12123 replies to this topic

[Bomber Bob]

Bob, Great Pix -- Thanks! for sharing.  And, for getting up at 0 Dark Thirty!

 

Steve & BB were on the same page:  I used my Mizar 130SL for the first time in months.  In 7 / 10 seeing, the GRS was tougher than usual -- I had to use 180x (Radian 4) to see it clearly near meridian.  No pink, all shades of gray.  A large barge NE of the GRS was much easier -- jet black against the white zone.  Io & Europa did quite a dance!

 

After Jupiter & before Moonglow became a problem, I switched to my RKEs (28 / 25x & 8 / 90x) for some sweeping & zooming in Taurus-Auriga (getting Lower every night, dang it!).  My 130SL is such a versatile old scope.  But, I noticed that there's resistance in the AR-1's DEC axis -- like the clutch is stuck / dragging.  I had that issue with the SP's polar axis, so I removed the knob, and shot some WD-40 inside.  I'll try that with the AR-1.  I really don't want to take the mount offline, and break it all down to clean & re-lube.

 

Uh... the Mizars have quite a few parts:

 

 

*****

 

Used the WD-40 on both axes, spun each at least a dozen times, and now they're slicker than greased lightning:

 

 

With the ShortPod extended, I can sit on my old padded bar stool, and observe in comfort.  Functionally, my 130SL is DONE.  Cosmetically... I'm not gonna repaint now.  JD retired, but his protégé now runs the business.  She did a great job on the Kenko SC125L.  I'll talk to her about all those decals this summer.  Right now, I'm gonna enjoy the scope!

 

 

Edited by Bomber Bob, 15 March 2025 - 08:26 AM.

[Airship]

Getting my 1980 Meade 2080 LX ready for NEAF. This is an early production LX that has excellent optics and mechanics. All of the movements are smooth and firm, The focus shows zero backlash and image shift.

 

 

I set it up early in the afternoon and used the setting circles to find Venus. It’s getting big! 59” in diameter and 2% illuminated.

 

 

Gotta be careful working this close to the sun. If you look closely you can see the reflection of the sun on the corrector just above the secondary. As sunset I swung up to Jupiter, then to Castor, M35, NGC 2392 (the Eskimo Nebula), M67, Beta Monoceros (triple system), Alnitak (easy split), Sigma Orionis, M42/43/Trapezium, Sirius, and M41.

Wonderful evening!

[Airship]

I had a great time last Thursday evening/Friday morning watching the total luna eclipse with my 1969 Questar Standard. I watched the eclipse through the finder using the 80-160x eyepiece and on my laptop using a ZWO ASI294MC camera on the axial port...

 

 

This was a stack of 64x5s images taken near mid-eclipse at 3am EDT, 3-14-2025...

 

 

Neat stuff!

 

 

[Airship]

Getting another scope ready for NEAF... a 1970's vintage sandcast C5...

 

 

As per usual, I used the setting circles to find Venus hiding near the sun...

 

 

It looked large and razor sharp! The clouds rolled in during dusk, but I was able to get a peek at Jupiter and it's moons. This scope gives an excellent image and the mechanics are perfect. All of the movements are smooth and firm and there is no image shift in the focuser.

 

Woderful!

[Rustler46]

Getting another scope ready for NEAF... a 1970's vintage sandcast C5...

 

C5 Sandcast-1 (3-18-2025)-1.jpg

I had one like that in 1974. Sadly I sold the OTA on fork mount to finance a 1985 Celestron Super C8 Plus. I did keep the tripod and wedge which is still available for use by the C-8. The tripod is rock solid. I can sit on the top plate with it easily supporting my 180 pounds weight without a problem. It still has the original rubber feet. I finally glued them onto the 3 bottom points of the legs so they would not get lost.

 

That C-5 gave great "refractor-like" images. I wish I still had it.

 

Clear Skies,

Russ

Edited by Rustler46, 21 March 2025 - 01:31 AM.

[Airship]

Taking a peek at Venus with my 1969 Questar Standard...

 

 

Venus is just 2 days away from its inferior conjunction with the sun when it will pass 8deg 24' from the sun, 59.5" in diameter, and 1.0% illuminated. When this image was taken Venus was 8deg 44' from the sun, 59.5" in diameter, and 1.1% illuminated.

 

 

Almost there!

[highfnum]

Jupiter with Cometron comet catcher Jr  (jones  bird in-line type)

 

 

[Bomber Bob]

Gettin' ready to head out with the Mighty Meade 826... a Jane who ain't so plain... we got clouds & rain returning tomorrow, but the seeing tonight should be 8+.

 

Jupiter @ 480x... slightly larger than a quarter in the LV-2.5...  lots of belts & more orange than usual - the NTB and within the NEB.  I could tell when a ragged veil of gauze-thin moisture crossed the field - the NTB's orange would blur into the zone.  Two white ovals in the STB just before the GRS rose.  Confirmed an albedo feature on Ganymede.  Moved Jupiter out of the field to acquire; then, moved Ganymede around the field to make sure it wasn't an eyepiece artifact.  Looked like a darker gray blotch against a lighter tiny disk -- a real eye test!  Io had an unusual color mix of light orange & yellow.  Europa & Callisto are plain grayish disks.  [I think my color vision has improved from my A/S chemo years ago.  But... Floaters are back, dang it.]  The 826 really opens-up the Jupiter System -- so much to gawk at...

 

I took "eye strain breaks" with my Carton 101 F5 using the AT UW-10.  Made probably my last 4 Cluster sweep (M35-M38) at 50x... low, but still pretty.

 

I didn't bring out my sketch stuff.  We drove back from The Gulf yesterday morning, so Ole BB was sleepy...  Heck.  Rested, I may have seen more...

Edited by Bomber Bob, 23 March 2025 - 09:33 AM.

[highfnum]

that 826 is 8 inch reflector?

[Bomber Bob]

that 826 is 8 inch reflector?

Yes sir!  8" F6.  More refractor-like than some sub-par refractors that I've used -- and donated to the GW...

[deSitter]

Gettin' ready to head out with the Mighty Meade 826... a Jane who ain't so plain... we got clouds & rain returning tomorrow, but the seeing tonight should be 8+.

 

Jupiter @ 480x... slightly larger than a quarter in the LV-2.5...  lots of belts & more orange than usual - the NTB and within the NEB.  I could tell when a ragged veil of gauze-thin moisture crossed the field - the NTB's orange would blur into the zone.  Two white ovals in the STB just before the GRS rose.  Confirmed an albedo feature on Ganymede.  Moved Jupiter out of the field to acquire; then, moved Ganymede around the field to make sure it wasn't an eyepiece artifact.  Looked like a darker gray blotch against a lighter tiny disk -- a real eye test!  Io had an unusual color mix of light orange & yellow.  Europa & Callisto are plain grayish disks.  [I think my color vision has improved from my A/S chemo years ago.  But... Floaters are back, dang it.]  The 826 really opens-up the Jupiter System -- so much to gawk at...

 

I took "eye strain breaks" with my Carton 101 F5 using the AT UW-10.  Made probably my last 4 Cluster sweep (M35-M38) at 50x... low, but still pretty.

 

I didn't bring out my sketch stuff.  We drove back from The Gulf yesterday morning, so Ole BB was sleepy...  Heck.  Rested, I may have seen more...

The yellow snow is here, so at least a month of no scopes.

 

-drl

[Bomber Bob]

The yellow snow is here, so at least a month of no scopes.

 

-drl

I hear ya -- our cars stay covered... plus, our lounge chairs... plus, tabletops... even the pool -- until the pump kicks on...

[ElGran]

I saw a dim, but fascinating triple star between the Cat's eye nebula (C6) and ω Draconis. I wonder why this system is not mentioned in any particular list, I could only find a number TYC 4212-707-1

[deSitter]

I saw a dim, but fascinating triple star between the Cat's eye nebula (C6) and ω Draconis. I wonder why this system is not mentioned in any particular list, I could only find a number TYC 4212-707-1

RA + DEC? Finder chart?

 

-drl

[ElGran]

RA + DEC? Finder chart?

 

-drl

17h52m44.4s, +66°59'26.8", I found it in stellarium-web. The three stars are similar, mag 10-11 .

[deSitter]

17h52m44.4s, +66°59'26.8", I found it in stellarium-web. The three stars are similar, mag 10-11 .

It's a mini Orion's belt! The outer stars are 21" distant. How cool!

 

-drl

Attached Thumbnails

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[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

I saw a dim, but fascinating triple star between the Cat's eye nebula (C6) and ω Draconis. I wonder why this system is not mentioned in any particular list, I could only find a number TYC 4212-707-1

Seems also to be known as Bird 3, via looking it up in Sky Safari Pro ...

[ElGran]

Seems also to be known as Bird 3, via looking it up in Sky Safari Pro ...

I didn't have the Pro version of Sky Safari, thanks for the info

[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

On the night of March 23-24, 2025, I took my Takahashi Teegul-60 (60 mm f/8.3 refractor) out for an evening of Messier hunting. I had a longer observing program with another, non-classic telescope that evening as well, so I only logged a dozen objects with the Teegul, using a 12 mm Brandon eyepiece for a magnification of 42. Messier 1, the Crab Nebula, appeared slightly elongated and showed a hint of mottling. All the other objects were open clusters, and all were unremarkably resolved.

 

The Teegul continues to impress me with its ease of setup, operation and take-down, but like many altazimuth-mounted telescopes, this instrument is awkward for observing close to the zenith. Thus I grew frustrated and tired of neck cramps when chasing down M44 (the Hyades) and M67, which were near upper culmination when I got to them. My fix was to remove the optical tube assembly from the mount, install the Brandon for straight-through viewing -- no star diagonal -- then lean back in my observing chair and use the little Takahashi hand-held. I used to do that with a 6-inch f/4.7 Newtonian rich-field telescope at nearly the same magnification, so it was actually not a big deal, though hand-holding a spyglass over my head was not as stable as cradling a Newtonian like a contented cat, or setting the bottom of its tube on a picnic table and supporting the upper end with my hands.

 

Next stop will likely be the Virgo galaxy cloud.

 

 

Clear sky ...

[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

So on March 24-25, 2025, I took the Takahashi Teegul-60 out again, but with a non-classic upgrade to the mount: I had some tube rings that fitted the Teegul's 80 mm tube, and that had sufficient drilled and tapped holes to attach a Vixen dovetail and a PiFinder. Using this stuff with a non-Takahashi altazimuth mount made finding things very quick and easy -- in less than an hour I had logged 40 Messier objects, including all of the springtime galaxies -- the PiFinder put them all well within my 12 mm Brandon's one-degree field.

 

The Teegul continues to impress me with it's capabilities: Many galaxies were visibly elongated and a few (M82, M106) appeared mottled. The Sombrero Galaxy (M104) was tiny but classic -- elongated with bright nuclear bulge -- though I could not detect the dust lane. All three galaxies in the Leo Triple (M65, M66 and NGC 3628) were elongated, and M51's companion, NGC 5195, was easy. I believe I detected a hint of the innermost curving part of M51's two spiral arms, which speaks very well of the capabilities of instrument and eyepiece.

 

 

Clear sky ...

[davidc135]

The PiFinder looks an impressive accessory.  David

 

So on March 24-25, 2025, I took the Takahashi Teegul-60 out again, but with a non-classic upgrade to the mount: I had some tube rings that fitted the Teegul's 80 mm tube, and that had sufficient drilled and tapped holes to attach a Vixen dovetail and a PiFinder. Using this stuff with a non-Takahashi altazimuth mount made finding things very quick and easy -- in less than an hour I had logged 40 Messier objects, including all of the springtime galaxies -- the PiFinder put them all well within my 12 mm Brandon's one-degree field.

 

The Teegul continues to impress me with it's capabilities: Many galaxies were visibly elongated and a few (M82, M106) appeared mottled. The Sombrero Galaxy (M104) was tiny but classic -- elongated with bright nuclear bulge -- though I could not detect the dust lane. All three galaxies in the Leo Triple (M65, M66 and NGC 3628) were elongated, and M51's companion, NGC 5195, was easy. I believe I detected a hint of the innermost curving part of M51's two spiral arms, which speaks very well of the capabilities of instrument and eyepiece.

 

 

Clear sky ...

[Kitfox]

So on March 24-25, 2025, I took the Takahashi Teegul-60 out again, but with a non-classic upgrade to the mount: I had some tube rings that fitted the Teegul's 80 mm tube, and that had sufficient drilled and tapped holes to attach a Vixen dovetail and a PiFinder. Using this stuff with a non-Takahashi altazimuth mount made finding things very quick and easy -- in less than an hour I had logged 40 Messier objects, including all of the springtime galaxies -- the PiFinder put them all well within my 12 mm Brandon's one-degree field.

 

The Teegul continues to impress me with it's capabilities: Many galaxies were visibly elongated and a few (M82, M106) appeared mottled. The Sombrero Galaxy (M104) was tiny but classic -- elongated with bright nuclear bulge -- though I could not detect the dust lane. All three galaxies in the Leo Triple (M65, M66 and NGC 3628) were elongated, and M51's companion, NGC 5195, was easy. I believe I detected a hint of the innermost curving part of M51's two spiral arms, which speaks very well of the capabilities of instrument and eyepiece.

 

 

Clear sky ...

 

'Tis the season for Messier Marathons!!!  Depending on latitude, you can snag most, if not all of them now.

[k5apl]

Went out last night for some viewing, even though lots of hazy clouds.  I saw that the objective on my Sears 4 6305A

had "tilt".  Red on one side and blue on the other.  It had damage on the dewshield so I surmise that it hit the turf at some point in its life.  A really nice image that hopefully will become better.

Wes  

[davidc135]

I've enjoyed a spell of clear nights here with good seeing so had both the Dynamax 8 and 6 out earlier, 7.30 to 8.30 UT, along with the Tak FC100.

 

Making the most of Mars as it recedes and shrinks, the DX6 compared fairly well with the Tak compared to what I expected. There wasn't a huge amount to see with a magnification of x200 in each case, but I was chuffed that the NPC showed up well. A couple of nights ago, a few dark Mares could be seen in the Tak but not tonight.

 

If Mars was difficult, Jupiter was even worse. And Sirius looked like a globular cluster so no chance of the pup.

 

Astigmatism in the DX-8 squished out any detail sadly. Hopefully I can improve it, but I don't hold out much hope.

 

David

[Rustler46]

Went out last night for some viewing, even though lots of hazy clouds.  I saw that the objective on my Sears 4 6305A

had "tilt".  Red on one side and blue on the other.  It had damage on the dewshield so I surmise that it hit the turf at some point in its life.  A really nice image that hopefully will become better.

Wes  

Perhaps the red and blue edges were cause by atmospheric dispersion. What were you observing and what was its elevation? Maybe nothing is wrong with the refractor.

 

Russ