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Post by markdj on Oct 6, 2004 18:45:32 GMT
Forecast for tonight looks fairly good. Anyone interested in some observing? North Down? Most cloud to be in the north of Ulster. I will probably just observe as there's a bit of wind about still though there are to be light winds where it is clear.
Friday will be the next clear night.
Mark
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Post by paulevans on Oct 7, 2004 11:16:10 GMT
I managed to spend a short while observing before the clouds came over from the west. Got a look at M31 and M45 through my binoculars and saw a clear Milky Way right the way through Cassiopeia and Cygnus. Pegasus and Andromeda are particularly well placed from my back garden this time of year.
Can't wait to get my Meade back, and I also have an equatorial mount for astrophotography on order which should be fun!
Clear skies!
P.
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Post by markdj on Oct 7, 2004 11:58:36 GMT
What type of mount is it?
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Post by paulevans on Oct 7, 2004 12:05:12 GMT
EQ1 and Astrotrack motor drive. Sits on top of my fairly substantial camera tripod. Should be fun!
P.
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Post by Aaron on Oct 7, 2004 15:33:47 GMT
Dont think i'll be able to make it to the observing, I got some work to do tonight. Where you observing from?
Aaron
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Post by markdj on Oct 7, 2004 18:11:44 GMT
Probably just Comber here, might have a go down the road a bit into the green Sky looking hopeful... M
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Post by markdj on Oct 8, 2004 10:28:22 GMT
I'll be out again tonight if anyone's interested in observing?
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Post by Martin Mc kenna on Oct 8, 2004 13:13:15 GMT
Hi Mark! Did you get much observing done? The last 3 nights have been crystal clear from my location and looks like it will continue to be for the next day or two. A v shaped formation of geese flew over my head last night while i was observing, there bellys and wings glowed a golden colour by reflected lights..lovely sight. My neighbours have left there backyard light on again..all night! anybody got a rifle? LOL
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Post by markdj on Oct 8, 2004 13:28:29 GMT
I hope you need the rifle for the light and not the geese!!!
Wednesday night turned out cloudy though it was clear during the day. Thursday night until about 10pm was quite good, the milky way was just visible and I was star hopping round the sky. I used the Orion ED80mm with the Vixen GP mount. My clutch isn't working on the RA axis so I will have to have a look at that. It just doesn't seem to tighten up and the tracking doesn't work. Maybe I just need a new washer?
I searched for M57 last night but just could not find it. Using a 32mm eyepiece with the f/7.5, the FOV should have been quite wide - maybe too wide. As you can see from the Skat@Night page, astronomical darkness is around 9pm BST and getting earlier each night. Maybe Lyra was just too much over towards Belfast.
Observed Andromeda, Perseus Double, Albireo and Epsilon Lyrae double double. I may get a chance tonight to see if I can split the double double :-)
Clear Skies
MarkDJ
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Post by Martin Mc kenna on Oct 12, 2004 14:22:35 GMT
The rifle was definitely for the lights though the neighbours have been good lately so i may not need it after all. Friday was a fantastic night. Done pretty much an all night session. I sent the details to John. The trans was excellent, with the naked eye i could see the dark rift in Cygnus, M13 and M33! Observed lots of deep sky objects with the 16" and observed the planets in the morning sky with the Meade 8" LX10 at 264X, there is a definite increase in meteor activity lately. I plan to try and observe the asteroid occultation on Thurs night clear skies permitting? Clear skies!
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Post by johnmc9929 on Oct 12, 2004 15:45:55 GMT
Sounds like you fellas had a great night! Will have to get a look through this 16" sometime and compare it to my ETX90? ;D
Johnmc.
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Post by Martin Mc kenna on Oct 14, 2004 9:53:45 GMT
Yea it was a great night John but the weather has been poor lately with mist, clouds and if it did clear then the trans was very poor, i could not sweep up M94 or M51 due to dense mist last night. I did spot the triangular formation of satellites as it drifted very slowly across the zenith, it was a lovely sight, havent seen it in ages. Some nice meteors where seen too. While i was observing last night many fire works where exploding in the sky around me, one exploded perfectly at the centre of my FOV which completely destroyed my dark adaption...GGRR!! I also have a Meade ETX which i use for solar observations every day, a couple of days ago the sun had no spots visible at all..first time i seen this. The last time the sun was blank was Jan 98 i believe. Sky isnt looking good for the asteroid occultation tonight but good luck to everyone else!...Clear Skies!
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