Anyone doing any observing?

[iceman (Mike)]

Haven't seen any observing reports for aaages..

Let's get a few more happening!

Don't be shy, they don't have to follow any rules or formula.. you don't have to know all the technical names of what you're looking at or how to describe it.

If you'd like to use a bit of a structure, try and record things such as:

1) The conditions
2) The telescope and eyepieces used
3) The objects viewed
4) A brief description of what the objects looked like. Try high and low power eyepieces. How does the view change? Do you see more or less detail? If it's a nebula, try a broadband filter (if you own one). How does the view change?
5) (optional) throw in a sketch of what they looked like through the eyepiece

Hope to see a few more observing reports! Get out there and start viewing..

You'll be amazed at how much more notice you take of what's happening in the eyepiece if you're actually taking notes or drawing pictures. Try it for yourself.

[cjmarsh81]

All I have been observing recently is cloud.

[ving (David)]

i havent done any observing for ages mike... when i do i'll do a report tho

[vespine]

Now that the moon has eased off a little I'm just waiting for the clouds to do the same. Last night looked promising before dinner, but alas the clouds rolled in before I got home.. I have a friend that's really interested in having a look through my scope so I'll have a report as soon as I've had a chance to do that..

The only observing I have managed very recently: I'm on an early shift at work this week, which means I get up at 5:20 and on a couple of the mornings that have not been cloudy, how impressive is Venus?! Wow, I'm really going to have to get up an hour early one day just so I can point the scope at it... But it's SO hard getting up that early as it is.

so my viewing report:

1) Cold, tired and grumpy.
2) Just eyes, nothing but eyes!
3) The object I saw was the planet Venus. Didn't have any filters to try.
4) Very bright and high in the sky, very impressive!
5) I was going to upload a picture of a white dot in a black circle, but thought that was such a bad gag that it wasn't worth even wasting 20kb of your server resources for it, just use your imagination

[Muddy Diver]

Attempted viewing while camping at Turon Gates (capertee) between Lithgow and Mudgee over easter weekend. Very dark skies (the first for me) satellites clearly observable till very low altitude, well, more than I am used to in Light polluted Menai!

Pushed the little Mak up to 440X (6mm plossel with 2X Barlow) while training on Saturn and was rewarded with the best I've ever seen at that power. Didnt quite capture the detail I so long to see but the shape of the planet and rings were clearly defined, sharp and not moving in and out of focus like I'm used to seeing. So I presume the seeing to have been in the above 8 area.



The conditions were very still and despite the time of viewing of only 22.00 meaning maximum air temperature drop the image was clear. The days were around 27C but we awoke on two mornngs to -4C yes that is a minus not a typo. See photo's attached. Honestly, how do you cope with 35C fluctuations and the dew that is caused?

I would have loved to check out Jupiter and Saturn again later, but right at the moment of swinging to it something happened to my hand controller, I lost all text and any controls to move the scope at all. Scope was then unceremoniously repacked for the rest of the weekend. Am currently searching for a quick home fix rather than risk losing my hand controller forever to Celestron.

[ving (David)]

nothing quite like the simplicity of a dob

you are probably going to have to send it off ya know... unless its just a loose wire that you can reattach yourself.

[astroron (Ron)]

Will try some observing tonight if the weather stays fine, I hope to get a few hours in with the 16"

[Photon]

Not much viewing in North Tasmania at the moment. Wind, cloud and rain has set in for rest of the week!! (No doubt our star imager Davo will pop out and get some immaculate footage of Jupiter though ....)

[davidpretorius]

ian, please look outside, there is so much water rushing past, i am surprised your horse is not doing breast stroke!!!

no imaging until at least the weekend i am sorry to say!

We have ice to blame, extension piece and pentax, what more can we expect,.....................floods? ??

[Photon]

Yes ... the horse is swimming and if it doesn't let up we might be too. 26mm so far today. I'm always amazed that when I give up a nights viewing due to poor conditions, you pop out early in the morning and capture great shots!! Do you have a clairvoyant?

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Last time I did any real observing was last new moon, at a dark location, well out of town. Had a great time but I did not feel much like writing reports afterwards.

I'm making this coming weekend a long one (taking Monday off between Anzac day and the w/e) and will be away at a fairly dark location for three nights. Taking the new 12" Dob along.

[Dave47tuc (David)]

Nope nothing but cloud since I brought my new Ep's

Hopefully this weekend as I to is having extra long weekend.
Mite try the new Pentax's in the 18" after been in my scope

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Are you kidding??? There hasn't been a star in the sky for more than a month. Personally, I blame Tom (Vermin) for finishing his new dob. Any other Hobartians bought any astro kit lately? Won't be a break in the weather for weeks.

Oh, nice. Now I can hear the rain starting up on the roof.

Good night, everybody,

Brian.

[RB (Andrew)]

Well since the kids are on holidays I decided to take them camping.
Took them out to Mount Scopus observatory grounds.
Great views to the North, West and East but some glow in the South (Sydney lights ).

Nice clear night but the seeing wasn't too crash hot and the wind had picked up.

I set up the LX200 12" as you can see in the pics.

Moon didn't allow any deep sky imaging but the views of Jupiter and the moon were OK but not fantastic due to the seeing.
I did try and get some joop and moon shots but not happy with them so far.

The kids had a ball and they loved the views through the 12".
The reaction I get from them when they view the moon is always well worth the effort to set up the big scope.
We used the 16mm Nagler for observing but the funny thing was that I spent most of the night observing the laptop screen via the toucam.
We observed the Great Red Spot and later I got the boys up to see Io transit the planet. Amazingly Io looked reddish on screen before it crossed over, but as I said the seeing wasn't great.
Got really cold through the night but nowhere near as cold as Ilford.

Also got to use my "Stellar Seat" which came in really handy for the kids too.
Thanks Scott (wavelandscott). See attached photo.

Will have to go back there soon, great place to build an observatory I reckon.

[Vermin (Tom)]

Originally Posted by Miaplacidus

Are you kidding??? There hasn't been a star in the sky for more than a month. Personally, I blame Tom (Vermin) for finishing his new dob...

Sorry... If it's any consolation it's annoying me too.

[Muddy Diver]

Hey Andrew, I like the shots of the tents under the stars. Nice Orion

You may be right Ving. Opened up the handset and found nothing loose. Interesting though, I have been reading on other web sites that the hand controller should be kept warm and one article even suggests installing two resistors as heaters. Hmmm, I wonder if the sub zero temps had anything to do with it

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

Thats a great report Ron
I look forward to getting a look through that 16" beast of yours some day
It Inspires me to get our 16" Dob ASAP for the club, I just hope GS have them arriving in Oz soon

[rickericn]

This is a terrible thing to say... but...
It's sure nice to know that many of you guys have the same lousy weather we have in the States...
Sorta makes me feel better somehow.

-Rick

[ving (David)]

hey, welcome aboard rick

[rickericn]

Hi David -
And thanks! Great community you have here.

-Rick