The Olcott Project: Adventures with a 2" Telescope--Nights 13, 14, 15
We are amidst an unprecedented series of clear nights, so far 6 in a row and still going strong. Of course this had to happen as the moon is getting brighter and brighter. The 12" scope was packed up for the next two weeks on April 11th, after another outstanding night in Leo. From the 12th through the 16th (and on until clouds finally reappear) I have been using Space Eye on my back deck. It's been incredible observing the moon every single night now, and I am starting to get pretty good again at my lunar geography. Before things got too bright I also snagged a new Messier cluster for the 2", as well as a few double stars. Jupiter has been observed a lot, too. At 75x I can clearly see some edge detail on the two main equatorial belts, as well as easily spot the larger northern grey zone. I'm still trying for a shadow transit and/or the red spot, but so far no luck.
Object # 41: Alpha Gemini--1.9-2.9/4": Olcott says "Herschel regarded Castor as the largest and finest of all double stars in our hemisphere. It was observed to be double by Bradley in 1750..." I enjoyed a beautiful view with the 2" refractor at 60x, certainly one of the finest doubles yet for Space Eye! Both stars appear white, with a notable size difference. Highly recommended showpiece.
http://divulgazione.uai.it/images/AA_Alfa_Gem_Kussi_2.jpg
Object #42: Messier 44 ("Beehive"): 70'; mag. 3.1; 161 *s; Br. * mag. 6: Seen during a 5.5 day old moon, it was still a real gem for Space Eye. Beautifully resolved at 30x, the center seems dense with bright stars. Stragglers continue beyond the field. Everything seems to fit at 25x, however. 40x gives a wonderful view of the central area, and many fainter stars are easily resolved. Olcott says "...the outstanding telescopic feature of Cancer." It is certainly a showpiece with Space Eye.
Object #43: Lunar Craters Aristoteles and Mitchell: For the Olcott initial project, I am limiting myself to 10 lunar observations. However, I am now certain that my original goal of seeing 60 objects (one for each $ spent on the scope) will soon be expanding to 100. Even that number may expand eventually, and from all of this will come a condensed recommended list for a scope of this size. Space Eye really excels on lunar work. Even a nearly full moon is not too bright at higher powers, though I do use filter sometimes at 60x. Most of my observing, however, has been at 75x. There is more than enough detail to see with a 2" scope, and yet it doesn't completely overwhelm the viewer like it can with a larger scope.
Seen when the moon was 6.5 days old, Aristoteles is a crater with a diameter of 57 km, and its terraced walls were magnificent tonight. A small rille or crease in the northern section of the floor was noted, as well as some rough spots just outside the crater, north. It shows up on Plate IV in Olcott's field guide. Attached to it is Mitchell, a 30 km crater that appears to touch the outer walls of the larger crater.
Object #45: Lunar Crater Cassini: Observed at the 7.5 day mark, the crater appears on Plate VI, and is mentioned in the accompanying text by Olcott. In the 2" it appears nearly perfectly round, and is 57 km across. Parts of the wall showed well. Though the terminator was well past, good detail could still be seen. Cassini A, within the mother crater, is also nearly perfectly round at 17 km. A very rough area was noted between A and the main crater wall. B was also seen (!), a crater only 9 km in diameter. I used up to 100x on this area tonight.
Seen when the moon was 6.5 days old, Aristoteles is a crater with a diameter of 57 km, and its terraced walls were magnificent tonight. A small rille or crease in the northern section of the floor was noted, as well as some rough spots just outside the crater, north. It shows up on Plate IV in Olcott's field guide. Attached to it is Mitchell, a 30 km crater that appears to touch the outer walls of the larger crater.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Aristoteles_crater_4103_h3.jpg/240px-Aristoteles_crater_4103_h3.jpg
Object #44: Double Star Struve 1495 (Ursa Major): 7.3-8.8/34": I often just randomly select something from Olcott's book, and this fainter, run-of-the-mill double star was chosen because it was far from the 7.5 day old moon. Barely split at 30x, it was easy at 60x. It is easy to find, about halfway between Alpha and Beta Ursa Majoris. Olcott gives this at mag. 6 and 8.3. He is wrong.
Object #45: Lunar Crater Cassini: Observed at the 7.5 day mark, the crater appears on Plate VI, and is mentioned in the accompanying text by Olcott. In the 2" it appears nearly perfectly round, and is 57 km across. Parts of the wall showed well. Though the terminator was well past, good detail could still be seen. Cassini A, within the mother crater, is also nearly perfectly round at 17 km. A very rough area was noted between A and the main crater wall. B was also seen (!), a crater only 9 km in diameter. I used up to 100x on this area tonight.
http://www.damianpeach.com/images/lunar0709/cassini_2007_05_26dp_small.jpg
More very soon. Clear skies!
Mapman Mike
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