This year I'm hoping to sketch a lot more of the Messier objects list - using the Tal1.
To get me started, I've reworked a couple of my sketches from last years collection.
Also I've added a photo of the Pleiades that I took; I think back in November.
I'll have to dig through my CD's to find the actual date.
I've had Tal1 for nearly two years, and in that time I've not as yet attacked the Messier list with any real conviction.
Over the years I've seen many of the Messier objects through various telescopes, but it will be interesting to see what the mighty Russian reflector is capable of.
With Tal1 as company it will be nice to revisit some of my Messier favourites.
I'm expecting mostly to make sketches of my Messier-Tal1 findings, but sometimes it will be easier just to train our Nikon D50+ 300mm lens onto my intended target.
The picture below of M45 was taken with our 70-300mm telephoto lens.
I wonder if the 300mm lens will capture the Beehive Cluster ?
The Messier Album an observer's handbook.
One book that is indispensible if you're chasing the Messier objects is, The Messier Albuman observer's handbook by John H. Mallas and Evered Kreimer.
John H. Mallas visually observed and sketched the Messier's with a lovely 4" Unitron refractor.
Whilst Evered Kreimer photographed the Messier's with his 12.5 inch Cave reflector...again another beautiful looking instrument.
Between these two astronomers, they managed to produce a beautifully illustrated and informative book.
John H. Mallas's sketches in particular give a wonderful representation of what you will actually see through most small telescopes with the naked eye. Equally Evered Kreimer's black & white photographs are really impressive ...
Most of the photos in this book are black & white.
Although there are 16 pages in the back that contain colour pictures of the Messier objects, from several other amateur astronomers.
In total the volume runs to some 230 pages.
Plus if you look on Amazon, you can pick this up for only only a few pounds.
If I was only allowed one Messier book on my shelf this would be the one.
It was with much sadness on Sunday that I learnt of the passing of Sir Patrick Moore, CBE, FRS, FRAS.
Since the winter of 1976 Patrick Moore has been a constant companion on my astronomical journey.
I must have been about nine years old when I was first allowed to stay up late to watch the Sky at Night.
I was hooked from the first episode.
From the opening title music of Sibelius's At the Castle Gate...the simple studio props, the fascinating interviews, and especially the wonderful enthusiasm and eccentricity of Mr Moore, how could I not be hooked.
Often at the end of an episode Patrick would mention that a newsletter/factsheet was available.
To obtain this A4 information sheet, you simply sent off a stamped addressed envelope to the BBC.
Whenever Patrick mentioned it was newsletter time, I couldn't get to a post box fast enough to send off my SAE.
Back in April of 2005 my wife, our son Jac and I were lucky enough to meet Patrick Moore, at his home in Selsey.
We could not have had a warmer welcome.
He gave me one of his books, which he signed, a gift I will always cherish.
It was a day I will never forget.
RIP Sir Patrick Moore.
For Patrick...
Early this morning Helen and I set out to capture a shot of Mercury, Venus and the crescent Moon.
This is the one of the shots that was taken. It was a beautiful morning, with frost on the ground.
Early this morning I grabbed the Nikon D50, plus a small tripod and headed off for an astro adventure.
I decided to walk to the outskirts of our village to afford myself a better view of Mercury..
From our garden I have no chance of seeing Mercury if it's in the East; there are too many trees and especially too many houses barring any possible view...
After setting up the camera I was lucky enough to capture this image of all three planets..... seconds later some passing clouds snuffed out Mercury's light.
Mercury-Venus-Saturn : 06h:49m
I then moved to a better location, about 200 yards further along.....
Now I had an uninterrupted view towards the East.
The lights of Haverfordwest were twinkling in the distance.
Mercury was once again free of the clouds, and I witnessed a beautiful celestial display of all three planets.... plus my favourite named star... Zubenelgenubi.
Mercury-Zubenelgenubi-Venus-Saturn: 06h:56m UT
There were loads of clouds to the West, but luckily the East was fairly cloud free, at least in the parts of the sky that mattered to my observations....
Last night I tried a bit of afocal photography with my little Hitachi DZHV582E digicam.
I've had this little camera for about 18 months, and in that time I reckon it's been used practically everyday for one thing or another. Mostly it's used to capture my solar pictures and videos.
If you ever see one of these little cameras.. .grab it... it's ideal for afocal photography.
Well worth the intial £40 I paid for it.
Capturing the Jovian Light...
I trained the Tal1 onto Jupiter and placed the 25mm plossl plus x3 Barlow in the focuser.
This gave me a magnification of x96, anymore and the image started to degrade.
I then simply placed the camera over the eyepiece (afocal method) and over exposed the shot to capture the Jovian moons
As many amateurs know, by exposing for the satellites I completely washed out any detail in the actual planet - as you can see in this picture.
Over Exposed
I then under exposed the next shot to capture the detail in the planet as shown here.
Under Exposed
After some copy/paste and a bit of further tweaking, I managed to secure this final image.
Now that I've figured out the camera and photoshop settings, I will be able to log many more Jupiter images on this blog.
Musings on the perfect planetary reflector:
Jupiter has always been a difficult planet to view and photograph with my small Tal1 telescope.
But considering the size of the Tal1 main mirror (110mm) I'm not going to complain.
For many years I've wondered about making a small planetary-only reflector.
Much has been written about the merits of a 6 inch f12 spherical mirror reflector.
Many say this type of telescope would be ideal for planetary work.
Plus a spherical mirror would hopefully be easier to produce with these Welsh hands.
Mr Herschel's 6 .2 inch/f13 reflector
I've a mind to try making a 6 inch f12 reflector.
I've read that Sir William Herschel made, and favoured a 6.2 inch f13 reflector.
If it was good enough for Mr Herschel, then it's good enough for me.
Venus and the crescent Moon looked stunning this morning....
I really enjoy the early mornings of Pembrokeshire's October and November, they seem to have more than their fair share of clear skies.
I've noticed that over the last six years; no matter how bad the weather may be the night before, there's a good chance of being cloud free in the hour just before the dawn.
Often in the months of October and November I have been lulled to sleep courtesy of a howling Atlantic South Westerly storm; only to wake at around 5.00 am to the sight of starlight.
Usually after about a hour the clouds roll in....... and once again the Atlantic bellows....
So for the next two months I will be looking for that early morning window of starlit opportunity...
Fingers crossed.....
This evening's viewing log:
I didn't expect the stars to be out tonight...... I was wrong.... :0)
Straight into the observatory...roll back the roof and time to chase a couple of Messiers.
I've been meaning to catalogue the Messier list, in a series of sketches.
Tonight I was able to add two to the list....
M71 was first on the list,. it took me a little while to find it as I was distracted by nearby Gamma Delphinus.
Gamma Delphinus is one of my favourites; a beautiful lemon and lime green double...well worth a look.
Tonight though, the seeing wasn't up to much, and poor old Gamma Delphinus looked a bit washed out.
In fact tonight's star views were pretty awful... though the two globulars I sketched stood out quite well considering....
Two sketches completed, only another 107 to go.... !!!
