Astrophotography Challenges for July 2008

[Mike]

OK I know the weather forecast isn't looking great but don't forget that tonight and tomorrow are the dates for the Jupiter challange.

[Carole]

I have it in my diary, fingers crossed for clear skies.

Carole

[Carole]

Back to the thread.  I looked on Starry Night and tonight seemed to be the closest to Mike's alignment challenge, so telescope set up hours ago, rain covers on at around 8pm.  10.30 Jupiter has risen, but is disappearing behind that tree, so I'll wait for another 1/2 - 3/4 hour so it's also a bit higher and past the tree.

Duhhh!! Clouds. 

It's now 1.12am and no sign of them clearing. 

Going to bed!!!

Carole

[Fay]

That sounds like a typical nights viewing Carole!!

[MarkS]

Well done for trying.  Astronomy is like that ...

I did the same for the lunar eclipse in February - set up all my equipment and then went to bed to get up at the required time.  Guess what?  Solid cloud ...

[Ian]

right. went out to take a pic of Jupiter.

Tree's have grown, so can't see if from my observing position.

Made a drawing.

Translated to ASCII art...

.
         .      ..  O    .

My first hand drawing of an observation that is.

[Ian]

Sorry, I should label my drawing.

Star
      Callisto Ganymede Europa Jupiter Io

Instrument, Mark I eye ball (slightly used, optics a bit squiffy), 15x70 binoculars, mount two tired forearms.

The star is a little hard to make out, but could be mistaken as a fifth galilean moon

[MarkS]

This innovative and unique piece of work ought to be O.A.S. image of the month!

[Carole]

Ian, that is very amusing. 

eye ball (slightly used

mount two tired forearms

It's no wonder the star was so faint as I think (from memory) is was a magnitude 12 (or thereabouts), I can't even see the moons with binoculars let alone such a faint star, but mine aren't as strong as yours, 8 x 40 or 10 x 50 or something.

Well done.

Carole

[Mike]

Even with a low magnification pair of binos the moons should be very clearly visible. Unless you have atrocious light pollution.

[Carole]

I often can't see things that others can see so maybe it's my eyesight. 

i.e. I have never seen Andromeda with the naked eye at DSC when others can.

I do wear monovision contact lenses so in actual fact am only seeing distant things with my right eye (my left lens is for reading).

In all other respects it is not a problem, it would be more of a problem to wear both lenses for distance because then I would have to have reading glasses over the top which as far as I am concerned defeats the object of wearing contact lenses.

Carole

[Carole]

Yes, it could also be light pollution as I can't see much below mag 3.96 on a good night (with the naked eye). 

Carole

[Ian]

The star I observed and painstakingly drew was alot brighter than mag12, I don't think you'd mistake a mag12 star for moon of Jupiter. Just taken a look on Cartes Du Ciel and the star I saw is listed as mag 7.9 which isn't too bad for binoculars.

The moons are tricky with 10x50 but the 15x70 make them dead easy. I was resting on the roof of my observatory though. I've observed Saturn's rings with both as well, although to be fair, a certain amount of imagination is required using the 10x50s.

[Carole]

Sorry I don't have my references when I reply from work, I just remembered it being a faint star.  It might well have been 7.9 mg, actually now your have said it, that does ring a bell now ( I had looked it up on Starry Night and zoomed in).

I don't think I've seen Saturn's rings with the binoculars either. 

My binoculars were bought for birdwatching (another of my hobbies) rather than Astronomy, so it's not surprising really. 

Carole

[Fay]

Ian I like your sense of humour, very funny!

By observatory, do you mean that dustbin that covers the mount?