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Sarkikos
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/18/07
Posts: 1055
Loc: Suburban Maryland
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Personally, I have no trouble seeing the GRS when it is transiting, and I can see detail around it. But it's a fact that it is not as bright and red and obvious as it was years ago. Anyone who saw it back in the '70's knows what I am talking about. I'm not sure when it became pink or dull salmon-colored instead of red, because I had a long hiatus away from observing. I think that part of the problem that newbies have with sighting the GRS is that it is not so glaringly obvious as it was years ago. I have noticed this a number of times when I have been observing Jupiter with my 10" Newt and other, less experienced amateurs are looking at the planet in comparable scopes. The GRS ain't what it used to be. It's not the same GRS that I used to see. That's a stone cold hard fact.
Mike
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Celestron 10" f5 Newt on 1stBase (DSO)
Zhumell 8" f6 Newt, Bosma 6" f12 MCT (NSO)
6" f5 Newt, 130ST, 4.5" f4.4 Ball w/GLP, ST80 w/Crayford (RFTs)
C4-R (NSO/DS)
90mm f13 MCT (Luna/DS)
SkyMaster 25x100, 15x70
Zhumell 20x80
Barska XWA 10x50, 8x40
OptiView LPR 10x50
Const View 2.3x40
BV-125C
CG5, 2 drv / CG4, 2 drv, wood legs, ScopeStuff saddle / CG3, 1 drv
SV AZ / 501HDV on Bogen 055XB / P+ on Oberwerk
QuikFinder, Telrad
Orion Dynamo Pro 12, Dew-Not
Have GLP and not afraid to use it!
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Sarkikos
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/18/07
Posts: 1055
Loc: Suburban Maryland
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Dean,
Quote:
I've been using an apodizing mask on my 10" newt with good results. The mask is easy to make,and is inexpensive as well. I have found that it improves contrast on Jupiter, Mars and Venus. Here's a photo of mine.
Steady Skies, Dean
Have you tried using filters versus an apodizing mask on the same night on the same 10" Newt? I'm skeptical of the use of any kind of mask or aperture stop. In my experience, a stop will seem to improve contrast, but actually cuts down on detail that could be seen through filters with no stop. I haven't tried an apodizing mask, though, but still, I'd like to see a comparision between it's use and the appropriate filter.
Mike
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Celestron 10" f5 Newt on 1stBase (DSO)
Zhumell 8" f6 Newt, Bosma 6" f12 MCT (NSO)
6" f5 Newt, 130ST, 4.5" f4.4 Ball w/GLP, ST80 w/Crayford (RFTs)
C4-R (NSO/DS)
90mm f13 MCT (Luna/DS)
SkyMaster 25x100, 15x70
Zhumell 20x80
Barska XWA 10x50, 8x40
OptiView LPR 10x50
Const View 2.3x40
BV-125C
CG5, 2 drv / CG4, 2 drv, wood legs, ScopeStuff saddle / CG3, 1 drv
SV AZ / 501HDV on Bogen 055XB / P+ on Oberwerk
QuikFinder, Telrad
Orion Dynamo Pro 12, Dew-Not
Have GLP and not afraid to use it!
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Dean Norris
sage
Reged: 11/05/08
Posts: 430
Loc: Santa Cruz, Ca
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Mike, I've compared the apodizing mask to a yellow filter that works well on Jupiter. I prefer the mask since it doesn't change the color and I think it does a better job with the contrast. The mask decreases the aperture by one inch. It was cheap and easy to build. I felt I had nothing to lose trying it and was pleasantly surprised.
Steady Skies,Dean
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1971 10" Cave Newtonian F/6
MoonLite CR Focuser Telrad Finder 8x50 finder
TV 40mm, 32, 20, 7.4, Meade 6mm, UO 5mm, Meade 2x Barlow
7x50 Binoculars
Edited by Dean Norris (11/08/09 03:33 PM)
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starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 606
Loc: Northern Arizona
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Seeing , seeing , seeing . It's all about the seeing conditions . There are great nights with Jupiter & then there are down right lousy nights with it .
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LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
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SteveE
sage
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 281
Loc: La Louisiane
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Quote:
Seeing , seeing , seeing . It's all about the seeing conditions . There are great nights with Jupiter & then there are down right lousy nights with it .
My best view of Jupiter was late one spring of my first year of observing. I was using my current XT10. I had set my alarm clock for 4am and had left the scope outside after a good night of observing. I was really excited to finally have the chance to see what I had been reading about. My expectations were reasonable, I believe, because I did have a couple of months of observing behind me and I knew I wouldn't be looking through the eyes of Cassini. The alarm sounded and I hurried outside and put in a 6mm TMB Planetary (200X) and held my breath. The view was spectacular! Hints of blue, festoons, the GRS, transiting moon, just about the works!
I've never had it so good since then. 
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SteveE
Obsession 18 f/4.5; CPC 1100/Hyperstar/Mallincam; some backyard stuff and binoculars
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SteveE
sage
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 281
Loc: La Louisiane
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I really appreciate all your replies. I'm looking forward to playing with filters. Just waiting on the skies...
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SteveE
Obsession 18 f/4.5; CPC 1100/Hyperstar/Mallincam; some backyard stuff and binoculars
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RLTYS
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/18/04
Posts: 2156
Loc: New York (Long Island)
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To All
I was out observing Jupiter last evening (11/7) with excellent seeing conditions (8/10). I've found the Mars "A" filter to be very effective on Jupiter with my 10" refl.
Rich (RLTYS)
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10" F4.8 Refl.
4" F5 Refr. (Genesis)
3" F4 Celestron FirstScope
50mm F12 Refr. (Tasco #6TE-5)
12x63 and 10x50 Binoculars.
"I want to do more then just look."
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jmcdonald
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/01/05
Posts: 1516
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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No one has mentioned collimation. At f4.7 you won't see contrasty details without excellent collimation.
Does your laser have a barlow attachment? I'd suggest that plus and auto-collimator. The XT10 should deliver razor-sharp views given seeing and collimation.
In my experience, it makes a huge difference.
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Jerel
Discovery 12.5" modified truss DOB
Garret 15x70 LW Binoculars
22-T4,13-T6
IDA Membership
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SteveE
sage
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 281
Loc: La Louisiane
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Quote:
No one has mentioned collimation.
I'm going to recheck the position of my secondary holder and redo the collimation from scratch. I've been using the Catseye XL Cheshire and autocollimator. Honestly I can't say that my views were ever tack sharp but I've always blamed that on my vision. I recently had someone else take a look at Jupiter and he thought the view should have been sharper. We didn't have a similar scope to compare it to. The closest thing I have might be the C8 on the low side or the CPC1100 on the higher side but I would prefer to look through a similar Newtonian. Next star party (too few and far between for me)I'll spend more time looking through other people's scopes. I don't use the XT10 at star parties, however, since I prefer the Obsession 18 so I won't be able to do a direct comparison.
BTW, Jupiter is outrageously bright in the Obsession. Like with the XT10 I really didn't like the tint that the variable polarizing filter gave it. Of course, with the 18-inch mirror, the detail was significantly better. Come to think of it, the view is sharper, too. I have recently remounted my secondary holder, re-aligned my focuser, and collimated with the Catseye tools so that should be the next thing I do with the XT10.
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SteveE
Obsession 18 f/4.5; CPC 1100/Hyperstar/Mallincam; some backyard stuff and binoculars
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Sarkikos
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/18/07
Posts: 1055
Loc: Suburban Maryland
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Steve E,
Collimation can make a huge difference when observing the planets. A couple months ago, I took my time to carefully collimate my little 130ST. I squared the focuser, adjusted the diagonal and primary using a cheshire/sight-tube combo and then an autocollimator. I set it up on a driven CG4 on the front porch to catch Jupiter as it swung around the side of the house. My wife and I were treated to an excellent, clear view of the GRS, multiple bands, and a couple moons transiting the disk and casting their shadows. The moons looked like little planets themselves. A nice show from a humble little 5.1" Newt. Great stuff!
Mike
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Celestron 10" f5 Newt on 1stBase (DSO)
Zhumell 8" f6 Newt, Bosma 6" f12 MCT (NSO)
6" f5 Newt, 130ST, 4.5" f4.4 Ball w/GLP, ST80 w/Crayford (RFTs)
C4-R (NSO/DS)
90mm f13 MCT (Luna/DS)
SkyMaster 25x100, 15x70
Zhumell 20x80
Barska XWA 10x50, 8x40
OptiView LPR 10x50
Const View 2.3x40
BV-125C
CG5, 2 drv / CG4, 2 drv, wood legs, ScopeStuff saddle / CG3, 1 drv
SV AZ / 501HDV on Bogen 055XB / P+ on Oberwerk
QuikFinder, Telrad
Orion Dynamo Pro 12, Dew-Not
Have GLP and not afraid to use it!
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