Sydney Week-end Clear Skies - Page 2

Rodstar (Rod) · #21 05-02-2012, 09:07 AM

The seeing on the Central Coast was rock solid last night. For the first time in a very long time, I mainly used by 9mm Nagler (280x), and even had the 7mm ortho in at one stage (360x). I was wishing I had something around the 5mm focal length, because I am sure 500x would have held up too.

Because of Luna, I did not bother to go deep, I focused on doubles, PNe, and Mars. MARS - wow! It did not clear our roof until midnight, but it was worth the wait. I had very clear views of the polar ice cap and dark markings across the face, lots and lots of details (but no artificial channels!!).

Doubles included Castor, Sigma Puppis, Gamma Velorum, j Velorum and Dunlop 97.

It was a feast of PNe's last night. I focused on the Eight-Burst (NGC 3132) - I was able to discern a broader area of darkness to one side of the PNe, Ghost of Jupiter (NGC 3242) - stunning with two concentric shells of different hues, and the Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392) - nice structure seen at high power.

Eta Carinae was stunning - I spent time teasing out the structure in the humunculous. With the 7mm ortho it was just breathtaking - Hubble-like.

I spent some time enjoying The Jewel Box. Normally I view this under low power, because this renders the most pleasing aesthetic view IMO. However, last night, I pumped up the power, and was amazed at how many more stars are lurking in the cluster when you look for them. It is literally crawling with fainter stars when you get the steady conditions enabling you to push up the power. I have a new appreciation for this object.

Yes, the clouds rolled in at about 11.30pm. I was not dismayed, especially as Mars seemed to skirt the clouds largely, and I was able to finish by enjoying some wonderful views of Luna without needing a filter. There is something haunting about Luna when wispy clouds stray past it.

Dew was very significant, but the Mary Rose is so well kitted with dew extinguishing equipment, it was not a problem at all.

All in all, a great night. It reminded that some good observing can be done even with a fullish moon, especially when one is feeling a little photon deprived.

multiweb (Marc) · #22 05-02-2012, 10:14 AM

Good to hear you got a good night out of it Rod. In western Sydney it was alright too. Bit of clouds rolling in from the north around 10:00pm but it cleared alright.

First time on a pier so I had fun doing some accurate polar alignement. A first for me. Doing a proper PA and having fun doing it. So next time I can just plonk the mount and get cracking.

The moon was blazing just under orion. I got 10x20min subs on the rosette and cone at 100mm but they are significantly affected by moon glow, especially the cone area being the closest to the moon and the faintest of the two.

So I decided around midnight to shift to the other side. The LMC was too low so I started on Eta. That's when guiding went terribly wrong. Tried a few things. I don't know if it was balance or what. Still don't know this morning. I ended up doing some PEC runs with PEMPro until dawn. 60 arcsec peak to peak. That bad that it showed on a shot taken at 11.7asp. I'm taking the losmandy one block worm apart this morning and hopefully will figure it out tonight if the weather holds one more night.
That actually got me stumped as to what it could be. Doesn't bind, it's not loose, no backlash, no idea as yet.

In all it was still good to get under the stars. Enjoyed it. Although the weather forecast was a bit iffy. It still says 100% clear today and we're under a layer of clouds/fog. I guess the ground is so soaked we're making our own weather now regardless of what the forecast says.

Rodstar (Rod) · #23 05-02-2012, 01:21 PM

Hey Marc, sounds like you had a lot of fun, notwithstanding some teething issues with your stunning new pier. Hope you can get things working right tonight.

multiweb (Marc) · #24 05-02-2012, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodstar

Hey Marc, sounds like you had a lot of fun, notwithstanding some teething issues with your stunning new pier. Hope you can get things working right tonight.

So do I. Looking at it again this arvo with a fresh set of eyes I might have got the scaling wrong. Need to do some read up on PEMpro and work it out tonight so I can load some correct PEC data into the mount. The one block worm seems to do its job perfectly because on 5 worm cycles the curve overlaps perfectly so I reckon it's just a matter of negating the effect. I recall Stuart saying a while ago that the curve needs to be inverted prior to loading the data back into the mount. I was tired and might have inadvertently added to the existing offset.

pvelez (Pete) · #25 05-02-2012, 10:12 PM

Clear here in Sydney tonight - although a bit blowie. I made a special trip to Bintel on the bike yesterday to pick up a Ha filter just in case it was clear. Having a go at the Tarantula tonight.

So good to be outside again!

Pete

Rodstar (Rod) · #26 06-02-2012, 09:46 PM

How did you go on Sunday night, Marc and Pete?

multiweb (Marc) · #27 07-02-2012, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodstar

How did you go on Sunday night, Marc and Pete?

Sunday very steady too. It went well considering technical glitches and loss of training. I can't remember half of the things I needed to do. It's been too long.

pvelez (Pete) · #28 07-02-2012, 08:36 AM

I'm in the same boat as Marc - its been so long, I had to sit carefully contemplating the screen trying to remember what to do next. I don't have that issue with processing at the moment with all this wet weather.

I managed an hour of Ha on the Taranatula to go with some LRGB data I collected between Christmas and New Year. It was a bit windy but super clear - for Sydney anyway.

Will post something this evening hopefully

Pete

Rodstar (Rod) · #29 07-02-2012, 08:08 PM

Sounds like you guys made the most of it....practice makes better.

Looks like the crap weather has returned. Hopefully we will have another chance around next new moon.

multiweb (Marc) · #30 11-02-2012, 04:30 PM

We've just copped bucket loads of water in a very short time around 14:00. Sky is clearing now and setting up for tonight hoping for a clear night. Trying the Vela supernova remnants with a 50mm lens in Ha. Fingers crossed. Week-end weather forecast looks alright.

Rodstar (Rod) · #31 11-02-2012, 05:01 PM

We had some hail at Point Clare (Central Coast), Marc. I might just wait for things to dry out a bit before rolling out the Mary Rose....

multiweb (Marc) · #32 11-02-2012, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodstar

We had some hail at Point Clare (Central Coast), Marc. I might just wait for things to dry out a bit before rolling out the Mary Rose....

Although there were severe warnings on the BOM we got lucky here - no hail. The sky is beautiful and blue out west. It's keeps clearing so it's looking real good for tonight.

mithrandir (Andrew) · #33 11-02-2012, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Although there were severe warnings on the BOM we got lucky here - no hail. The sky is beautiful and blue out west. It's keeps clearing so it's looking real good for tonight.

Marc, the yard here is so sodden that if I took the G11 out the tripod would vanish from sight before I could even get the rig balanced and aligned.

multiweb (Marc) · #34 11-02-2012, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mithrandir

Marc, the yard here is so sodden that if I took the G11 out the tripod would vanish from sight before I could even get the rig balanced and aligned.

I know what you mean. When I walk in the backyard I have to keep my feet flat and go real slow or I'll splash everything. The only solid ground is around the pier. The soil is water logged. I have an hedge at the front that's starting to die from overwatering I guess. Might get the hairdryer out.

pvelez (Pete) · #35 11-02-2012, 10:05 PM

I had a surprise taking the cover off my scope this arvo - some water had pooled at the bottom of the Telegizmos cover. I'm very glad the power point installed on my pier are heavy duty all weather points.

Pete

Rodstar (Rod) · #36 12-02-2012, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvelez

I had a surprise taking the cover off my scope this arvo - some water had pooled at the bottom of the Telegizmos cover. I'm very glad the power point installed on my pier are heavy duty all weather points.

Pete

Yikes!

I have posted elsewhere about last night, in brief it was very damp with dew, and seeing was only average, but I had a great night of photon collecting. Check out Upsilon Carinae tonight if it is still clear - a blue-green double. Very strange!

mithrandir (Andrew) · #37 12-02-2012, 05:10 PM

Since 15:00 we have had full sun, cloud, thunderstorm, hail, rain falling at 80mm/hr, the level part of the back yard under water, runoff from the neighbours up the hill washing through the garage, and now at 17:05 it's full sun again. I need to pump a couple of inches of water out of the pool, and that will flood the back yard again.

multiweb (Marc) · #38 12-02-2012, 06:12 PM

This morning was fine. Some real nasty storm around 14:00. Rain falling horizontally and heaps of it, Lightning, the works... Now sunny spells through blue sky holes in the clouds. Had a full nighter yesterday. Went to bed at 5:00am. One solid night of imaging. All went well. Very very dewy, dripping wet actually. The backyard is a giant grass and mud puddle now.

multiweb (Marc) · #39 15-02-2012, 03:21 PM

Some funky weather tonight. Might be worth getting a good dose of Ha. Very good seeing if the clouds out West stay that way all night which is what's forecast from multiple sources so far.

Of course the compulsory flippers to walk around the pier tonight.

Rodstar (Rod) · #40 15-02-2012, 07:16 PM

It is clear as a bell here at Point Clare. Scope out cooling.....