Finally!
Finally!
Despite the fact my binocs are dirty, depite the fact my Dob needs collimating, despite the fact that both neighbors' porch lights were going on and off...I finally got some good time under the stars, tonight!
It was a short stint. Took awhile to get oriented, as it's been something like four months since I've sat at a scope. Darn babies. Darn weather. Darn need to sleep.
Anyway, I started off with M13. It was my first time, and it kinda surprised me when I just aimed in the general spot, glanced through the big 32mm andå‚ang! there it was, all big and globby. Seeing wasn't great, but at higher powers I could make out some graininess. Showed the wife; it was her first time, too.
I then decided to look up the Ring Nebula, and found that pretty quickly too. Seeing was terrible, as it was a straight shot right above my house's roof and under high power there was a lot of waver. Tried it with and without the broadband filter for the heck of it; better without this time. Again, grabbed the wife to show her; I'd seen it before, once, but it was her first time. She had a hard time keeping it focused and centered at high power, and ants kept going at her bare feet (she was standing in the flower gardenæ‚ was huddled in an awkward spot trying to avoid the neighor lights), so she went inside to bed shortly afterwards.
I spent some more time admiring the Ring, then just lay back in a lawn chair and naked-eyed it for awhile. It's a grand universe.
Time 22:30-23:40 EDT
Clouds: clear
Transparency: above average
Seeing: poor
Darkness: complete
Pollution: typical Philly skyglow, plus lots from neighbors until last half hour
--------
Despite the fact my binocs are dirty, depite the fact my Dob needs collimating, despite the fact that both neighbors' porch lights were going on and off...I finally got some good time under the stars, tonight!
It was a short stint. Took awhile to get oriented, as it's been something like four months since I've sat at a scope. Darn babies. Darn weather. Darn need to sleep.
Anyway, I started off with M13. It was my first time, and it kinda surprised me when I just aimed in the general spot, glanced through the big 32mm andå‚ang! there it was, all big and globby. Seeing wasn't great, but at higher powers I could make out some graininess. Showed the wife; it was her first time, too.
I then decided to look up the Ring Nebula, and found that pretty quickly too. Seeing was terrible, as it was a straight shot right above my house's roof and under high power there was a lot of waver. Tried it with and without the broadband filter for the heck of it; better without this time. Again, grabbed the wife to show her; I'd seen it before, once, but it was her first time. She had a hard time keeping it focused and centered at high power, and ants kept going at her bare feet (she was standing in the flower gardenæ‚ was huddled in an awkward spot trying to avoid the neighor lights), so she went inside to bed shortly afterwards.
I spent some more time admiring the Ring, then just lay back in a lawn chair and naked-eyed it for awhile. It's a grand universe.
Time 22:30-23:40 EDT
Clouds: clear
Transparency: above average
Seeing: poor
Darkness: complete
Pollution: typical Philly skyglow, plus lots from neighbors until last half hour
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