Well, last night, even with good intentions, I just didn't make down to either Coe or the Peak. But that's OK as I did some observing in city with the wind no less. Photon starvation was setting in and after the wonderful 1st game of the subway series of NY, I had a hankering to pull out the 80mm ShortTube Orion and chat with my housemate, sip some cognac and look at the celestial wonders. Since the wind was kicking, we didn't stay out long, but we both got our photon fix (and as exciting as the Yankees VS Mets game was, this top it!)
Equipement: 80MM Short Tube Orion telescope, Parks mirror diagonal and Parks 5 element 25mm and 15 mm eyepiece. At a couple points, both these eyepieces were coupled with the Orion Shorty Barlow.
Jupiter - 25mm
3 moons and both of us could make out the bands and a hint of the eye.
Jupiter - 15mm
same as above but bigger
Jupiter - 15mm with barlow
same as above but bigger and a little easier on the eyes.
Saturn - WOW - 25mm
Way cool in the 25mm, 1 moon
15mm - way cooler
15mm with Barlow - put away the cognac...this is as good as it gets with the wind tunnel we live on! (unfortunately, our street tends to be a wind tunnel even on calm ngihts and Babe, the big blue 85 Bronco has to work as a wind break).
Mars - 25mm
Pretty cool...turbulent atmosphere ( ours) kept me from trying a higher power...still impressive...
M45 - the flame on the cognac
as always, The Pleiades was wonderful. did all three combos of eyepieces and couldn't have been more pleased.
Street light across the street still creating problems...thinking of paint guns and covering the light sensor...city has not responded to complaints that it shines into my bedroom window and is keeping me up nights thus causing me to cruise the internet for more astonomical equipement with my credit card.
Best regards, especially to those who ventured to Coe and the Peak
Stacy