KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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As I'm sure most members will be aware , there is to be a total eclipse of the moon on Saturday night for many northern hemisphere observers .
I'm wondering if anyone here will SPECIFICALLY be hoping for clear skies in order to observe the event through BINOCULARS ( and if so which ones ? ) or if you will reach for a telescope through which to watch the proceedings , or in fact , why not BOTH ?
Clear Skies , Kenny
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2554
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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The last time I saw a lunar eclipse was Nov 2004. My Leupold 12X50 roof was brand new that night. I used the Bogen 501 head as a platform to test edge sharpness while waiting for the Eclipse. I think I am going to take out my 54X100s this time if we have a clear night.
Erik D
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pcad
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/17/05
Posts: 1501
Loc: Connecticut
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Hi Kenny,
I'll be away from home on the third.
The AP 15x70 is too big/heavy.
I was thinking of taking my Obie 12x60 on a monopod.
I think, however, that my RA-50 binoscope using two SV50 RA finder scopes will be just right for this lunar eclipse. I find this small RA bino very easy to use without a mount. With 70° 17mm ep's this will give me a 11.75x 50mm RA bino with a fov of ~5.9°. The exit pupil wil be ~4.25mm. I dont recall what the eye relief is, but that's the beauty of using standard 1 1/4" ep's. If more eye relief or a different afov is wanted, just change the ep's.
I'll have my SV66 with the M1 Alt/Az mount on a light weight travel tripod. The ep's include a 5mm and a 9mm BO planetary eyepieces and whatever else I feel like dragging along.
So, ~12x with binos, ~40x and ~80x with the scope. The SV66 is an apo doublet and 80x is well within its grasp especially an a bright object like the moon.
I'm just hoping the weather cooperates in Philadelphia this weekend.
Cheers, Peter
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Peter
Telescopes 25 - 318 mm
Binoculars 15 - 88 mm
Microscope 50x - 1000x
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Denis
sage
Reged: 12/24/05
Posts: 225
Loc: Rennes, France
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Won't need to move but I'll be on the edge of the cloud 
I observed this night the moon/saturn conjonction.
Nice show both in binoculars 30x80 and with the 250 mm telescope.
Some more in the east of France, observed this as an occultation.
Next saturn/moon occultation will occur here in May, 22nd.
Denis
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Canon 10x42 IS binoculars.
Meade sc 4" on homemade fork equatorial mount.
homemade 10" an 14" dobsonian
Nikon photogear.
Edited by Denis (03/03/07 05:05 AM)
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12581
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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I'll be watching if skies are clear. Probably several binoculars.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Steve Napier
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/10/04
Posts: 1559
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I will be at a concert on Saturday night,what are the times,Kenny?
I could take my little 8x30s along.
Steve.
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JoeF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/18/05
Posts: 1112
Loc: 'Sunny Loftus' - N E England
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My scope will be tracking with a 25mm ep for a good widefield view and taking pics, but the new Opticrons will be getting a good workout too, especially for scanning around.
I should log bino time against scope time, the binos must be 10:1 ahead at the moment!
Joe
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Orion Optics 200mm f6 & Accufocus on GP/E Mount
Opticron BGA 10x50 Binos
NELM 5.2 rural skies
Under tripod canine footwarmer
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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For an estimation of times , this is an extract from the excellent post in the Lunar Forum about the Total Eclipse from fellow CNer Curt Renz .
The times are for LONDON .
http://www.curtrenz.com/astro2.html
Regards , Kenny
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2554
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Quote:
I should log bino time against scope time, the binos must be 10:1 ahead at the moment!
Joe
For me bino use vs. scope use is about 98:2. Binos purchsed since 2001: 12+, Scopes: 0. (I did spend ~$1,600 on a Giro DX Alt Az mount and tall tripod for my 6 inch AP refractor in 2003)
Erik D
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Mark9473
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/21/05
Posts: 2699
Loc: 51°N 4°E
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Bad weather tonight but it's supposed to clear tomorrow evening! 
I'll be on standby with ALL my binoculars!
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Mark
Leica 8x20; Vixen 8x42; Swift 8.5x44, 10x50 and 20x80; TS 7x50; Orion 15x63
WO Megrez II 80 FD + Baader 90° T2 Amici
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Steve Napier
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/10/04
Posts: 1559
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Thanks for that link,Kenny. The concert will be finished before totality.Its sure to be cloudy though.
Steve.
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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< Its sure to be cloudy though. >
NOT according to THIS Steve !
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/03032007/344/weather-perfect-total-eclipse.html
CLEAR SKIES !
Kenny
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Bruce MacDonald
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/12/06
Posts: 1019
Loc: Devizes, Wiltshire, UK
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Lunar eclipse? Excellent, it will dim the full Moon down so I can see some deep sky stuff if possible.
I'll be using my Short Tube as usual.
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Bruce MacDonald
Devizes, Wiltshire, UK
Per Mare Per Terras
Viz Top Tip: Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.
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refractory
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/05/05
Posts: 1016
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New Jersey seems intent on having bad weather when most of the interesting celestial events happen- tonite they expect showers, but I'm keeping fingers crossed. Will have my 20x80 Comet Kings out, and a scope with variable polarizing filter if conditions warrent.
Jess Tauber
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ngc6475
Fearless Spectator
Reged: 03/02/02
Posts: 4790
Loc: Northern Sierra Foothills
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The weather in my little neighborhood is better today than it's been in many weeks. The eclipse will be over by the time the moon rises over the West Coast, unfortunately...
For those of you who will be able to see it, post pictures and reports if you can!
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Walter
"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
-Mark Twain
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Astrowood
super member
Reged: 04/02/05
Posts: 161
Loc: New Brunswick, Canada
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Lunar Eclipse Report from New Brunswick, Canada............
Clouds 
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Roy
22 X 100 Antares
20 x 80 Meade
couple of Pmounts
8" F/5 Dob
4" SkyWatcher
Observing Chair
Wooden gadgets to numerous to mention
Observing Buddies "Max & Sam"
www.astrowood.com
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Sorry Walter , no photos , but I've just spent a most enjoyable couple of hours looking at this eclipse .
The whole thing started here about 80 minutes later than I'd understood it would have .
I COULD speak several thousand words right now in an attempt to FULLY convey the experience , but unfortunately my typing speed is approximately a thousand times slower than my speech mechanism .
It is now past midnight here , so I'm going to keep this brief .
I took the opportunity to compare the views through naked eye and through every binocular I had available , and through the only scope I currently had to hand , the Zeiss Diascope , through which I studied the ever changing visual impressions , at magnifications ranging from 20x to 60x , alongside the views through 15 x 70 , 10 x 50 , 10 x 42 , 7 x 42 and 7 x 50 binoculars .
The bottom line is the most IMPRESSIVE views of all , for me , were through Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50 binoculars !
Clear Skies , Kenny
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Mark9473
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/21/05
Posts: 2699
Loc: 51°N 4°E
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We had a GREAT view of the eclipse! The last of the sporadic clouds that drifted by earlier this evening - and at one time created a superb double corona around the then still fully illuminated Moon - completely dissipated by the start of totality.
As ever, the view of a totally eclipsed Moon hanging amid a scattering of stars, is one of the most scenic views the night sky has to offer. And being able to hop over to M44 or M65/M66 and enjoy it fully while so close to the Moon, is just a treat!
A very bright meteor with a double flare heralded the end of totality, and right now everything is slowly returning to normal.
Like Kenny I tested an array of optics, and found, not surprisingly, that the 7x50 gave the brightest most colourful view, fully bringing out the rich orange-brown tints. Second best was my 20x80s just because of scale of the Moon and depth of the background.
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Mark
Leica 8x20; Vixen 8x42; Swift 8.5x44, 10x50 and 20x80; TS 7x50; Orion 15x63
WO Megrez II 80 FD + Baader 90° T2 Amici
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F.Meiresonne
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 2957
Loc: Eeklo,Belgium
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Yes, binoculars are the best for that type of observing. My 20 x 80 did a great job today, better then my OO F/4.5 and pan 24. Even my wife who NEVER goes outside for stargazing eventually did that this evening and as a totally unexperieced observer she confirmed quick that 'is was alot better in those binoculars'. Sure love, how many times i've told you that there are different types of viewing....(perhaps now she will understand why i need al those different eyepieces and scopes...)
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Freddy Meiresonne
Obsession 18 inch #1638
Orion Optics 8 inch F/4.5 -1/8 wave optics -Vixen GP-E
20x80 Helios Stellar Binos
10x60 Helios Quantum 4(= Obie Mariner)
10x50 Helios Nature sport plus
8x40 Helios Nature sport plus
Eyepieces in use :Pan 35,24,19, N13T6, Pentax 10 XW, N9T6, Ultrascopic 7.5, TV2, baader ortho 12.5 and 9 mm
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Mark9473
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/21/05
Posts: 2699
Loc: 51°N 4°E
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For those that missed it, look at this pic posted on the lunar forum.
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Mark
Leica 8x20; Vixen 8x42; Swift 8.5x44, 10x50 and 20x80; TS 7x50; Orion 15x63
WO Megrez II 80 FD + Baader 90° T2 Amici
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