E_Look
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/06/08
Posts: 1206
Loc: near New York
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I generally don't get lots of viewing time. I try to haul the scope out whenever it looks like there's going to be even only an hour window I can look through. I'm sure we all have had too many times we get suckered, haul out our gear just to have the clouds roll in right as we put our eyes to the eyepiece.
But yesterday, despite a cold, I thought I'd take advantage of what looked like a clear night here on Long Island, but I got out too late, as Jupiter was hanging right over the roofline. I got to view a squiggly Jupiter (though the sight of the moons- two spread on the eastern side and two bunched by the limb on the western- was nice) for about five to ten minutes before it set. And then it turned out that the transparency was totally awful... maybe I should have called it last night's opacity... so bad that I couldn't use any familiar star patterns (not that I really know how to starhop) to locate Neptune. I found it by accident just by scanning the approximate region I'd expect it to be in. But then, after maybe fifteen minutes to a half hour, it began to fade, even if it remained still visible. It was faded even at lower magnifications. I couldn't find Uranus at all.
Some nights may not be worth bringing the scope out for! It wasn't good for the cold and got the cold comments from my wife about it and I almost saw nothing.
Bah.
I guess I'll have to wait for better nights.
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Ed
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 16159
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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Sunday night's sky began fairly transparent here and became less so as the night progressed.
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Ted
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deSitter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 2925
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I had my 10 inch all set up for doing video of the Pleiades occultation but the seeing was utterly dismal - 3" or worse - I could not even get the limb of the Moon in focus! Horrible! I did something I rarely do, I just gave up on the spot. I hauled the scope in and left the mount and wires and all that mess outside. Let it collect dew, I don't care right now!
The CSC warned me, but I took a chance.
-drl
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starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 574
Loc: Northern Arizona
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Ya gots ta pick yerself up by golly an go out an get yer stuff back in the house !!!  
Gald darnit now ! 
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LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
Edited by starrancher (11/04/09 12:05 AM)
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earthbot1
super member
Reged: 08/27/09
Posts: 170
Loc: Central Virginia
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I had the same problem with Jupiter and then I realized the heat from my house was making the viewing so bad.
After my alignment I went through a few objects and ended up on the Double Cluster. It showed up great even with the moon out! Since I am limited to this, I tried to make the best of this gem. Notice the different colored stars...some gold, red. Imagine how far away they are...what's going on there, how long ago?
I was glad for my short viewing time...it wasn't great, but made the best of it. Now I need to look up the bio of the DBL Cluster so I will know more next time.
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Nexstar 8
Meade/Celestron EPs
Bushnell 90mm Mak-Cass
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deSitter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 2925
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Well my mount has been out all day and night! That'll teach it to mess up the atmosphere! I've got the SN10 on it right now.
-drl
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starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 574
Loc: Northern Arizona
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Danny ! ...It's not the mounts fault ! 
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LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
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deSitter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 2925
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Well, it worked! Just to be sure he's still out there. I check on him occasionally. Bring him a dish of photons and some current to chew on.
-drl
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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1925
Loc: Cayce, SC
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The last time I left my scope out all night, my wife started to go hide it early the next morning and come wake me up and tell me she saw somebody go running across the yard with it. She said it was to teach me a lesson, but I think she just wanted to see me go running outside in my skivvies. Well, she didn't hide it, but she did tell me someone went running off with it. She said, "You shoulda seen yourself jump up outa bed yelling!" Then she gave this maniacal laugh.
I haven't left it out since.
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--Dawg, the Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Orion 120ST ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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hfjacinto
Almost got me
Reged: 01/12/09
Posts: 2068
Loc: Union,NJ
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On nights that I have 0% chance of rain and something good is up, I will leave the scope out all night and wake up early to check out the sky. I did it for Jupiter, Mars, M42 and some other objects. It is really cool to see M42 in August at 5AM considering it is a winter object.
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C9.25 ASGT 9*50 MM Finder,FT Focuser & 2" Diagonal
Meade LXD 75 6 Inch SNT w 9*50 MM Finder
5,6,9,14.5 MM Zhummel Planetary EPs
13,17,21,24,31,36 MM Baader Hyperion
6.7,8.8 MM Meade UWA & 11 MM Nagler T6
Planetary, OIII and Narrowband Filters
Thousand Oaks Dew Control w Kendrick Heaters
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deSitter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 2925
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Quote:
The last time I left my scope out all night, my wife started to go hide it early the next morning and come wake me up and tell me she saw somebody go running across the yard with it. She said it was to teach me a lesson, but I think she just wanted to see me go running outside in my skivvies. Well, she didn't hide it, but she did tell me someone went running off with it. She said, "You shoulda seen yourself jump up outa bed yelling!" Then she gave this maniacal laugh.
 my kind of girl!
-drl
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 16159
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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Last night started out clear. Some friends were coming over to observe for the first time. I set up an hour early and observed M15 for about five minutes. Then a delivery van lit up the yard for a few minutes. I took the delivery inside and found out that my friend was on the telephone. He could not locate the others that were supposed to come and since the moon would be up in another hour he was not coming either. I went out and moved my telescope to NGC 891 for a few minutes until it began to fade. The clouds had returned and I packed it up for the night.
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Ted
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Rick Woods
Postmaster
Reged: 01/27/05
Posts: 5648
Loc: Inner Solar System
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Quote:
The last time I left my scope out all night, my wife started to go hide it early the next morning and come wake me up and tell me she saw somebody go running across the yard with it. She said it was to teach me a lesson, but I think she just wanted to see me go running outside in my skivvies. Well, she didn't hide it, but she did tell me someone went running off with it. She said, "You shoulda seen yourself jump up outa bed yelling!" Then she gave this maniacal laugh.
I haven't left it out since.
I'd say that makes it Your Turn!
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- Rick
14" LX200GPS
83% of all statistics are meaningless.
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Matthew Ota
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 1085
Loc: New England
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I would be careful about that...do not provoke the wife:
Do not complain about runny tamago
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Matthew Ota
Meade LX250GPS 10 inch SCT (Frankenscope)
Orion ED 80
ETX-90 OTA
Coronado Helios 1 H-alpha
TheSky 6 Pro
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