Astronomy thread/Kìng a teri tanhìyä tìftia

[BlueHusky2154]

Holy ikran, that's sad.

Going to be completely honest and truthful. People in my area aren't exactly the brightest.
But hey, there's always the next eclipse.

[Toliman]

But hey, there's always the next eclipse.

Next lunar eclipse will be at 27th July and will be visible for me

[BlueHusky2154]

Take pictures, I won't be able to see that one!

[Toliman]

Take pictures, I won't be able to see that one!

I will try ... if sky will be clear.

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

I hope it will be, ma Toliman.

I remember the September 2015 lunar eclipse that I traveled to Florida to see. The skies clouded over just as the umbral phase started. But just after totality started, the skies cleared for about 20 minutes, and we got to see the best part. 20 minutes later, it was pouring rain! I hope you don't need a miracle like that, but thankfully, they do occur.

[Toliman]

Yeah, I hope too.

Weather can be sometimes very surprising...

[Vawmataw]

I hope it will be, ma Toliman.

I remember the September 2015 lunar eclipse that I traveled to Florida to see. The skies clouded over just as the umbral phase started. But just after totality started, the skies cleared for about 20 minutes, and we got to see the best part. 20 minutes later, it was pouring rain! I hope you don't need a miracle like that, but thankfully, they do occur.

Geez, the weather is too changing over there.
I had clear skies from the beginning to the end.

[Toliman]

Such variable weather is here common too (especially during spring and summer).

[Toliman]

I observed sun doday afternoon (sky was clear after long time) and I saw two sunspots (also after longer time).
Hmm ... maybe little observation tonight?

I hope that sky will be finally clear in time arround new moon.

[Toliman]

Hmm ... maybe little observation tonight?

And observation was done yesterday evening.

But it was only short, because sky conditions were not good. Yesterday evening sky was clear, but clouds came soon.
I just saw M43+43, few bright winter open clusters (in Gemini and Auriga) and Castor tripple star.

[Toliman]

Sky was clear during one hour after midnight tonight(except this one hour sky was partly cloudy tonight) so I shortly observed some deepsky.

I observed some galaxies in Leo, Ursa Major and Canes Venatici (mainly Messier's galaxies), some clusters in Auriga and Gemini (especially M36-38 and M35) and globular clusters M3 and NGC2419 Intergalactic Wanderer.

Air was quite frosty but it was quite nice observation.

[BlueHusky2154]

Last night was clear, but windy. My tracking did not do well in the wind.
Tonight it is warmer, but overcast and snowing.

[Toliman]

Tonight it is warmer, but overcast and snowing.

Night was cloudy but today morning was sunny (and frosty...) however forecast for next night is nit good too...

Btw, do you consider about Messier Marathon at March around time of new moon?

[BlueHusky2154]

Probably. It will be warmer by then. I'll identify them visually instead of photographically. I'm still new to operating the single axis motor on my equatorial mount.

[Toliman]

I'll identify them visually instead of photographically.

Yeah, it's right way for clasical Messier Marathon.

Previous years I tried with my friends interesting version of Messier Marathon - finding of all Messiers by heart, without star charts.

[BlueHusky2154]

I went out tonight, and briefly observed M42, M44, M45, and various open clusters along the plane of the Milky Way.

[Toliman]

Nice!



Snow instead stars tonight here...
But after morning, clouds went away and now is clear sky. I hope that evening will be clear too.

So I shortly observed Sun (through telescope with solar filter)- there was only one little sunspot but nice solar granulation was visible.

[Toliman]

I hope that evening will be clear too.

And sky was clear for several hours after sunset tonight

I observed Orion and Rosette nebulae (both nice), many open clusters in Monoceros, Canis Major and Puppis, few galaxies in Ursa Major and globular cluster M3.

Interesting were: dust lines in galaxy M82, two next stars in Trapezium multiple star and many details in Orion Nebula through UHC.

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

We had a frosty night of astronomy Friday night February 16. This was our monthly private club members' night. Due to the cold, and being a Friday night, we had a smaller turnout than usual.

My 16 inch 'scope failed on me. The secondary mirror assembly became loose, and the 'scope wouldn't hold collimation. So, it was quickly packed up, and I spent my time working with two other club members on the club's 24 inch 'scope.

We looked at M42, the Rosette nebula, NGC 891, M81/82 and a bunch of random galaxies. One of these was NGC 3239, an interesting galaxy in Leo. We had a tough time seeing it at all, and I'm not sure I even saw it. This is one I will try again. While in Leo, we also looked at M105, M95 and M96, all of which are very close to each other. M105, especially, was grand, and all three galaxies that make it up were clearly visible. We concluded the night with a good, long look at M37, which a number of folks in the club (myself included) thiunk is the best of the three Auriga star clusters.

The 16 inch 'scope is back in the shop, where I will have to disassemble the secondary mirror holder, and fix the support bolt so it can't turn. Then, there is a whole procedure for aligning the spider, the focuser and the secondary mirror assembly for best orthogonality and collimation. I suspect, when this is done, this 'scope will hold collimation much better.

[Toliman]

Sky is here almost clear but sky contitions are not good. Despite this I tried short observation but sky conditions were really not good too so I observed only Double Cluster and few double stars (Castor, Algieba + few less bright).

We concluded the night with a good, long look at M37, which a number of folks in the club (myself included) thiunk is the best of the three Auriga star clusters.

Yeah, M37 is really great cluster

I hope that your 16inch telescope will be back soon