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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 10, 2012 1:38:04 GMT -5
Hi All..... As the year coming to an end, and another one more week is also Leonid showers, follow by Jupiter opposition in early December.... As usual, my astronomy friend, is planning for 2 talks, at the local library area again, and it will be followed by a night lunar and Jupiter gazing session.... Although next weekend 1st talk cum obs is also same day as Leonid showers, we do not expect to see any, at the heavily light polluted area..... And this time round, to add more interest to the general public, if the afternoon weather is sunny, we may include solar observation as well.... Today I also just received my two and a half week of waiting for the Lunt 1.25" solar wedge , shipped directly from APM, Germany.... So this solar wedge will be great for the Solar observation, and understand from the CN, may need to stop down the aperture to 6" or even lower....as the heat generated may generate smokes..... And hopefully my 8" ISTAR can go well with the new solar wedge.....for the coming 2 planned events..... Regards James Ling Attachments:
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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 12, 2012 20:33:25 GMT -5
Hi All.... This is the talk for this coming Saturday at our local library conducted by my astro friends.....(photo attachment) Hopefully can see the 8" ISTAR in action again with my new Lunt solar wedge purchased directly from APM....(if the weather is sunny and not cloudy in this coming Saturday) Regards James Ling Attachments:
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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 16, 2012 20:34:04 GMT -5
Hi All... Today is the 1st of the two planned astronomy talk cum solar and night gazing at our local library area..... Everything is prepared, and just hoping the weather stays sunny in the day and not cloudy in the night..... The 8" Istar main object in the afternoon will be the Sun , and night time will be Jupiter.....and the crescent moon...... Regards James Ling Attachments:
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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 17, 2012 23:44:28 GMT -5
Hi All....... This is a brief report on yesterday 1st talk cum astro gazing at our local library ..... Morning weather is so good that I started to pack everything into my car, at 1pm, planning to set off at 3pm.... Targeting to setup the Istar for solar obs with my new lunt solar wedge around 4.30pm.... But unfortunately, the heavy clouds start to appear at 2pm, and the heavy downpour didn't stop until 6pm.... The rain has not stopped completely, but I still want to support my astro friend, Gary's talk at 7pm.... So I set off from my house with the car fully loaded with the Istar for the talk.... I am late for the talk, as an accident along the highway which I am traveling delayed the journey by another half an hour.... The astro talk is well prepared by my friend, with videos supplementing the topics that he is covering from the Sun, moon, Saturn and Jupiter, to DSO such as M31, M42 and M45...., a total of 10 objects that can be observed in our city country.... After the talk, is already 9pm, and a quick look outside the local library, still cannot spot either Jupiter or any bright star? As such, we went for a break at the nearby McDonalds.... At 10pm, after I stepped out from McDonalds, I can see both Jupiter and Aldebaran about 30 deg above the horizon.... So our group decided to proceed to setup the ISTAR for some observation before caloing it a day.... As my car is parked some distance away form the library area, as such I need to drive my car to the obs area, unload my stuff, and park the car back in the designated area, so as to avoid fine.... By the time, the scope is setup, is almost 11pm... Pls refer to following photo....which I setting up the Istar at Jupiter.... And imagine already 11pm, still have around 20 people willing to wait to see through this giant ISTAR.... Regards James Ling Attachments:
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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 18, 2012 0:08:14 GMT -5
Hi All.... At 11pm, Jupiter which is still quite low, the max power I use to put it for public viewing is 225X using my Baader zoom ep at 8mm .... The observed view of Jupiter and its 4 moons is showing very fine cloud bands, and the cool weather after the heavy downpour really helps.... As the crowds is not like our usual side walk, we have plenty of time to allow them to use their hand pone to snap photo of Jupiter and its 4 moons.... This photo shows at around 12.30am, there are still more than 10 people from the public staying back just coz of Jupiter and they even stayed until 1.30am, when we told them that the GRS will start to appear around 1am.... Regards James Ling Attachments:
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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 18, 2012 0:16:26 GMT -5
Hi all... This is another photo taken, when is close to 1am, and Jupiter is quite high now, and I add in a barlow to my baader zoom ep, but max setting is at 12mm, for the highest mag or 300X for our visual.... and photo snapping... Regards James Ling Attachments:
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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 18, 2012 0:50:21 GMT -5
Hi All.... After I made numerous report on the Istar side walk, whereby I know very well how the Istar performs, and it will never disappoint me, but tonight I have something new that I have never seen with this Istar, for the past 2 years... 1. Jupiter GRS through the 8" Istar.... With so many numerous occasions, I put up the Istar, I have never get the chance to see the GRS, until tonight when at our region, GMT + 8, is visible around 1.30am..... We waited, and by 1am, we can see the south equatorial belt region cloud band become discontinue at the edge.....and by 1.30am, when the full GRS is visible in view, from the edge, I can only make a comment that is very distinct, and clearly defined (unfortunately I forgot to bring my 82A filter, but I use the green filter instead), a very big and oval shape that stuck to the cloud band..... 2. Thetia Orionis Trapezium In this heavily light polluted city, is very difficult to see the fuzzy patch M42.... But tonight, in between Jupiter visual viewing, I showed the small crowds, M42, which I use the 9X finder to spot it..... In the visual view of M42, the gas clouds is not very highly structured visually unless you ae in a dark area....like the Punggai chalet which i always travel with the university students... And the trapezium as usual is the main topic to explain where the gas clouds covers..... But tonight something special is being spotted.... First is my astro friend saying that he spotted star E.....which is in between trapezium star A and B.... When I look through the eye piece again, not only I can clearly see the very tiny star E , but also another star F, lying below trapezium star C. Although both star E and F are at mag 10+, I have never seen it with any of my scopes, although I heard about it.... I even failed to locate them , every time I went to Punggai resort... And this time, is located in a very heavily light polluted city..... I am very sure the cool weather really plays the part.... Below is a dwg showing the trapezium stars in M42... REgards James Ling Attachments:
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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 18, 2012 0:59:13 GMT -5
Hi all.... Lastly I hope all of you enjoy this brief report that I have almost fail to provide , coz yesterday due to the heavy downpour , and would very much like to hear your comments, coz I believe most of you are much more experienced in astronomy than me.... And one last photo to end my lengthy report, hahaha... Regards James Ling Attachments:
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paulci
Junior Member
Posts: 20
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Post by paulci on Nov 18, 2012 12:28:31 GMT -5
Hi James,
Many thanks for your comentary and findings of your observing sessions with the Istar 8".
It has been very valuable for me to hear your experiences of the scope as I have purchased one of these 8" F9 lens with view to construct my own tube around it.
Like you, I am waiting patiently for the raycorr's to be introduced. I'm hoping that this will make the scope a serious planetary instrument but give me a couple more inches aperture than my 6" apo.
Keep posting your reports. Great job!
Thanks
Paul
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Post by jamesling1000 on Nov 19, 2012 1:44:00 GMT -5
Hi Paul....
Great to hear that you have already purchased the 8" F9 lens cell, so as to construct the OTA yourself.....
Although you can use as light as possible the material to construct your OTA, and even use lighter mounting rings and dovetail, to mount the OTA onto any equatorial mount , but I think the complete OTA plus mtg rings and dovetail , and all the accessories, will exceed 60 lbs....
Mine which is 70 lbs , exceeded my losmandy G11 capacity, but I am still happily using it , as I did not encounter any major problem now...
after i reduce the slew and goto speed by 50%...
And definitely all the Istar owners will be very happy when the raycorr is out next year, as it transforms all Istar owners achromat to semi / ED APO standard.....or even near to APO std....
REgards
James Ling
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Post by bn1777 on Dec 24, 2012 23:27:53 GMT -5
;D Hi again James , woaw ! I to have one of these Lunt Hershell wedges and they are great ! , I used mine just this morning on my Tak FS60C before heading out , they give a sweet image of the sun , better than any full aperture filter I have ever owned , Will be good in an Istar like yours . Clear skies mate . Brian. Hi All..... As the year coming to an end, and another one more week is also Leonid showers, follow by Jupiter opposition in early December.... As usual, my astronomy friend, is planning for 2 talks, at the local library area again, and it will be followed by a night lunar and Jupiter gazing session.... Although next weekend 1st talk cum obs is also same day as Leonid showers, we do not expect to see any, at the heavily light polluted area..... And this time round, to add more interest to the general public, if the afternoon weather is sunny, we may include solar observation as well.... Today I also just received my two and a half week of waiting for the Lunt 1.25" solar wedge , shipped directly from APM, Germany.... So this solar wedge will be great for the Solar observation, and understand from the CN, may need to stop down the aperture to 6" or even lower....as the heat generated may generate smokes..... And hopefully my 8" ISTAR can go well with the new solar wedge.....for the coming 2 planned events..... Regards James Ling |
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Post by jamesling1000 on Dec 25, 2012 0:38:15 GMT -5
Hi Brian....
Looks like you are going to start posting and very soon you will be the champion for having the highest number of posting.....
Yes, I never regret buying the Lunt Solar wedge, as the contrast of the Sun through my C6R F8 is very nice.....
Unfortunately I still did not use it onto my 8" Istar, as the APM ED APO arrives during this period of time.....
But come to 2013 , I am very sure I will be using the 8" Istar again , as I already start working on a plan to improve on its planetary performance.......
Regards
James Ling
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Post by bn1777 on Dec 25, 2012 1:05:26 GMT -5
Looking forward to a review there James ......
Mate the light pollution where you do out reach is horrendous , looking at the photos ?
Good onya tho Mate , great to see .
Brian.
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