Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Dec 12, 2011 5:39:08 GMT -6
Binoiviewer on the C11
Mars & the Moon
12 December 2011
Mars & the Moon
12 December 2011
Been ill with some End Times-like throat cold...too much time in doors and not enough scope time. With clear skies, I took the opportunity to set up the C11 beast before the skies cloud up...and it looks like this week will be rainy...
So, bundled up and with a hacking cough, I venture to set-up outside of the garage to catch me some Moon with the Binoviewers.
Primary test on the C5 a few days ago, the views with the Binoviewer on the C11 was nothing short than spectacular! Bright, sharp and heightened contrast, it was as if orbiting the lunar surface along side Collins. Using two 25mm 1.25" eyepieces pushing 112 magnification, I spent quite a while just exploring the lunar surface with both eyes, after which I popped in the 2x Barlow mini barlow lens, and now with essentially 12.5mm and kicking it at 224 mag, I was now in low orbit. Using the hand controller, I slowly slewed across the surface with no particular place to go...
I included the Skyglow filter, attached to the 2" diagonal in this session and prefer it to just non-filtered observation. Removing it, views appeared..."plain". It adds a bit of nice contrast to the FOV as well and could be from the blocking of the orange glow of the light pollution...
I had neighbors come out and see what I was doing...
And of course, I share the views...no charge.
I also experimented with various combinations of similar eyepieces on the Binoviewer. I discovered that Kellners do not necessarily like to play nice with Plossels. Whereas the Plossel is pretty robust, the Kellner is finicky and wants it it's way or not at all. I had to focus to the Kellner and then adjust the Plossel to it's focus. And also, the Kellners had a small FOV.
I did find an odd couple though....
Popping in a 17.5 Kellner that came with my 60mm shorty refractor and a Celestron Nexstar 17mm, I found that the .5 difference made for a good kick in depth in the lunar surface. Other 25mms that I have had issues with playing with other 25mms.
We continue the lunar views....
After about two hours of chilly observing, I was done. Toes cold and one set of rechargeable batteries drained, I was about to pack up...when I saw Mars, hanging through my leafless trees.
I had to observe it with the Binoviewers.
Now, Mars has never been my favorite planet to observe. Very small disk and detail low, it's mostly a red dot in most scopes. In this observation, I was getting detail - a snow cap and some terrestial markings...
In the Binoviewers...incredible!
The red planet was moving past my branches, dimming and fuzzing, but I did manage to grab some quick pics before packing up. Mars will be targeted again, but earlier - before it hits the trees.
It was a very satisfactory - albeit cold, solo session.
