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What did you observe with your classic telescope today ?

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#51 Bomber Bob

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Posted 14 February 2016 - 11:59 AM

Last night with my Royal 76x1200 our Swamp skies were near perfect - clear & calm air, with excellent transparency.

 

With the Unihex loaded, I confirmed that with this scope, 100x per inch is useful on the Moon and Jupiter.  Switching between the OR6 and OR4 is quick and easy, and that makes a difference with these comparisons.  Details on crater floors and sliver-like gaps between peak shadows that I could not see at 200x were plainly visible at 300x.  Jupiter did not become a bland fuzz ball.  As on a few nights before, 300x revealed variations in the NEB & SEB that were not visible at 200x.

 

But this was an exceptional night.  Most of the time, I'm limited to a 200x maximum with this scope, and find 135x most comfortable.


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#52 Terra Nova

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Posted 21 February 2016 - 12:26 PM

I managed to get an hour or so outside last night to take advantage of the mild temperatures and observe Jupiter with my Fujinon 102mm F6.4 custom Faworski scope and my Vintage Celestron C80. Had to peek between the clouds but it was otherwise very nice observing.

 

Clouds rolled in pretty thick shortly after midnight so I came in. The views of Jupiter were great! 6 bands, detail on the northern and southern equatorial bands, the satellites were nice disks, and I watched one emerge from behind the planet. Great on the moon too! The Plieades were stunning in a nice wide field. I used all classic eyepieces last night- a 2" 28mm repurposed military surplus Erfle which is always a favorite, aand a batch of volcano top Orthoscopics from 25 mm to 4 mm. The scope is equiped with a 2" Televue Ever-bright mirror star diagonal. I had it up to 160X with a 4mm Edmund orthoscopic eyepiece. Lovely star tests too. Perfectly round airy disk and rings both inside and outside of focus. A little purple, but well controlled, particulary so for a 4" F6.4. I am very pleased! It does well on the light TV Panoramic mount. It is perfect for what I wanted, a nice grab and go 4" multipurpose scope for when I don't want to set up one of my three long-focus 4" refractors. Thank you Sheldon! I really appreciate it. This scope will always be a keeper!

 

This was a first light for my 4" Fujinon-Faworski and as with any first-light, I had to have a control scope for comparison. That scope last night was my Celestron-Vixen C80 black-tube with which I used the same mount and  eyepieces (with exception of the 2" 28mm military erfle. To make up for that, I used an WWII 38mm brass military eyepiece in a 1.25" aluminum adapter that I machined for it. The views in the 80mm F12 refractor are picture perfect, the color so well controlled that you would swear you were looking through ED glass on most targets. Views of Jupiter were sharp, crisp, and contrasty! That scope never fails to please. 

 

The 2" 28mm and 1.25" 38mm vintage military wide field eyepieces are also shown.

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#53 AllanDystrup

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Posted 21 February 2016 - 01:21 PM

I'm on a Messier tour these days, with my Classic Vixen FL80S;

Here it is on its "native" Vixen tripod (with MT2 servo motors & SS2K controller)

 

FL80S.jpg

 

For my Messier tour, I prefer using it strictly manually, on my CZJ Zeiss TM/2V tripod.

Also, I've upgraded the focuser with a dual speed pinion & knob, after this picture was taken.

This is one heck of a visual scope! -- if you ask me :grin:

 

Here's my latest observation, of the Messier Auriga open clusters:

http://www.cloudynig...sier/?p=7066677

 

Allan


Edited by AllanDystrup, 21 February 2016 - 01:40 PM.

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#54 Johnnydman

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Posted 21 February 2016 - 10:28 PM

Decided to take the family out for a late dinner then off to my new, nearby observing site to try to catch Jupiter as my boys had yet to see it.

Dinner was good, grabbed the Unitron (114) and headed out, success in observing the moon, some stars, Orion nebulae, etc...before moving on to Jupiter.

 

Jupiter was nice, seeing bands and 3 sattelites, not sure what magnification.

 

A bit, well, a big failure on my part as I forgot a few things being new and in a rush. I forgot the tripod spreader bar, binoculars, a chair or other device for the kids to be able to comfortably view, forgot a heavier coat for my wife, and the kids were a bit hyped up!

Lots of vibrations due to warm temps, wind and lack of spreader? and maybe because I was set up on pavement vs grass previously? I also brought all of my eyepieces and was totally confused about what one I was using at the time.

 

Using the Unihex, but focus changed more than the rack and pinion focuser adjustment would handle so I was back and forth moving the drawtube in and out (is this normal? I know of parfocal e/p's but does anyone kind of cheat with some sort of spacer setup?).

In the chaos I totally missed the Plieades last night, one of my favorites.

 

All in all, being new, I learned quite a bit about proper preparation and planning for the next time.


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#55 photiost

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Posted 22 February 2016 - 07:49 AM

 

.. The views in the 80mm F12 refractor are picture perfect, the color so well controlled that you would swear you were looking through ED glass on most targets. Views of Jupiter were sharp, crisp, and contrasty! That scope never fails to please. ..

 

 

This happens to be my favorite 80mm telescopes as well.  :like:


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#56 DreamWeaver

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Posted 22 February 2016 - 11:13 AM

Doubled my pleasure, doubled my fun, with a double setup to observe doubles.   :grin:  :grin:

 

Tasco 10TE and Scope 2258 f/20.

 

Tasco%20-%20Scope_zpsnlaoityr.jpg


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#57 Terra Nova

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Posted 22 February 2016 - 11:19 AM

Love the 'toothpick telescope'! Very cool!! :flowerred:
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#58 starman876

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Posted 22 February 2016 - 01:19 PM

I need to do some observing.  Weather looks like it is improving I am sure that all of us will be out soon with our telescopes


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#59 photiost

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Posted 22 February 2016 - 02:10 PM

Cleared up this morning and decided to setup my Tasco 14TE and observe some sunspots using the Solar Projection Screen

 

Here is the image with the supplied 23mm eyepiece:

.

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#60 photiost

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Posted 22 February 2016 - 02:18 PM

Here is the image with the 12.5mm ..

 

This is a great method for public outreach, many people can observe the sun safely and at the same time ...

 

Especially helpful for very young kids who cannot yet align their eye with the eyepiece !!

.

 

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#61 starman876

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Posted 22 February 2016 - 11:34 PM

that looks great.  


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#62 DMala

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Posted 22 February 2016 - 11:59 PM

I still have to work out how to use the solar screen, tried only once but could not get any image on it!



#63 Vesper818

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Posted 24 February 2016 - 02:05 AM

I took my tiny Swift totescope out on the pistol grip handle. Cruised around Orion, and Taurus. The view is wide and bright, too many stars in the Pleiades to count.
The moon had risen, and framed between the juniper branches, a very pleasing view of tonight's conjuntion with Jupiter and 2 if its moons.

Edited by Vesper818, 24 February 2016 - 10:58 AM.

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#64 Mike Allen

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Posted 24 February 2016 - 11:09 AM

Night before last, under a hazy sky, I was observing Mons Gruithuisen gamma and delta at near full moon with my 3-inch Unitron model 145.  Also had a wonderful view of Jupiter's red spot.  The color displayed by the red spot was a beautiful deep orange.  Interesting festoons on the NEB also.  Some brighter doubles were on the menu also.  Later, the haze moved out and the sky went from very steady to much less than ideal.


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#65 starman876

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Posted 26 February 2016 - 09:37 AM

I have observed that all these classic scopes take up a lot of room :lol:


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#66 Terra Nova

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Posted 26 February 2016 - 11:10 AM

And I have observed a lot of clouds!
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#67 Chuck Hards

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Posted 26 February 2016 - 12:16 PM

It's clear as a bell today, clean, crisp air, and I saw the first cabbage moth of the season hatch from it's chrysalis and spread it's wings in the morning sun for the first time.

 

If I can get home from work a bit early, I want to look at the sun with my 50mm f/20 refractor and new Lunt wedge.  I've had the 2" Lunt wedge since last fall but just got the 1.25" a month ago, and haven't had a chance to try it out yet.  Maybe today is the day.


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#68 Terra Nova

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Posted 26 February 2016 - 05:41 PM

I am still observing clouds!
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#69 starman876

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Posted 26 February 2016 - 07:36 PM

and what have you observed of these clouds?



#70 DMala

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Posted 26 February 2016 - 11:12 PM

I just finished to fool around for the first time with my Pronto on the Panorama mount, a camera adapter, a Sony NEX-5N, a cheap generic remote shutter controller from Ebay, and Jupiter :) .... as a first attempt, not having any idea if/what could work, I was inside looking through a dining room window. I am interested in seeing how far I can go with what I already have, without specialized equipment other than the camera adapter.

 

It seems I should be able to get to focus, without using the diagonal when using a 2x Barlow (DCS00828, ISO200, 0.8"), and with the diagonal when not using the 2x Barlow (DSC00834, ISO200, 1").

 

Next I have to try to connect the camera to an external screen with the HDMI cable, to try to get better focus. Focusing mask to be built or purchased if this does not work. Also have to figure out the exposure. If I will feel like continuing along, another step would be to learn a bit about stacking. Can't wait to try with the 6" S&S Optika reflector on the pier with motorized drive, when it gets warmer.

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#71 AllanDystrup

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Posted 27 February 2016 - 06:33 AM

I tried to catch the distant old (2 BYR!) open cluster NGC 2158 yesterday, close to M35.

I believe I succeeded, but it was not easy. Report ->here<-

 

My scope was my 3" Vixen refractor. Anyone else have observed this with a comparable classic scope ?

I found The Crab (M1) much easier in the same conditions last night...

 

Allan


Edited by AllanDystrup, 27 February 2016 - 06:35 AM.

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#72 John Higbee

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Posted 27 February 2016 - 08:20 AM

Late report...last Saturday, Carol and I went down to the Northern Neck (Ophelia Observatory) with a couple who we've interested in astronomy, for "dinner and a star party".

 

It was completely overcast until late afternoon, when a front rolled through from the NW...in less than an hour, the sky was brilliantly clear, and the temperature was in the mid 50s, with a gentle southerly breeze - almost "shirt-sleeves weather".  

 

Dinner was great - observing was even better.  We set up the '76 C8 Orange Tube, along with the Zhumell 25x100 binoculars, and did comparison views of the same objects.

 

Did the rounds of the standard objects (Pleiades, M42, Moon, Jupiter) and scans of the star fields in Orion and Canis Major with the Zhumell.  We had a great time...observing is fun, but observing with friends is even better!

 

C8 v1.jpg P1040352.jpg

 

John

 


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#73 Bomber Bob

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Posted 27 February 2016 - 10:50 AM

Allan, kudos to you! I've only seen NGC 2158 with my 5" D&G many years ago.  When the mirrors get back from Majestic, I'll try it with the Tinsley 6.  Don't laugh!  The 6 does better on globulars & galaxies than any other scope I have, and it works well with good old Erfles & Kellners.


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#74 Terra Nova

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Posted 27 February 2016 - 02:21 PM

I finally got a couple of hours of quality time visiting with old Sol today.

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#75 photiost

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Posted 29 February 2016 - 04:54 PM

I tried to catch the distant old (2 BYR!) open cluster NGC 2158 yesterday, close to M35.

I believe I succeeded, but it was not easy. Report ->here<-

 

My scope was my 3" Vixen refractor. Anyone else have observed this with a comparable classic scope ?

I found The Crab (M1) much easier in the same conditions last night...

 

Allan

 

Allan, nice report.

 

Cloudy with light snow expected here this evening ... went through my observing notes and indeed I have observed open cluster NGC 2158 with my 8in reflector .. something I have to revisit with my classic 4in refractor.


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