Peter9
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/30/08
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: hopskipson]
#5078234 - 02/18/12 09:43 AM
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Thanks for the report James. Nice to see that someone is getting some observing time in. I have explained in other threads why I can not observe at the moment
Open clusters are one of my favorite objects, and the ones you saw last night are fine examples. I visit them as often as possible.
Have you tried the "constellation" tour mode. It lists objects in any choosen constellation. I use it a lot as it allows you to observe in one part of the sky at a time. When I've finished with one, I choose another.
Good luck for tonight.
Regards. Peter.
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Peter9
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/30/08
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5090346 - 02/25/12 01:05 PM
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Today I finally managed to clear my observatory of the last of the packing boxes and put the scope back in there.
There's half a chance I will be able to observe tonight, a two hour clear slot is forecast starting around 18.45.
During a small clear spell last night, I got to see Jupiter, Venus and the crescent Moon, all in a line in the Western sky. It truely was a wonderful naked eye sight.
Regards. Peter.
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haytor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/29/07
Loc: Smethwick near Birmingham UK.
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5090353 - 02/25/12 01:09 PM
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Hi Peter,
so glad you were able to clear your observatory of all things none astronomical, wishing you well tonight in your venture and hope to hear a report tomorrow from you.
Not so lucky further south here in the Midlands 
regards,
Tom.
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hopskipson
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/24/10
Loc: Queens, New Yawk, Light pollut...
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: haytor]
#5090523 - 02/25/12 03:21 PM
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Good luck mate, not very promising here.
James
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hopskipson
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/24/10
Loc: Queens, New Yawk, Light pollut...
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: hopskipson]
#5090888 - 02/25/12 07:22 PM Attachment (13 downloads)
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Here's the extent of my viewing sesion
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Peter9
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/30/08
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: hopskipson]
#5091518 - 02/26/12 05:08 AM
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Hi James,
Nice picture. That's about all I managed to see last night as the clear skies did not materialize.
I did manage to see Jupiter at the "pivot" point, thus making up a triangle with Venus and the Crescent Moon.
Hi Tom,
Sorry, no report as such. Did get about 10mins on the Moon and about the same on Jupiter before the clouds closed the door.
At least I got to swing the scope around to make sure the electrics were still in good working order.
There's to the next time.
Regards. Peter.
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haytor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/29/07
Loc: Smethwick near Birmingham UK.
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5091614 - 02/26/12 08:01 AM
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Nice capture James, i can see just why your session was short given the clouds rolling in in that shot!
Sorry too Peter to hear your session was cut so short, but nice to know everything is still in good working order!
regards,
Tom.
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ghataa
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/20/11
Loc: Central, NJ
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: haytor]
#5091638 - 02/26/12 08:31 AM
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We had high winds here last night so I didn't even bother. Tonight should be calmer as I look forward to trying out my newly modded T3i.
George
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hopskipson
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/24/10
Loc: Queens, New Yawk, Light pollut...
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: ghataa]
#5094581 - 02/27/12 06:28 PM
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Hi all
Got out for a little bit last night and had some decent seeing. Was finally able to see a little detail on Mars. Nothing huge but a little dark patch and maybe some polar Ice? My goto's were way off. Not sure why, but I didn't have much time to fuss with it. Hopefully I get some better weather this weekend.
James
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Peter9
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/30/08
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: hopskipson]
#5101083 - 03/02/12 01:32 PM
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Hi All,
I have just opened the POD dome for cooling purposes. The skies are not completely clear but the forecast is for the partly cloudy skies to last for another two to three hours. If it stays as it is, about 35% cloud, then I think it will be worth being out there.
Will let you know how I get on.
Regards. Peter.
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haytor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/29/07
Loc: Smethwick near Birmingham UK.
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5101094 - 03/02/12 01:37 PM
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Good luck with the weather Peter, hope it holds for you. 
regards,
Tom.
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Peter9
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/30/08
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: haytor]
#5102328 - 03/03/12 08:56 AM
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Thanks Tom,
Started observing at 19.00 in conditions that were at best poor to fair. Still, had fair views of Jupiter, at one stage the cloud was passing over Jupiter so often and quick, that it appeared as if Jupiter was being controlled by a light switch, turning it on and off. Managed to watch Europa disappear behind Jupiter, and I think the ISS passed directly across my f.o.v around 19.30 but it happened so quick it could have be someting else.
Had a look at M42, the trap looked good, but the Moon did not assist me in seeing the nebula too well.
On to NGC 2244, the Rosette cluster, NGC 2264, the Cristmas tree or Cone cluster and M35, open cluster. None were at their best in the conditions, but good to look at none the less.
Spent the last half hour observing the Moon. By 21.30 the clouds were winning the fight, so after two and a half hours of "fun" at the eyepiece, I called it a draw and headed indoors for a welcome brew.
Regards. Peter.
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haytor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/29/07
Loc: Smethwick near Birmingham UK.
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5102340 - 03/03/12 09:05 AM
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Hi Peter,
great that you managed those 2 and a half hours at the eyepiece,even if conditions were not great, at least time spent at the eyepiece is better than not being able to, nice short report all the same.
Have you ever detected any colour visually through the eyepiece when observing M42?, its been a very long time since i observed M42, but on occasion, i have noted a greenish tint to the nebula when conditions were good!
regards,
Tom.
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Peter9
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/30/08
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: haytor]
#5102960 - 03/03/12 03:12 PM
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Hi Tom,
I fully agree, even in the poor conditions, I really enjoyed my session last night.
On two occasions in the last two years I have made a reference in my notes to having "thought" I'd seen a greenish tint to the M42 nebula. On both accasions I had listed the seeing as near excellent.
I love the enhanced silvery grey of the nebula when seeing is good to excellent.
BTW, It was a short report as I was short of clear sky. 
Thanks for your kind words and interest.
Regards. Peter.
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Skip
Starlifter Driver
Reged: 01/23/08
Loc: Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5103225 - 03/03/12 06:03 PM
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Hi Guys,
I HAVE seen a green tint to M42. But I was using my UHC filter at the time. Without it, it looks "silvery grey" as Peter mentioned. Just with my eyeballs, of course.
Hmmm... Come to think of it, I don't have any others to use! 
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hopskipson
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/24/10
Loc: Queens, New Yawk, Light pollut...
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5103231 - 03/03/12 06:06 PM
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I've got partly cloudy skies tonight. Already set-up and ready to rock! Checked out the moon with my eldest. At 7 he was interested for about 10 minutes. He said he saw something hit the moon! Ah, the imagination of youth!
James
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Peter9
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/30/08
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: hopskipson]
#5104098 - 03/04/12 08:01 AM
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Your eyeballs still sound good to me Skip. I think ours are on a par with each others. 
Glad to hear you were out last night James. Keep at it with the little fellow, you never know, as he gets older his interest may grow.
I had given up all hope last night (wanted to observe Mars at Opposition) as it was complete cloud cover at 21.15.
I popped outside at 22.00 and in a large area of clear sky, there sat Mars.
Opened the POD and got an hour with said planet from 22.30 to 23.30. It had a pretty bland side facing us at that time although I could make out the northern ice cap. Would have waited for the Syrtis Major to come round the limb but the clouds took over once again. Never mind, got to view Mars at opposition which was the object of the exercise.
Wonder if any of our A.P colleagues managed to turn their camera's at Mars last night?.
Regards. Peter.
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haytor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/29/07
Loc: Smethwick near Birmingham UK.
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5104112 - 03/04/12 08:17 AM
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Conditions here in the Midlands were too grotty for me to make any attempt at imaging last night Peter,My set up would not be ideal to image mars either, however it seems from news reports there was a bright meteor/fireball that swept across the country last night, not sure if it would have been visible from the Birmingham area though given it passed over Wales and was heading south, I understand it had been recorded over parts of Northern England and the Police had lots of people calling in thinking a plane had gone down!
regards,
Tom.
Edited by haytor (03/04/12 08:19 AM)
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Peter9
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/30/08
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: haytor]
#5104129 - 03/04/12 08:29 AM
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Hi Tom,
Sorry the weather is being so unkind to you. I think last night was a lucky break for me as we've had nothing but sleet and snow since.
Heard the report of the "Meteor" but didn't hear at what time it occured. I'm still waiting for Betelgeuse to go "pop" while I'm looking at it.
Regards. Peter.
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haytor
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/29/07
Loc: Smethwick near Birmingham UK.
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Re: Hope some of you guys are out there tonight....
[Re: Peter9]
#5104151 - 03/04/12 08:40 AM
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Quote:
Hi Tom,
Sorry the weather is being so unkind to you. I think last night was a lucky break for me as we've had nothing but sleet and snow since.
Heard the report of the "Meteor" but didn't hear at what time it occured. I'm still waiting for Betelgeuse to go "pop" while I'm looking at it.
Regards. Peter.
The time this meteor was recorded was at about 21.40 pm and passed over Scotland,northern England and across Wales and was heading south.
As for Betelgeuse going Pop, now that would be the wonder of our life times if it should happen, it would certainly be the most observed and imaged event of this century thats for sure, keep watching the skies, you never know what our universe with thrill us with next!!
regards,
Tom
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