Image of the day

Captured by
Douglas Rollain

Lion Nebula SH2-132 - RC71

About Astromart

My Account

New to Astromart?

Register an account...

Need Help?

Posts Made By: Dave Mitsky

March 31, 2006 02:52 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

March New Moon Spotting Contest

Posted By Dave Mitsky
I was not able to get out early enough to be a serious contender but the young Moon was high in the western sky and was quite easy to see at 6:45 p.m. EST. I was going to photograph it from a nearby hill but decided to wait until I got to the ASH Naylor Observatory, which is a little over 20 minutes away from my residence. Imagine my disgruntlement when I discovered the camera battery that I had been charging earlier was not in the camera!

At any rate, the thin crescent Moon looked great through the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at 162x and through the 5" f/5 finder scope.

I did a Messier quarter marathon, while helping out with a visiting college class, and later saw one of the best fireballs I've seen in some time so the night wasn't a total washout.

Dave Mitsky

March 31, 2006 03:09 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Deep-sky objects in Scorpius -advice needed

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Inge,

The Northern Jewel Box (NGC 6231) region is my favorite part of Scorpius.

http://www.astropix.com/HTML/D_SUM_S/IC4628.HTM

http://www.darkskyimages.com/jewelbox.htm

Dave Mitsky

April 3, 2006 09:49 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Moon Occults Pleiades - Americas - Eve - April 1st

Posted By Dave Mitsky
The weather cooperated after a fashion, allowing eight members of the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg to see about 70% of the lunar occultation of M45 on Saturday night. I observed the event through a variety of instruments including a Barska 15x70 binocular, a 4.3" TAL Newtonian, a 5" achromat, a 127mm Orion Maksutov-Cassegrain, a 12.5" Cave Newtonian, and a 17" classical Cassegrain. The 4.3" TAL provided an excellent view of the event, as did the 5" refractor equipped with a 25mm University Optics MK-70. Here's one of the prime focus photos that I took with my Canon EOS Digital Rebel DSLR camera and the 17".

Dave Mitsky

April 3, 2006 10:13 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

The Solar Scimitar, 2006/4/02

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Here's a closeup of the prominence.

Dave Mitsky

April 4, 2006 09:26 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

If M42 is green, is this with a filter?

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Floyd,

I've seen pale blue in the Trapezium region, light green or green-white in the surrounding area, and pale pink in the "wings" of M42 through apertures ranging from 14.5 to 25 inches on exceptional nights.

April 4, 2006 01:56 PM Forum: Eyepieces

History Of the Observatory eyepiece.

Posted By Dave Mitsky
A fellow who lives about 20 minutes from me has an ATM 11" refractor with a D & G Optical objective lens. (His roll-off observatory is the largest I've ever seen.) He owns two 4" eyepieces. IIRC, they are a 75mm Pentax and a 90mm Zeiss. It's a rather interesting experience to look through these monsters.

Dave Mitsky

April 5, 2006 07:21 AM Forum: Solar System Observing

Tuesday's Solar Prominence, 2006/4/04

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Here's a closeup of the prominence.

Dave Mitsky

April 11, 2006 11:42 PM Forum: Solar System Observing

Tuesday's Sun in H-alpha, 2006/4/11

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Here's the longer exposure.

Dave Mitsky

April 15, 2006 07:08 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Eyepiece Filters What To Expect ? Confused........

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Albert,

Narrowband and line filters like the OIII and H-beta filters are very useful for deep-sky observing.

Color filters certainly have their place in shallow-sky work. I find them most useful while observing Mars, the Wratten CC30M (Color Compensating Magenta) in particular, along with the Wratten #21 and 80A filters.

http://jeff.medkeff.com/astro/observing/colorfilter/index.htm (note the second to last paragraph)

http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~rhill/alpo/marstuff/articles/FILTERS1.HTM

Dave Mitsky

April 20, 2006 12:36 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Wanting a good observing guide

Posted By Dave Mitsky
The NSOG is not perfect but, IMO, it's the best observing guide currently available.

I believe that nobody had mentioned it yet but Walter Scott Houston's _Deep-Sky Wonders_ as presented by Stephen O'Meara is a very good reference.

http://www.skyoptics.net/books.htm

Dave Mitsky

Funding Member

Sponsors


View all sponsors

Search