202 replies to this topic

[BlueTrane2028]

Good idea for a thread..….

You guys do get more than your fair share of snow up there...Hope you get to the big scopes...

 

For classics   I am using the Vixen 80mm fluorite

A  Televue Petzval design will have wide  flat fields

 

As a happy  newcomer to Dobs  I wonder how an 8 inch Dob or Newt might frame Jupiter and Saturn?

Finally,   I am interested in what eyepieces folks will be trying out?

I have older TV wide field  32. 26. 19 eyepieces      a Panoptic 27  but  I have grown fond of the Nagler Type 6's   11, 9, 7   82 degrees  as well as a Meade 4000 UWA 8.8

 

Interesting to see what folks recommend

Not sure if anyone answered the Dob question yet but two nights ago I used an Orion XT6, both planets fit with a 20mm Expanse, 14mm ES 68* and a 25mm Plossl.  An 8" would yield the same results.  You have enough eyepieces to do whatever you want with this conjunction and that telescope.

My ST80 is an old Celestron with the 'hamburger' logo.  Don't know if that's "classic" or not but it's probably old enough to order a beer.  I had been using it for the conjunction, but now that they fit within my Dobs, I'm using those as the extra resolution from the aperture is impossible to ignore.

Edited by BlueTrane2028, 15 December 2020 - 01:20 PM.

[Defenderslideguitar]

Roger that.....

Good advice     maybe  I should substitute the Orion 8 inch Dob for the C-102

thanks

 

p.s.     Am I the only one who is starting to wonder how the planets will come together in just 6 more days?  Better get moving       Sure does not look like it  ....  

Edited by Defenderslideguitar, 15 December 2020 - 07:38 PM.

[CltFlyboy]

I highly recommend using something like Stellarium to model what it will look like using your specific equipment. I was shocked to see how close they really will be, even though I knew the separation to be 0.1 degree. I should be able to fit both into the FOV with a 10mm on my 10" f/10 SCT. I can't wait to try!!!

[BlueTrane2028]

Stellarium is where I "test" all equipment before purchase.  I look at objects I want to see with different scopes and eyepieces to see how they get framed and such all the time.  Best free software ever.

[Terra Nova]

I had Stellarium for quite a while on my iMac and really liked it, but a couple of years ago when I updated the OS, it was no longer supported.

Edited by Terra Nova, 15 December 2020 - 03:29 PM.

[ccwemyss]

By the time I got out tonight, they were into a tree from the observatory, so I brought out the Pentax 85. The nicest view was in the 20mm Pentax Kellner. Both planets fit nicely. Could see N and S EB on Jupiter, and all four moons. Saturn's rings were also visible. Alto cumulus were moving through, so they were coming and going. It wasn't until I was seeing them together that it dawned on me that this would not just be a chance to see two planets together, but also the moons of multiple planets in one view. So I spent a fair amount of time trying to also pull in Titan with the varying conditions. I think I caught it with averted vision a few times. 

 

On Monday they will be close enough to both fit into the view of a 10mm Delos in the C14 (Saturn will be only a bit further from Jupiter than Callisto), while on Friday they will fit in the 32mm UO Koenig. We're supposed to have clearing Friday, so I'll try then for a personal record number of moons in one view. Monday is currently forecast for chance of snow.

 

Chip W. 

[photiost]

Finally cleared up here and I had a nice view of Jupiter and Saturn with my SPC80 + 32mm TV Plossl gives 28x.

 

Jupiter's 4 moons were visible and Saturn's moon Titan was visible as well.

 

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Defenderslideguitar]

Went up to the  Farm to learn more about the plan and equipment    Treated to a sweet orange sunset but the clouds were lying in wait like the enemy....

  Dig get to see Jupiter and Saturn in the same fov    Jupiter's four main moons   Saturn's rings  sans moons

using the C-102fl and the Nagler 11mm type 6   in not good seeing and then clouds moved in  oh well

 

Decided that we will use the Vixen 80mm fl  for sure   and leave the four inch refractors home.. For more aperture I am leaning towards the 8 inch reflector. Binoculars on the tripod and that's it. With the snow we wont look again til Friday

Attached Thumbnails

• 

Edited by Defenderslideguitar, 15 December 2020 - 09:27 PM.

[RichA]

Seeing that I like to keep it light and simple this time of year given the iffyness of the weather, I might give my Questar a go on it’s alt-az mount rather than the much larger and heavier wedge.

Questar/ETX are ideal 3.5-5 inch.  Lots of focal length, portable if you need to get away from heat producing streets/buildings. The pair is going to be LOW on the horizon so the best seeing possible is desirable.

[RichA]

Went up to the  Farm to learn more about the plan and equipment    Treated to a sweet orange sunset but the clouds were lying in wait like the enemy....

  Dig get to see Jupiter and Saturn in the same fov    Jupiter's four main moons   Saturn's rings  sans moons

using the C-102fl and the Nagler 11mm type 6   in not good seeing and then clouds moved in  oh well

 

Decided that we will use the Vixen 80mm fl  for sure   and leave the four inch refractors home.. For more aperture I am leaning towards the 8 inch reflector. Binoculars on the tripod and that's it. With the snow we wont look again til Friday

Why oh why couldn't the pair be in Gemini, like when I first saw Saturn's rings?

[Jaz5833]

 

I'm set up and ready. I'll be viewing with my Sears/Astro, 76x1200. Member Volvonium is sending me some Vixen .965 EP's that are certain to increase my viewing enjoyment. A 6mm and 18mm Ortho along with a Vixen Huygen Mitzenvall 12.5mm.

 

 

 

Edited by Jaz5833, 15 December 2020 - 11:35 PM.

[Bowlerhat]

I think I'm going to use my FC60NZ or the Asahi 60/800. not many choices to fit both in same field with high mag unless it's on 21th!

[steve t]

I'm planning to just use my 10-30x 50mm birding scope. It's very light weight and easy to position in my garden for the best views.

[Paul Sweeney]

The rain stopped and the clouds broke, leaving clear skies just at sunset. I took out the Vixen 80L. At 30x I had both planets nicely framed. The air was very unstable. Two bands on Jupiter and 4 moons. Saturn looked nice, but bounced about and showed little detail. Just seeing them so close is a real treat. All too soon they dipped below the trees. I am hopeful that I may get another look at them in the next few days.

[Kasmos]

My wife and I did a little observing from around 5:00-6:30 pm. We took turns using the SP-C80. I grabbed the most accessible EPs I have so first used a 42mm Ultima, but settled on a 25mm Kellner for more magnification. I tried a 18mm Ortho but it put them too close to the edges of the field. Seeing Jupiter and 3 of it's moons plus Saturn and Titan all in the same field was a special treat. We also enjoyed the thin cresent Moon. The grouping of the three in the western sky was very pretty to the naked eye. I also noticed two satellites. One was extremely bright.

Edited by Kasmos, 17 December 2020 - 01:26 AM.

[RichA]

I've been privileged to view 2 Venus transits of the sun and one with Mercury.  This conjunction, the closest between the two in hundreds of years is definitely worth seeing.  My likely scope will be an old Meade ED102 on a basic equatorial mount so I can shoot some images, but my main goal is visual.

[Lonnie Utah]

For those of us living west, Ganymede will be transiting across Jupiter on the 21st.  

[davidmcgo]

I managed to sneak away from the work computer a few minutes yesterday in twilight to check out the pair with the crescent Moon below in my SARD 6x42s.  Gorgeous view and framing!  The sky was that between pink, purple, with a bit of blue mixed in, the Earthshine was nicely seen, and Jupiter and Saturn above, all in perfect focus.

 

I will probably remember that view more than the telescopic one of just Jupiter and Saturn but we will see in a few days....

 

Dave

[Terra Nova]

Still solid clouds here but Monday night looks good!

[GeneDiG]

Monday night looks clear in Baltimore. I'll probably use my Short Tube 80 on an AZ3. I'll also set up my Tasco 999VR on a photo tripod for my sons to use.

[oldmanastro]

I was able to catch this on my cell phone yesterday. The date for the nearest conjunction is around the corner now.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Piggyback]

Great shot! No chance at 50 latitude and constant cloud cover.

[CltFlyboy]

Gotta love 2020. It's typically clear in the winter here in Charlotte. It clouded up and rained yesterday, no chance at the conjunction with the moon. And now the forecast is looking rather poor...

 

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Terra Nova]

Gotta love 2020. It's typically clear in the winter here in Charlotte. It clouded up and rained yesterday, no chance at the conjunction with the moon. And now the forecast is looking rather poor...

The date of the actual conjunction’s minimum separation is December 21st, and you have a clear forecast for the next day. It should still be good Tuesday night.

[CltFlyboy]

The date of the actual conjunction’s minimum separation is December 21st, and you have a clear forecast for the next day. It should still be good Tuesday night.

Oh yes, I know, but the trend leading up scares me. I'm worried how long the rain will stick around and how the skies will be afterwards. If the weather behaves like WX should then it will get severe clear afterwards. I'm hoping for the best for sure. I just wish I could get some time in before then getting my rig tweaked for photos.