The WOW factor...

asimov (John) · #1 01-08-2005, 07:11 PM

Got the 12.5" newt out, & looking threw it as we speak..Subject: Jupiter/ 9mm ortho .965 EP hehehe! (using hartmann mask) Getting the WOW factor guys! (after collimation of secondary with my site-tube) GRS clearly visible. Plenty of white bands, as well as the standard dark bands..plenty of white 'swirls' I estimate 35 mins until GRS is out of view with planet rotation.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #2 01-08-2005, 07:20 PM

That does sound like a WOW! John.

I still have lousy seeing

asimov (John) · #3 01-08-2005, 07:21 PM

'Seeing' getting slightly worse as it gets darker, damn it! Dropped back to 15mm GS EP with fringe killer (plus hartmann) excellent, excellent!

asimov (John) · #4 01-08-2005, 07:24 PM

Going for Uranus & Neptune tonight once it get's darker. First time for the newt! David! get up here with tha web cam thingy wll ya!?

asimov (John) · #5 01-08-2005, 07:29 PM

There's a moon about to go behind jupiter, not sure the name of the moon, & not sure of the technical term....or 100% certain if it's going behind or in front...LOL! No shadow seen...THAT I am certain of.

asimov (John) · #6 01-08-2005, 07:41 PM

Now over at omega centauri....Left the fringe killer on, still the 15mm ep..The glob diameter is the taking up the whole of the FOV. This glob is just the BEST man! Don't you just love aperture!? I may take fringy off....but why bother!? WOW Gonna try for that planetary to the right of the sourthern cross...can't remember it's name!

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #7 01-08-2005, 07:48 PM

John,

It's called 'the little red planetary thingy to the right of the Southern Cross'.

asimov (John) · #8 01-08-2005, 08:16 PM

I got side-tracked! (happens to me every time) never even looked for the red planetary lol...Plenty of WOW objects around that area! Over to the trifid & lagoon nebula's now...out with the 15mm & in with the celestron 24mm No mask or fringy....Have I mentioned the WOW factor lately!?...no?...ok! WOWOWOW! The lagoon is too bright! had to bung fringy back in! I aint' joking. You cant take that object in in 5 mins...you have to LOOK.... more & more detail becoming evident as you look. The trifid is just great. Dust lanes look like bitumen roads!

asimov (John) · #9 01-08-2005, 08:45 PM

Tried to split antares...no dice, no matter what I tried, even though it's at zenith. seeing conditions deteriorating rapidly...damn jet stream. Wanted to try for mars later on....so i'll just leave her setup & see what happens.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #10 01-08-2005, 08:57 PM

John,

Keep reporting for those of us that can't view. I am actually enjoying your reports.

asimov (John) · #11 01-08-2005, 08:59 PM

M17 is a glorious sight. bright, the comet shape very evident. Plenty of globs & open clusters in that area. Too numerous to mention. I'm just taking my time cluster hopping lol.

asimov (John) · #12 01-08-2005, 09:06 PM

Will do Ken. The only thing with my reports, I'm not very good at scientific descriptions...Dont even know the names of most objects I'm looking at! But the thing is, I don't care! LOL It's just the WOW factor everytime I look at something? No doubt my neighbors think I'm nut's, yelling out wow every couple of minutes. Another thing I don't care about lol. When I'm out there observing, nothing matters except the object I'm looking at! A telescope is my ticket to the universe! I dont need a space ship.

asimov (John) · #13 01-08-2005, 09:13 PM

Speaking of the trifid nebula, the brightest one with the bitumen roads in it? lol.....I see 4 stars grouped together in the centre. Almost like a double group visible binaries.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #14 01-08-2005, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asimov

Will do Ken. The only thing with my reports, I'm not very good at scientific descriptions...Dont even know the names of most objects I'm looking at!

Just the way I like it. I take it you have never read one of my observing reports before. Nothing scientific and everything named by it's nickname (Sombrero, Orion Neb, etc) I just tell what I see.

asimov (John) · #15 01-08-2005, 09:43 PM

I just attempted a find of the M9 glob then sneak over to pluto next door! The god's are not with me tonight, & aren't gonna fall for that old trick. No dice. There's a stiff breeze springing up & it's telling me to pack it in...I'm saying NO DICE! hehehe! It's Uranus followed by neptune followed by mar's or bust!

asimov (John) · #16 01-08-2005, 09:47 PM

The newts only just come to thermal equlibrium 10 minutes ago, so I'm off to collimate the primary, not far out but just a tweak on 1 screw will do the trick.

asimov (John) · #17 01-08-2005, 10:07 PM

The only reason I want collimation spot on is for uranus/neptune/mars. If I was just gonna observe globs/open clusters/nebulae all night I wouldn't bother. The ONLY thing I'm wishing is...If I could only photograph what I'm seeing, & share it with you guys, I'd be a happy man!

Starkler (Geoff) · #18 01-08-2005, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

John,

It's called 'the little red planetary thingy to the right of the Southern Cross'.

Ummm don't you mean the.blue planetary Ken ?
ngc3918

asimov (John) · #19 01-08-2005, 10:16 PM

Booting time! I'll have to finish this report in the morning!

davidpretorius · #20 01-08-2005, 11:22 PM

Hi asimov,

Seeing down here was around say 6. Looks like fog or mist in the air down low.

Anyway, I have two big news items

1. Finally got the sunglasses on for Jupiter by tweaking with the exposure setting. 1/100 seem to be the trick, brightness high, gamma medium, gain high, saturation high. Here is the result.

http://www.precons.com/iis/gallery/M...05-jupiter.wmv

As you can see in the movie, the seeing was not good as it was around 9pm and it was getting low.

Registrax cleaned it up pretty well and I am proud to be able to present my first proper picture of a planet. I even got a kiss from the wife. I told her to stop being silly, get out of my way and let me show the boys!!!

http://www.precons.com/iis/gallery/I...05-jupiter.jpg

Thanks all that helped me get to this stage.

Guess who is going to have a sleep, get up and try for mars????

Wow no 2. My 80 degree, 30mm ultrawide from andrews arrived today with the cheshire. Still have not collimated (it does need it). I was blown away by the size (my first 2" eyepiece), but having let it cool down with the scope for around an hour, I would have to say, my little gamble with an unknown piece has paid off. Seeing was fantastic through this piece. I found M25 so easily. I tried to get a fly by on video by my settings after jupiter were not good for m25. Will keep trying. Was just enjoying the ultra wide so much. had everything lined up northish and went north from m25, just gazing and found another fuzzy m16. My favourite so far!!!

Up to the jewel box and the butterfly (m6 and m7).

Last go was a quick try with the ultrawide to grab a bit of the sky near uranus and zoom in, but very foggy for want of a better term.

Saw the new tasks for August. That Mike won't have to worry about people not having a go. There seems to be a real excitement that everyone is catching.

Asimov, the toucam seems to be around 6mm, so with barlow will be great for planets when clear viewing. No eq mount makes the exposure times of even .5 sec at 6mm difficult. I am very keen to try the toucam with eye piece projection so that i can capture what i am seeing at say 25mm to 40mm. I am very happy with registrax and believe the results of toucam at say 25mm or 30mm with the ultrawide would be very nice.

Very very very happy boy