Society for Popular Astronomy

The Moon might be a nuisance - the later you can go out and watch the better. But not too late of course, I forget what time it's getting light now! I have to say I watched last year under New Moon conditions and didn't see many at all. It was very disappointing. But I'll no doubt head out this year...

9 Metis is now tracking across Virgo. At mag 9.8 or so, it won't be an easy one for binocular users, other than those with megabins of course :) But it should be easy enough with a small 'scope. Here's a chart in case anybody fancies a go. I've show stars to mag 9.5. And just in case you didn't know...

Interesting idea, using the concrete blocks to hold the wood. Are the blocks concreted in place? Or just free-standing? What sort of roof are you going for? What have you clad it with? Is it featheredge or 6"x1"? Not cheap I imagine, as the price of wood seems to have risen enormously in t...

I reckon St George's Day (23rd) is a good time to start looking for Mercury. It'll be setting about 30 minutes after the sun, and will share the same binocular FOV with Venus. Find one and you've found the other! Uranus is also there, sitting between M & V on the 23rd, but it'll be too faint to ...

I need to get that big scope installed for the galaxy cluster though (I have now half-built its enclosure) What sort of enclosure are you making? I keep pondering a run-off shed, but I'm not sure how easy it will be to make, and in particular how easy it will be to make one that doesn't blow over i...

michael feist wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 10:37 am In the early hours , pre-dawn this morning, from the east-facing bedroom window, and using 8x42 monocular I picked-out...M31 the Andromeda Galaxy rising in the North-north-east! regards maf.

Hey, you could do a Messier Marathon from bed! Well, OK, maybe a half-marathon. Quarter?

Sinking down below Denebola, it was time to investigate Virgo. It was nice seeing this constellation decently, it being so often pretty much out of sight for me at this northern latitude. I need to get that big scope installed for the galaxy cluster though (I have now half-built its enclosure), all...

Yes, I get the same thing with my 8x50s. I can always tell it's Saturn. I was just curious to know if a 6x21 was enough to show a discernable disk on Jupiter.

I assume you can see the Moons. Do you get any hint of a disk?

Success! At 1918UT I spotted Venus for the first time this apparition with the 8x50s. Held steadily, even though it was in the cloud band that accompanied the setting Sun. Altitude 2°, Sun's altitude -2°. Tried to see it naked-eye, but didn't manage it. However it continued to be easily visible in t...

Good grief. Just now, 0940UT, I had a look and couldn't see a single spot! I need to get a better telescope

Were you projecting or observing "direct" through a filter?

There's a nice thin crescent Moon hanging in the western sky right now. If it stays clear I'm going to haul the 'scope out and have a better look. I'm also going to have a quick look, just after sunset, to see if I can spot Venus. It's now setting 25 minutes after the Sun, so it might be doable, tho...

Another comet that *might* become bright, at the end of the year, is C/2021 A1. Maybe, maybe, mag 4 or 5. It'll be in Bootes around mag 5 in December, but it's then heading south into Saggitarius as it brightens a little. So, it's probably another early morning job and at its brightest it'll be down...

I can't see a thing with my setup! A 1960s Prinz 60mm refractor projecting onto a screen. Mind you I haven't looked today yet ...

I had a look around 0500 BST from the bathroom window, but there were too many obstacles in the way, so I saw naught.