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smasraum
sage
Reged: 01/13/08
Posts: 492
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Tonight, it's hot, humid, the seeing is not good, and there is lots of haze/thin, high clouds. I wouldn't even have bothered, except that I got some new gear. I got a couple of new EP and a TV 2.5x powermate. I've got a Z8 coming in tomorrow, so those parts should work well on that scope. I have to say, the new parts looked pretty ridiculous on my short tube C102. Between the 2.5x powermate, and the hand grenade Hyperions sitting on top of that, it was hard to remember which end of the scope to look through, both ends were darn near the same size.
I stepped out to look through my new gear just after dusk, the sky was still getting dark. I could see Jupiter just over a tree and the moon was still behind the tree. I got to see Io slip behind the planet, apparently on the sunny side since it was well-lit until it went dark, right up to the very edge of the planet. I really wish that I had another hour to stay outside and watch Io pop back out of the other side and slip past Europa. It should be a neat site to see the moons dancing around the planet like they are participating in an ancient ritual, but I've got to get to bed. Besides, working with the new EP is addicting and frustrating on a short tube refractor on a photographic tripod. I never understood what you guys were talking about when you spoke of vibrations after touching your scope until now.
If you've got clear skies and the time to get out in the next 30-45 minutes, do it.
Oh yeah, looking through the hyperions is an amazing thing. I can't even imagine what it's like to view through 82* or an Ethos at 100*.
Clear Skies!!
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Steve
Houston (Friendswood), TX
 Space Center Houston
8" Zhumell Dob - Woo Hoo!!
Celestron C102 f/5 - Thanks Tim!
21mm, 13mm Hyperion
2.5x TV Powermate
Canon Rebel XT
Nikon 7x35
Bushnell 10x50
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kaaikop
sage
Reged: 07/13/08
Posts: 468
Loc: Ste-Therese, Canada
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Hey Steve!
I did the exact same thing, wanted to try out new eyepieces, and watched Io go behind Jupiter, that was too cool!
I have the opposite situation, my new EP's are for a small scope to arrive,
but I sure had fun trying the LVW 5mm on the Moon (470x on my 9.25). 
I got very tired all of a sudden, and had to pack up,
but as you said, even just an hour was worth all the trouble.
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Benoit, RASC Montreal
-C 9.25XLT on EQ6 Pro / ED80SF on Portamount
-Plossls, Radians, Naglers, LVW's & Orthos.
-a pair of 7x50's
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Treehopper
sage
Reged: 07/29/08
Posts: 215
Loc: Upstate NY
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We had similar viewing conditions around the Syracuse area last night, so I took the scope out to view Jupiter again. With the moon at well over 90% full, that region of the sky was awash in a bright white haze, made even more pronounced by the high, wispy clouds that loitered the skies. Still, Jupiter was in very good position for viewing, so I pressed my luck. Even with the wash from Luna, the planet showed great detail; so much so, that I popped in my 9mm Plossl (~211x) and was pleasantly surprised. The backwash of moonlight and moist, turbulent air started to destabilize the image a bit at that magnification, but it was clear enough to still make out both equatorial bands, both polar regions, and I caught it just in time to make out Io slipping behind the disc at around 21:00 ET.
For a "bad seeing" night, all in all, it wasn't that bad at all. 
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Tim
Third oak on the right, and straight on 'til morning.
Meade ETX-125PE (NGC7000 Edition)
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
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Mike B
Starstruck
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 4464
Loc: shake, rattle, & roll, CA
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From here on the "left-coast" last nite, Jupiter was a cool show- i watched until at about 9:53pm PDT when Io just began emerging from out-of-nowhere, from out of Jupe's shadow, just off its limb! It grew in brightness over the space of a couple of minutes, until it rival'd nearby Europa.
This event was viewed THRU passing splotchy clouds, which acted a bit like a neutral filter, diminishing the satellites' glare somewhat, and accentuating the fact that they were, in fact, DISCS- not pinpoints like stars. However, with the passing clouds came turbulence, so i had to back off on the mags a bit (~210x)
I've seen this satellite re-emergance event a few times, and its a kick to watch happen! Yet i'm wondering if, when steady seeing permits 4-500x mags, one can actually see the "half-moon" appearance of these satellites while they emerge out of Jupe's shadow?... their disc-ness being vertically truncated by shadow? I looked intently for it last nite, but don't believe i could see it at the mags i was able to use...
 mike b
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Just for giggles- Next time when the money comes out the ATM, scream "I Won!, I Won!"
* * 15" F4.55 Starsplitter Dob * *
 Pacheco State Park
 Fremont Peak
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kaaikop
sage
Reged: 07/13/08
Posts: 468
Loc: Ste-Therese, Canada
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Isn`t that the COOLEST hobby in the world???
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Benoit, RASC Montreal
-C 9.25XLT on EQ6 Pro / ED80SF on Portamount
-Plossls, Radians, Naglers, LVW's & Orthos.
-a pair of 7x50's
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Mike B
Starstruck
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 4464
Loc: shake, rattle, & roll, CA
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It works fer me!
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Just for giggles- Next time when the money comes out the ATM, scream "I Won!, I Won!"
* * 15" F4.55 Starsplitter Dob * *
Pacheco State Park
Fremont Peak
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