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Post by Peterj on Dec 1, 2020 15:27:49 GMT
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Post by kdcintx on Dec 1, 2020 16:44:24 GMT
Thanks Peter for keeping us informed. I will be watching as they get closer together.
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Post by BuckSkin on Dec 1, 2020 18:52:42 GMT
This is the closest they been in almost 400 Years. I remember that; we had some really weird weather that year. Thanks for the info. |
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pontiac1940
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Post by pontiac1940 on Dec 1, 2020 19:27:40 GMT
" ... in almost 400 Years." I remember that; we had some really weird weather that year.HA HA HA! Thanks for the tip Peter. Clive |
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Post by Peterj on Dec 5, 2020 22:24:27 GMT
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Post by Peterj on Dec 11, 2020 23:17:18 GMT
For those of you who'd like to view or photograph I find the free application "Stellarium" extremely helpful Below screen grab is from Tucson as a base
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Post by Peterj on Dec 13, 2020 22:14:01 GMT
Last night (12/12) I used my spotting scope and was able to view moons of Jupiter. Tonight I plan on attempting to see Saturn's rings. Next challenge is to use my iPhone 11pro coupled with the scope.
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Post by BuckSkin on Dec 14, 2020 6:53:41 GMT
Last night (12/12) I used my spotting scope and was able to view moons of Jupiter. Tonight I plan on attempting to see Saturn's rings. Next challenge is to use my iPhone 11pro coupled with the scope. I've no experience whatsoever, but I bet the phone will pretty much capture what you can see through the scope. I was recently watching a camera instructional video and the guy said he was going to use his phone to show what we should be seeing in the view-finder;--- I thought "No Way" ---, and the phone showed the view as clear as if I were holding it to my own eye --- maybe even better. |
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Post by Peterj on Dec 14, 2020 18:23:59 GMT
... I was recently watching a camera instructional video and the guy said he was going to use his phone to show what we should be seeing in the view-finder;--- I thought "No Way" ---, and the phone showed the view as clear as if I were holding it to my own eye --- maybe even better. Using a camera to take pictures of the image in an eyepiece (telescope, spotting scope, binoculars, microscope) is called afocal photography; another term often associated is digiscoping (most often for birding). One complexity is keeping the smartphone aligned with the eyepiece. Many devices are available; I found this on Amazon to couple an iPhone to a spotting scope. Results I've obtained in day light and moon captures are pretty decent.
Duck quite some distance away was captured with iPhone 5s coupled to spotting scope
Full Moon with hazy sky captured with iPhone 11pro coupled to spotting scope
Another complexity is attempting to find and correctly expose stars and planets. Without the phone attached I was able to see 4 of Jupiter's moons; I need to adjust the iPhone's camera manually and attach it to the scope without moving the scope (yea right). I certainly need to practice this. Stay tuned.
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Post by BuckSkin on Dec 14, 2020 19:50:38 GMT
I would assume that when you put the phone to the eyepiece that you cannot see through it at the same time ?
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Post by Peterj on Dec 14, 2020 20:12:29 GMT
I would assume that when you put the phone to the eyepiece that you cannot see through it at the same time ? Correct, the phone's screen is your view point. |
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pontiac1940
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Post by pontiac1940 on Dec 15, 2020 18:37:41 GMT
Can't resist posting this funny that was posted in "my" aurora page.   |
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Post by Peterj on Dec 17, 2020 18:55:42 GMT
Last night's close to conjunction with a setting crescent moon
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Post by BuckSkin on Dec 22, 2020 6:44:26 GMT
I Googled which way to look for my area and went out earlier tonight to see if I could spot this collision of the planets.
It was black as pitch, yet the half-moon was brighter than most full moons I have seen.
The sky was dingy and sort of overcast; and, to help my experience, the neighbors between me and the planets have had this huge brush-pile in their front yard for at least two years, constantly adding to it from the constant wind damage we get to trees around here, and they picked tonight of all nights to set it afire; heavy white smoke filled the sky.
I did see two really bright circles, a bit above and to the South-West of the moon; one circle a bit smaller than the other.
As they were the only things I could see, other than the moon, I decided they might possibly be the planets.
I had two pair of binoculars, 7x35 and 20x50.
I could find and kind of see the suspected planets with the 7x35s, but I could never find them with the 20x50s.
The thought never occured to get the .30-06 with the 4x12 Leupold and see what I could see with it; I usually don't have the trouble finding what I am seeing with it.
The wind was blowing an absolute "hunnerd" miles per hour (I have never heard a soul pronounce in "hundred", everybody says "hunnerd") ; so, even though I have a real tripod, the SLIK 700DX, not one of these flimsy carbon fiber back-packer toys, seeing or getting any kind of shot with a DSLR and 500mm lens was out of the question.
The wind was blowing so hard straight into my face that my eyes were watering; and, by the time I got back inside, they were burning and itching; of course, the thick heavy smoke from the neighbor's brush fire could have contributed heavily to that.
I must say though, by comparing what I did see with Peter's 17th Dec. photo, if you shifted the two bright dots just to the left of the moon, it would look like what I saw.
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pontiac1940
CE Members
Posts: 6,362
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by pontiac1940 on Dec 22, 2020 21:09:50 GMT
Remember this? Wicked snow storm here so you know what we saw. Don't you hate when the news reports say, "We won't see this event again for 20 years." (.. or 30 or 40 years) knowing full well a lot of us will be elsewhere by then.   |
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