Telescope Reviews: Stargazer Steve Scope: Night #2

I took my telescope out again tonight along with my new small, folding table, pocket sky atlas, Night Watch and a whole list of globulars to hunt.

I decide to focus in on a red lamp shining from a nearby tower to better align the Rigel. I was pleasantly surprised to make out details of the lamp. Telescopes are cool.

Before hunting DSO's, though, I couldn't resist taking a quick look at Jupiter. The seeing must have been better tonight, because my 8mm Hyperion gave a nice, sharp view not at all like last night. I popped it in, and noticed... wait a minute. The upper, dark cloud band didn't look like that last night. Is that the...

?

!

!!!

HOLY...
I THINK THAT'S THE GREAT RED SPOT!!

After a sharing the eyepiece with my wife a couple of times, I was convinced I was looking at the GRS. What an incredible surprise. I wasn't sure what a 6" scope would show me. I didn't know if I'd ever see the GRS. It wasn't even that difficult to see. The dark cloud band had a noticeable chunk missing. A closer study showed a kind of bubble within the dark band with a very thin dark line extending into the lighter cloud band. THE ACTUAL GREAT RED SPOT!!

My wife went inside and I set out to find M13. This didn't work out so well. I can't make out Hercules. I searched for a little while, but no joy. My search was further complicated, since Hercules was directly overhead (I think). A dob really doesn't maneuver well when pointed straight up. Neither does my head. I'm going to spend some time time studying constellations and learning how to orient myself to the night skies

So... BACK TO THE GREAT RED SPOT!!! No loss really.

By now the GRS has moved to near the edge of the Jupiter, and I couldn't see it as well. I decided to try the fine tuning rings for the first time and see what kind of magnification I could get tonight. I tried the 28mm ring first. That turns my eyepiece to 5mm and I'm looking at 240X. I still get a good enough image, but it's not quite as sharp. I can make out more dark cloud bands nearer each pole. I add the 14mm ring to make a 4.3mm eyepiece and 279X. Again the image is softer but I can make out about the same detail. Jupiter is sprinting through the FOV at this point. I take out the 28mm ring and get 200X - a very nice view.

I take another token look for Hercules, and then notice a sparkling star low in the west. I grab the 21mm and get a lovely image of a busily twinkling star. I think I saw gold and green and maybe a little orange or red. I still don't know which star it was.

Some impressions after two nights out:

The Rigel is great. I can find objects more quickly through my telescope at 279X than I can through my binoculars at 20X. Finder scopes can't be any easier. At $40 - $50, I don't see why every telescope doesn't deliver with a Rigel or Telrad instead of finder scope.

The motion on my scope is very nice. It's relatively easy to make even the smallest adjustments necessary at 279X. I just need to grow accustomed to the upside down/backward motion.

The Hyperions seem to be a nice fit with my F/8 scope. I was looking at Jupiter at the FOV edge and still could see a sharp image. I like the large lens aperture. The eye relief is comfortable for my wife and I.

It looks like clouds are in my forecast the next few nights. I've got to go back to work Tuesday anyway, so I may not get out for a few nights. I'll soon post a report on buying and building a Stargazer Steve telescope.

Thanks, everyone, for reading and commenting.

--------------------
Victor

Stargazer Steve 6" F/8 Dob
8mm, 13mm, 21mm Hyperions

Nikon 10x50 Bincular
Zhumell 20X80 Binocular
Jason 50X50 Refractor
(purchased by my grandmother's boyfriend for "2 bits" at a garage sale 30 years ago)