Short Observation Session: 10 June 2004

[weixing]

Hi,
The sky suddenly become quite clear at 20:30... so I decided to have a short observation with my quick setup. My quick setup was design to carry my Celestron Short Tube 80mm refractor, but since my 5" MCT haven't seen any star light for quite some time, I decided to put my setup to the test. Below are the images of my quick setup with my 5" MCT:

Before Setup


Ready for action


The camera tripod with the Vixen Fine Adjustment Unit DX manage to take the 5" MCT load, but navigating the sky was quite difficult, especially near the zenith.... it should be fine if I used on the 80mm refractor.

Anyway, the sky was quite clear especially after 22:00. I start off my observation session from the jewel box, omega centauri( one of my favorites), M7 (can't see the whole cluster with my MCT), M6, M22, M8, M21 and finally I was "glue" to M20.

Unlike M8 (Lagoon Nebula) which only appear slightly nebulosity, M20 was quite prominent after I put my Anti-Light Pollution filter (or broadband filter) on and use averted vision. I remember that I can't see any nebulosity of M20 using the same 5" MCT, same Anti-Light Pollution filter and similar magnification under similar sky condition at the same observation site last year, but now I can clearly see the "trifid" of M20. May be my observation skill had improve a lots or may be it the Pentax XL eyepiece....

Also, M20 was great for training averted vision and I found out that the averted vision work best for me when I look at bottom right or top right of the intended object.

Too bad, got an appointment next morning, so cannot observe late... what a waste... Hope that tomorrow night can be as clear as tonight... I wonder how M20 looks in my 6" F5 Newtonian...

Have a nice day.

[Airconvent]

Hi Weixing,
Again you had another goodnight...now why can't you stay near me??
Anyway, I like your setup with the table and chair. How much do they cost and where did you buy them. The table can be folded and its the right size and height for referring when looking into the scope...great!
Yes, trifid is normally quite an interesting object, even in Singapore.
It looks great in Mersing! Took a peek at the ring and the dumbbell?
the broad band filter should be able to help for the dumbell...

rich

[starfirez]

i was also gazing yesterday in my house, luckily my living room's view is quite good with no high rise building blocking (open out to TPE). i was trying my barlow yesterday and realise image of jupiter has sort of like water-flow-through effect that i've nv noticed before. today i try again on some flats quite far away and it is even clearer than before. i've no idea why is it like that. is it because of air turbulence or something like that?

[weixing]

Hi,
Yes... it is what we call the "under-water" effect ha ha ha... and is cause by air turbulence. It can seen on planet and moon when the air turbulence is bad at mid to high magnification.

Have a nice day.