Astro session at ECP after the rain (1 June 2013)

[Mariner]

Finally got a chance to deploy the big one again after so long. The rains yesterday threatened to cancel it again as per previous attempts but perserverance paid off. Had invited the gang to check out my regular site at ECP and Junwei was early and was kind enough to help me unload my gear and move it to the site. Remus and Jeremy joined us at a later time. The skies cleared up and we had a gorgeous view of the Southern and Eastern skies.

I was still truggling to get the iEQ45 mount to work properly and thanks to Jeremy for lending his reticle EP and Remus for guiding how to do basic drift alignment. Somehow managed to get the mount roughly polar aligned. Rough may be too conservative as there was almost no dift when its done. The GOTO performance was the best I've had with the mount so far.

I took the opportunity to test several EPs that I have and a mini-shootout for long focal length EPs:

1) 30mm Widescan-III (2")
2) 40mm UO Konig MK-70 (2")
3) 48mm Vernonscope Brandon (2")


The widescan has bested several other EPs prior to this on my 80mm F/5.8 refractor: 32mm UO Konig (1.25"), 32mm Brandon (1.25"), 28mm Edmund RKE (1.25"), Baader Zoom at 28mm (2"), in terms of overall view. The UO 55mm plossl (2") and the 32mm Televue plossl (1.25") also lost out in the previous shootout on the C9.25.

Again the widescan was the overall winner. The Mk-70 konig was a good performer giving a low power view and the FOV beats that of the 48mm Brandon. All 3 were sharp but the widescan seem to have a wider FOV than the others. Another few more EPs to "retire".

Next was a mini shootout between the 10mm Pentax XW and the 12mm Brandon. On deepsky objects, the XW won handsdown with the FOV and seemingly more details. However, once we turn to Saturn, game over as the Brandon showed its colours. Even at a slightly lower power, Remus and myself oth agreed that the details teased out by the Brandon made it the winner for planetary between the two. I had also brought along my N9T6 for the shootout but in the midst of trying to get the mount aligned and the heavy dew on the corrector plate, I had forgotten about it altogether.

In the midst of all that, I managed to get off a few shots using piggy back mounting and prime focus of M7, M27 and M57 and also Saturn. Yet another step into the AP abyss. Somehow managed to get Remus salivating over the 28mm RKE for that "special effect" view that convinced me to get one.

Hope to have another such session again soon.

[antares2063]

wished i could have stayed longer, the 12mm Brandon on your 9.25" SCT must have been a power combo for saturn (visually)

P.S did you all manage to see Kelvin run by during the marathon?

Regards,
Junwei

[cataclysm]

wished i could have stayed longer, the 12mm Brandon on your 9.25" SCT must have been a power combo for saturn (visually)

P.S did you all manage to see Kelvin run by during the marathon?

Regards,
Junwei

Haha, that was at the turn-around, I reached there at about 2 AM, they could have pack up already. Anyway not the the best state of mind to look out for them lol....

[Mariner]

Nah. Me and remus left around 1am. Think Jeremy lasted longer so he could have been around at that time.