Ishtar/Venus

[Nightspore]

 

Orion Mak 90mm, 62.5x. Bresser 20mm 60 degree. I couldn't see any cloud detail. Way too bright!

 

 

Polarising filters. Couldn't find Mercury. Could see phase however.

 

 

I'm sure Venus/Ishtar/Inanna will be pleased.

 

[Lloyd-ss]

Nightspore, I finally have a good night to see, and I have been looking at Stellarium. It is still several hours until dark, so I will study a bit more so that I am at least slightly prepared.

Lloyd

[Nightspore]

25 minutes ago, Lloyd-ss said:

Nightspore, I finally have a good night to see, and I have been looking at Stellarium. It is still several hours until dark, so I will study a bit more so that I am at least slightly prepared.

Lloyd

 

Yeah, preparation is good. I usually have a list of objects that I want to see. This inevitably determines what scope I'll be using and what time I'll be observing. This time of year is mainly about open clusters and double star splitting for me. Jupiter should still be good though. Saturn's quite a bit past opposition now. At around 22:15 GMT The Orion Nebula should be quite visible due south (for me). Leo is starting to rise in the east. I'd take a look at M42. The four main Trapezium stars might need around 60x.

 

 

The nebula itself is pretty stunning even at low power. After a while it may seem a bit green coloured. That would be the OIII wavelengths I believe. M42 is a 'stellar nursery' where baby stars are born. You should be able to see the 'Serpent Cluster' in Orion's Belt at very low magnifications (10-15x). Good luck. 

 

 

Sirius and M41 might be a tad low if you have tree problems. 

[Lloyd-ss]

Last night ended up being overcast. I kept going out to the back deck looking up, but to no avail. The suggestions you made are super helpful and I seriously appreciate your taking the time to present that to me. We have clear blue skies here right now at 0800, and I hope it holds.

[Nightspore]

3 hours ago, Lloyd-ss said:

Last night ended up being overcast. I kept going out to the back deck looking up, but to no avail. The suggestions you made are super helpful and I seriously appreciate your taking the time to present that to me. We have clear blue skies here right now at 0800, and I hope it holds.

 

You're welcome. There are a lot of interesting objects this time of the year. Just above and to the west of Orion is one of my favourite open clusters. 

 

 

NGC 1662 aka 'The Klingon Battle Cruiser':

 

 

So called as it apparently resembles the running lights on a Klingon Battle Cruiser. It's also known as 'The Harp'. I see Klingons though lol. I'll post more stuff you should be able to find later. Practice finding it in Stellarium. I use Orion's Belt as a starting place, then sweep west towards Aldebaran in the Hyades (Taurus). Aldebaran is the 13th brightest star in the sky, you can't miss it. I just wish I could figure out how to run Cartes de Ciel again on Ubuntu. I miss it. Don't forget M35 either. There's a whole universe out there. Have fun. 

[Lloyd-ss]

Stellarium is one of those programs that has so much to offer that frustration can set in. One of my  grand daughters likes to make things in my shop and knows her way around to find things and try something new on her own, where I am handy, but giving the freedom she needs. She has finally gotten to the point where, when she is having difficulty with something and getting frustrated,  she will tell me," Grandpa, I am going to get something to eat in the kitchen.  I'll be back in a little while." The first time she took that grownup approach (better than some grownups, LOL) I almost fell over. 

Hmmmm, I've been trying stellarium for awhile, but I think it is time to go get something in the kitchen, LOL.

[Nightspore]

Well, as long as you don't burn the toast you should be OK.

 

 

You might find this useful.

[Lloyd-ss]

Every natural phenomenon must have its own special scale. Like thread sizes on optics, LOL.

Well, this was a weird day but I did get out to do some seeing. One of my daughter's cats was attacked by a fox. Not good. really won't know till tmrw morning when their favorite vet/surgeon comes in and has a look.  They love to give their pets unusual names. This kitty was Fidel Catstro. No political significance, just for fun.

 

I went to the doctor 2 days ago for a persistent earache and got some amoxicillin and muscenex and nasacort. Now, 51 hours later my ear ache is gone, and as an added bonus my balance has improved. I'm not tripping over stuff in the dark while moving around and looking up.

 

About 1900 tonight the sky was not looking good. A few bright things out, but that's all. But around 2200, it all came to life like magic. I would look at something bright in my FOV from the OrionXT6, and then look with my eyes, then some binoculars,  and then come back inside and find it on stellarium, and go back out, let my eyes adjust, find or see something else.  Certainly not efficient, but it was very cool. But actually what was the most fun, and easiest, was just looking thru the binoculars. I am a total novice about the constellations, but looking at something... anything... with my eyes and then with my binoculars, really hit me in the face with just how much depth, literally, to the sky there is. One visible star suddenly becomes 50.

 

But here is the really cool part. (Did I already say that?) I was randomly looking at stuff to the south where I can see best, and then coming inside  and looking at stellarium. I saw Rigel, Sirius (peeking between bare branches), Procyon, and Betelgeuse, all making a nice squarish trapezoid. After I brought everything back in and warmed up and looked at your stellarium screen cap that shows the trees, what do you think I saw? You knew what was going to happen, didn't you! 🤣

 

And I think I saw Polaris to the north with my eyes, but it is really hidden by branches. Ursa Major very obvious, though. Again, thank you!

[Nightspore]

39 minutes ago, Lloyd-ss said:

Every natural phenomenon must have its own special scale. Like thread sizes on optics, LOL.

Well, this was a weird day but I did get out to do some seeing. One of my daughter's cats was attacked by a fox. Not good. really won't know till tmrw morning when their favorite vet/surgeon comes in and has a look.  They love to give their pets unusual names. This kitty was Fidel Catstro. No political significance, just for fun.

 

I went to the doctor 2 days ago for a persistent earache and got some amoxicillin and muscenex and nasacort. Now, 51 hours later my ear ache is gone, and as an added bonus my balance has improved. I'm not tripping over stuff in the dark while moving around and looking up.

 

About 1900 tonight the sky was not looking good. A few bright things out, but that's all. But around 2200, it all came to life like magic. I would look at something bright in my FOV from the OrionXT6, and then look with my eyes, then some binoculars,  and then come back inside and find it on stellarium, and go back out, let my eyes adjust, find or see something else.  Certainly not efficient, but it was very cool. But actually what was the most fun, and easiest, was just looking thru the binoculars. I am a total novice about the constellations, but looking at something... anything... with my eyes and then with my binoculars, really hit me in the face with just how much depth, literally, to the sky there is. One visible star suddenly becomes 50.

 

But here is the really cool part. (Did I already say that?) I was randomly looking at stuff to the south where I can see best, and then coming inside  and looking at stellarium. I saw Rigel, Sirius (peeking between bare branches), Procyon, and Betelgeuse, all making a nice squarish trapezoid. After I brought everything back in and warmed up and looked at your stellarium screen cap that shows the trees, what do you think I saw? You knew what was going to happen, didn't you! 🤣

 

And I think I saw Polaris to the north with my eyes, but it is really hidden by branches. Ursa Major very obvious, though. Again, thank you!

 

I'm glad you had a pretty magical session outside with the universe. Polaris isn't anything special visually, but next time you see it use a very low power (or stabilised binoculars). There is a faint ring of stars making a ring shape, with Polaris as the gemstone. It's sometimes referred to as the 'Engagement Ring'. If you can get a higher power on Polaris, maybe 100x plus, it is actually a double star. I'm just not sure if it is a parallax double or a true binary though.

 

 

Weather's perfect for me at the moment, with the jet stream missing the Midlands and a high altitude airflow of just 14 KPH. Unfortunately, due to Sod's Law the sky is overcast with cloud. Bloody typical lol.

[Nightspore]

Oh yeah, while I'm at it, to help with constellation identification, it might be worth investing in a low-tech planisphere. I bought the Phillips' Planisphere, below left, when I was still a schoolboy.

 

 

Disadvantages: Difficult to actually see in the night and doesn't show planetary movements. Might possibly be used as a Frisbee.

 

Advantages: Doesn't need batteries or a degree in computer technology to use. Might possibly be used as a Frisbee.

 

 

At least one type (David S. Chandler, shown above & below) is specifically designed to work with a red light torch (flash-light).

 

 

The Chandler planisphere is a bit weird in the fact that it can be reversed to see the southern part of the sky. It's quite good actually. Make sure you obtain one specific to your own latitude. They can be ordered from Amazon. I believe the Chandler planisphere is made Stateside, so you should find one suitable to your latitude easily enough.

Edited January 12 by Nightspore
Universal translator malfunction

[Nightspore]

Saw Ishtar again.

 

 

OK, admittedly through double glazing, too much snow. It's been pretty clear, except for below average seeing.  I was tempted to venture out, but it might be dodgy with my disability.

 

 

I could just about see the phase, although double glazing doesn't do me any favours!

 

 

Eventually clouds hid Venus/Ishtar, but she was a magnificent sight.

 

 

Made me go a bit ancient ethnic ....

[Lloyd-ss]

That is nice but I think this live pink Floyd great gig in the sky is my favorite "vocals without words."

The emotion of the struggle as we face our inevitable death, and the final acceptance of that inevitability.

 

 

[Nightspore]

Yeah, Floyd are cool (in a hippy kind of way), but I was thinking something a bit more Mesopotamian spacey. Is it me or does the ethnic Iranian music sound a bit Lisa Gerard, or vice versa?

 

 

[Nightspore]

 

"Who can rival the immensity of Ishtar?" (from "To Ishtar" ancient Akkadian/Babylonian hymn)

 

 

JPEG of Venus taken with an old Android Nexus tablet (object is definitely not a Zeta Reticulan scoutship).

 

 

Venus/Ishtar 82.5% illuminated in constellation of Ophiuchus. 

 

 

Definitely need furs on a morning like this!

 

 

[Nightspore]

 

[Nightspore]

 

It's a beautiful sight this morning.

 

[Nightspore]

 

"Your divinity shines in the pure heavens like Nanna or Utu. Your torch lights up the corners of heaven, turning darkness into light. ... with fire. Your ... refining ... walks like Utu in front of you. No one can lay a hand on your precious divine powers; all your divine powers ... You exercise full ladyship over heaven and earth; you hold everything in your hand. "

 

from 'Hymn to Inanna', High Priestess *Enheduanna (2285-2250 BCE)

 

 

*The first author in the world known by name.

Edited January 31 by Nightspore
bad spells