.5” F7 or go the extreme and refigure the mirror completely. I think I might try the masking first. After this everyone was given a chance of having a look at a mirror being tested.

I set up my other scope and had the guys look over it, not much needed to be done to it, just a minor tweak to the secondary to line it up correctly. I also need to change the focuser as the one I have on there now moves the image too much.

After that we went up into the main dome for a look at the 20” scope and to set it up ready for a nights observing. I went back down to ground level and hung around till night fall where we had a BBQ and small chat then prepared for a nights viewing all the time watching the cloud burn off.

There were a small range of telescopes from my 8” f6, a 8” f7, a small 150mm x 750mm Refractor, and also a 14” LX200GPS. As the night got darker we observed a range of objects from the usual “glossies” and then stepped up to harder objects which we only viewed through the 14” needless to say about 85% to 90% of my observing was done on the Meade 14”. For a Meade it’s a bloody nice telescope. We observed M9, M10, NGC 253, and other objects way to many to list here off my head, I will update with a list later. All up from nightfall to about 3am we observed through the 14”, which was great, I even tested some objects through the 8”, which was giving superb views for its limited aperture. It was pulling most objects up through my 15mm TV plossl. I even had a play on the meade myself while the owner was checking out objects to view.

All up it was a great night of observing, we have a Star Party next weekend and I plan to take the 8” along, it should be a good night.

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

OKay here is a small list of the objects viewed, these arn't all of them as I didnt have my laptop handy to record them all.





Object Type
------ ----
71P Clark Comet
Lg Magellanic Cl Galaxy
M 2 Globular cluster
M 4 Globular cluster
M 7 Open cluster
M 9 Globular cluster
M 10 Globular cluster
M 11 Open cluster
M 12 Globular cluster
M 15 Globular cluster
M 16 Open cluster
M 17 Bright nebula
M 20 Bright nebula
M 27 Planetary nebula
M 30 Globular cluster
M 80 Globular cluster
M 107 Globular cluster
Neptune Planet
NGC 104 Globular cluster
NGC 253 Galaxy
NGC 292 Galaxy
NGC 6144 Globular cluster
NGC 6356 Globular cluster
NGC 6441 Globular cluster
NGC 6572 Planetary nebula
NGC 7009 Planetary nebula
NGC 7293 Planetary nebula
Uranus Planet


Okay that didnt turn out too well LOL...

there were quite a few fainter galaxies in there but to remembr them all would rquire a supercomputer brain, not like the old 286 I have.

[h0ughy (David)]

nice report, and gee you covered a few targets there didnt you!

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Thats only a small selection of them Houghy, need to work out the rest, I know there is a group of three galaxies in the one field of view, that are in the SE somewhere, thats up around 10pm anyone know? They were approx 15 degrees up I think (could be wrong)

[beren]

Congrats sounded like a great day/night

For a Meade it’s a bloody nice telescope

Not wanting to be pedantic but just curious to know what you mean here . Have you felt the Meade scopes you"ve observed through in the past exhibited below par performance optically/mechanically to other brands in comparable configurations/situations....

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Uh-oh here we go

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Sounds like you had a good night Andrew.

three galaxies in the one field of view

I certainly wouldn't know for sure, but it could have been part of the Grus Quartet. The direction sound kinda right, though at that thime they would have been a fair bit higher.

Lots of little galaxy clusters in that area, but most are pretty dim

[acropolite (Phil)]

Andrew, sounds like a good night, hope that was your old OTA and not the new one you are talking about...

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Originally Posted by beren

Congrats sounded like a great day/night
Not wanting to be pedantic but just curious to know what you mean here . Have you felt the Meade scopes you"ve observed through in the past exhibited below par performance optically/mechanically to other brands in comparable configurations/situations....

Actually the SCTs that have crayfords I really like, its the mechanical way they have done the focusing of the primary that has put me off them also the amount of noise the mount makes slewing, only little things, but optically, I don't think I have seen one bad one yet. It's a personal view and something that should not be taken too seriously. I shouldnt complain about the image shift, I am getting major image shift with my rack and pinion on the 8" (Soon to be rectified)

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

The OLD mirror was the one tested, I doubt I need to test the new one the images were awesome!

[beren]

[QUOTEActually the SCTs that have crayfords I really like, its the mechanical way they have done the focusing of the primary that has put me off them also the amount of noise the mount makes slewing, only little things, but optically, I don't think I have seen one bad one yet. It's a personal view and something that should not be taken too seriously. I shouldnt complain about the image shift, I am getting major image shift with my rack and pinion on the 8" (Soon to be rectified) ][/QUOTE]

Thanks

Uh-oh here we go

Just wanted more clarification