Time: 2100 CST to 0030 CST
Equipment: Celestron Ultima 8 PEC
Power Range: 76x to 160x
Transparency: good
Seeing: good at first but changed to average later on in observing session.
Setup the scope on the roof access area tonight again. Either its the area, or just blessed with some very good transparency and seeing, but I have been able to see detail on Jupiter for the second time here at the new house!
Started observing right at dusk. Used 160x mag. Nice detail in the N and S Equatorial belts, as well as the NNTeZ and the lighter NTeZ zone for the first time! I could clearly see separations in the NEB, almost looking like it had a white line within the zone itself. I also nabbed the GRS in the SEB, and watched it move across the edge of the planet until it was out of sight! Also noticed a dark spot that was in the South Trop Zone (NTrz) (i think it was that zone anyway). As the night progressed, seeing appeared to have gotten worse. After a short break, I went back outside thinking that now would be a better time to bump up the magnification, after having great success with 160x. I tried the 9.4mm (212x) but I think the conditions worsened because at this time I was now viewing over a higher portion of the roof, and I think turbulence was caused by this, but of course thats hard to say. Earlier in the evening, the planet was directly south of me, so no roof was in that location.
I hope that with the relatively ease and convenience of having an area to observe right outside my bedroom, that I will get better at the identification of zones and belts, and be able to describe my observations better in the future for Jupiter. This location has certainly rejuvenated my planetary observing! I have yet to do any type of deepsky observing but thats soon to come. I now feel much more comfortable about the Ultima 8 and its capabilities, and think I finally understand the constraints of seeing. I have lived in Nevada and Florida, and of course most recently in E. Tennessee. For whatever reason, my last 2 observing sessions here in W. Tennessee have blessed me with the best views of Jupiter that I have seen since purchasing the scope in 1996. I had always thought the views very disappointing, and questioned the scopes optical performance. But now, I think at least it must be about average, if not better, and these views will keep me happy for some time to come.
On a side note, I have noticed that annoying reflection dead center in the scope again. Interestingly, its not present in the 26mm, only the 12.5 and 9.4. Would love to figure out why! Also, I broke one of the locking knobs that hold the drive base to the wedge, the plastic knob simply broke in my hand, leaving the bolt firmly in the wedge and locking the drive base in place. Guess its a call to Celestron to get replacements, maybe they have a suggestion about the reflection?
Equipment: Celestron Ultima 8 PEC
Power Range: 76x to 160x
Transparency: good
Seeing: good at first but changed to average later on in observing session.
Setup the scope on the roof access area tonight again. Either its the area, or just blessed with some very good transparency and seeing, but I have been able to see detail on Jupiter for the second time here at the new house!
Started observing right at dusk. Used 160x mag. Nice detail in the N and S Equatorial belts, as well as the NNTeZ and the lighter NTeZ zone for the first time! I could clearly see separations in the NEB, almost looking like it had a white line within the zone itself. I also nabbed the GRS in the SEB, and watched it move across the edge of the planet until it was out of sight! Also noticed a dark spot that was in the South Trop Zone (NTrz) (i think it was that zone anyway). As the night progressed, seeing appeared to have gotten worse. After a short break, I went back outside thinking that now would be a better time to bump up the magnification, after having great success with 160x. I tried the 9.4mm (212x) but I think the conditions worsened because at this time I was now viewing over a higher portion of the roof, and I think turbulence was caused by this, but of course thats hard to say. Earlier in the evening, the planet was directly south of me, so no roof was in that location.
I hope that with the relatively ease and convenience of having an area to observe right outside my bedroom, that I will get better at the identification of zones and belts, and be able to describe my observations better in the future for Jupiter. This location has certainly rejuvenated my planetary observing! I have yet to do any type of deepsky observing but thats soon to come. I now feel much more comfortable about the Ultima 8 and its capabilities, and think I finally understand the constraints of seeing. I have lived in Nevada and Florida, and of course most recently in E. Tennessee. For whatever reason, my last 2 observing sessions here in W. Tennessee have blessed me with the best views of Jupiter that I have seen since purchasing the scope in 1996. I had always thought the views very disappointing, and questioned the scopes optical performance. But now, I think at least it must be about average, if not better, and these views will keep me happy for some time to come.
On a side note, I have noticed that annoying reflection dead center in the scope again. Interestingly, its not present in the 26mm, only the 12.5 and 9.4. Would love to figure out why! Also, I broke one of the locking knobs that hold the drive base to the wedge, the plastic knob simply broke in my hand, leaving the bolt firmly in the wedge and locking the drive base in place. Guess its a call to Celestron to get replacements, maybe they have a suggestion about the reflection?
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