Second Night Out - Dark Sky and Freezing to Death
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2023 10:43 pm
I took the club loaner scope to central Wisconsin and viewed the heavens from the family farm, something I've dreamed about doing for years. The skies were very dark with a lot to view. I set the Celestron 8SE up, aligned to two stars, and viewed planets while experimenting with the 2X Barlow lens and various Plossl lenses. The results were fun and interesting. I saw the moon of course, then Jupiter, and I was most delighted to see Saturn! It was amazing! I was surprised the planet size was so small. I am still learning about magnification. Because of my inexperience with aligning the telescope with two stars, I wasn't able to take advantage of the higher magnification of 8 or 13 mm lens, sticking with the 25 mm Plossl because I couldn't find the planets with the higher magnification.
While being blown away with the view of Saturn, I was struggling a bit with focusing the 8SE. I'd turn the focus control and the view would jiggle for several seconds under it settled down. Somewhat difficult to fine tune the focus. Is this normal?
When viewing planets, what lenses or magnification do you use to yield the largest size? I went nuts and used the 2X Barlow with a 9 mm lens, and couldn't find Saturn.
I was impressed with the scope's ability to track Saturn over on hour. I was freezing to death, and went inside to warm up and eat dinner, then came outside, and by golly, the scope with still tracking Saturn just fine.
Several people asked me what I was planning to do with astronomy long term, I didn't know. I think long term I would like to work with astrophotography and capture larger imagines of what I'm seeing, with greater detail and color.
I have a friend in Florida who sends me photos of the heavens with his 8" scope, and I'm blown away at the colors and the beauty of heavenly objects that would never be seen with the scope and live eye. This is inspiring to me.
The temperature was in the low 20's. I would have stayed out later to view the cosmos beyond planets, but I was too cold. I WILL implement cold weather gear, scarf, hat, gloves with hand warmers for the next viewing. I was bummed to go inside but my fingers were hurting from the cold. So you astronomers do alot of winter gazing or is it more of a Spring, Summer, Fall hobby?
Seeing Saturn was exhilarating! Regards, ScottF
While being blown away with the view of Saturn, I was struggling a bit with focusing the 8SE. I'd turn the focus control and the view would jiggle for several seconds under it settled down. Somewhat difficult to fine tune the focus. Is this normal?
When viewing planets, what lenses or magnification do you use to yield the largest size? I went nuts and used the 2X Barlow with a 9 mm lens, and couldn't find Saturn.
I was impressed with the scope's ability to track Saturn over on hour. I was freezing to death, and went inside to warm up and eat dinner, then came outside, and by golly, the scope with still tracking Saturn just fine.
Several people asked me what I was planning to do with astronomy long term, I didn't know. I think long term I would like to work with astrophotography and capture larger imagines of what I'm seeing, with greater detail and color.
I have a friend in Florida who sends me photos of the heavens with his 8" scope, and I'm blown away at the colors and the beauty of heavenly objects that would never be seen with the scope and live eye. This is inspiring to me.
The temperature was in the low 20's. I would have stayed out later to view the cosmos beyond planets, but I was too cold. I WILL implement cold weather gear, scarf, hat, gloves with hand warmers for the next viewing. I was bummed to go inside but my fingers were hurting from the cold. So you astronomers do alot of winter gazing or is it more of a Spring, Summer, Fall hobby?
Seeing Saturn was exhilarating! Regards, ScottF