All observing logs for month 2005-04 (earliest log first).
2005-04-16
| Location: | Billingborough (South Lincolnshire, UK) |
| From: | 2005-04-16 20:20 UT |
| To: | 2005-04-16 21:15 UT |
| Equipment: |
Sky-Watcher Explorer 130M
|
| Notes: |
After a couple of quick sessions with the 130M in the week or so prior this was my first "proper" observing session with the new scope (as in, I took the time to keep notes). First quarter moon. Atmosphere rather unsteady. Dew kept forming on everything and the eyepieces kept misting up whenever I went near them. |
Jupiter
| Time: | 2005-04-16 20:20 UT |
|
Viewed with 10mm eyepiece. Both of the main bands were visible but rather faint. In moments of steady seeing the bands seemed to take on a faint "mottled" appearance. |
Saturn
| Time: | 2005-04-16 20:54 UT |
|
Viewed with 10mm eyepiece plus 2x Barlow. Very obvious seperation between the rings and the planet. Saw a faint hint of the shadow of the rings on the planet and there was an obvious shadow of the planet on the rings. No obvious detail on the planet or in the rings although, in moments of very steady seeing (very rare), I thought I could see a hint of the Cassini Division (although this might have been wishful thinking). |
Mizar in Ursa Major
| Time: | 2005-04-16 21:15 UT |
|
With 10mm eyepiece it was very easy to split Mizar and Zeta Ursae Majoris. |
2005-04-18
| Location: | Billingborough (South Lincolnshire, UK) |
| From: | 2005-04-18 20:30 UT |
| To: | 2005-04-18 21:30 UT (approximate) |
| Equipment: |
Sky-Watcher Explorer 130M
|
| Notes: |
Clear night but the seeing appeared to be quite bad, there also appeared to be a faint mist above. This wasn't a very successful observing session. I appeared to be having trouble getting anything to come into useful focus (most likely the mist I mention above?). Simply had a quick run around the more obvious objects (mostly Jupiter and Saturn) and then packed up. |
2005-04-21
| Location: | Billingborough (South Lincolnshire, UK) |
| From: | 2005-04-21 20:00 UT |
| To: | 2005-04-21 20:30 UT |
| Equipment: |
Sky-Watcher Explorer 130M
|
| Notes: |
93% waxing Moon. My first observing session with the motor drive fitted to the EQ2 mount. What a difference it makes! No more need to play catch-up with anything that I'm viewing. It's so nice to view something, look away from the eyepiece to make notes, and then go back to the eyepiece to find that the object is still there. |
Jupiter
| Time: | 2005-04-21 20:00 UT |
|
Sky still reasonably light but needed to try and catch Jupiter before it disappeared behind the house (garden is on the North side of the house). The two main equatorial bands were easily visible and, as noted in a previous observing log, in moments of very steady seeing they both seem to take on a faint mottled effect. Callisto, Ganymede, Europa and Io all visible (made sketch of their positions). |
Saturn
| Time: | 2005-04-21 20:30 UT |
|
As with a previous observing session the shadows from the rings on the planet and from the planet on the rings are obvious -- this gives the planet a very 3D effect. Again, in moments of very steady seeing I thought I caught a glimpse of the Cassini Division. There's a very obvious "smudging" effect that seems to go away if I use the 10mm with the 2x Barlow. I noticed this in a previous observing session too. I don't think it's a problem with the eyepiece or the 'scope. I'm wondering if it's down to Saturn being very bright in the eyepiece and my eye isn't coping too well with it. Might be time to look into a filter or two. |
