I was buried under a cloudbank here, but read some reports of it's being an exceptional show - replete with more Fireballs than usual.

I'm glad it was a good one for you, Reggie! We're still under a bank of heavy, grey Cumuli. But I'm keeping one eye to the sky of course. And I've been answering the raft of questions that my fan-club of Little Old Ladies have been asking - which I'm always pleased to oblige them!

It really opened a great many eyes when I explained the role of comets in these showers, Swift-Tuttle in the case of the the Perseids. Great fun being had by one & all!

 

A couple of days ago, last Friday night I think, from 10:00 to 3:00 AM I could see maybe 15 asteroids, while i did something else then looking trough the eyepiece. At least 3 or 4 more passed directly in the FOV of the telescope.

The on Saturday, there were much less asteroids. One of my spots was occupied by families, there to see some asteroids. But we were definitely the people who had the most fun with the telescope I can tell you.

I tired a 75CAD toy telescope also, a refeactor and Saturn was clearly visible. If a 75CAD refractor can do that, I have no doubt the ST80 must be very impressive.

I was with my uncle and we had a great observation of many DSO in light pollution, we could look for the Perseids to but without much success...

I consider myself lucky on Friday night, it's a win for the 2018 Perseids.

 

While trying to peer through some trees the other night with my ST80, I saw Saturn. The rings were their usual eye-popping selves. I had the B+W FL-D mounted inside the 90° WO Diagonal, and I was surprised at the details this gave me on Saturn. It was quite stunning! Then I moved onto Mars.....

Of the several software-programs I have, Cartes du Ciel is the best for asteroids. There are a great many showing with this software, as I've got them represented in bright yellow they're easily spotted and simple to find at the telescope.

So if you're on an asteroid-kick, I recommend using CdC.

D.

 

I will try Saturn with my own Magenta filter to see if it has some positive effects. This will be on my list for my next observation, which could be today.

So many things to try. It's been a while since I even opened my Wratten filter box.

Thanks for the CDC again, I will look at the asteroids inside, perhaps pick 1 or 2 for observation. Not the Perseid asteroids obviously but the larger ones in space. (;

It could be a theme for tonight.

 

I didn't know you had a magenta-filter, Neb's. Please do tell me what it is & by whom?

Last I've heard the only 2 available in the Western-Hemisphere are the Brandon and the one in the Orion 20 Filter Set.

I'm on the edge of my seat!

 

Yes I do,



A magenta filter with a green anti-reflection coating on it. I consider it to be a simple Magenta filter, they called it the Celestron Mars filter, and it's you who suggested me to buy it.

 

- Yes I did, but called it a 'Celestron Mars Observing Filter 1.25-Inch.'

Calling it just a Magenta Filter is what threw me!

Anywhosit - I like this filter, it's the closest to the trusty, old Sirius Optics 2003 Mars Filter. I'll encouage you to 'round-out' your armada of Mars-Filters with a merry hunt for a B+W FL-D 46mm (almost two inchs - 48mm) which an inexpensive 48mm to 46mm 'step-down' adapter will fix to make work in any 2-Inch eyepiece or 90° 2-Inch diagonal as a nose-piece.

Interested? Then a trip to eBay is the way to go. These to be found used and very inexpensive out of Europe. They are made in Germany by whoever B+W is. And like most astronomy-freaks like us, they are usually to be found maintained in excellent conditioned. They are usually used in photography to correct for the skin-tone under fluorescent-lights.

I've got them all as far as I'm concerned. I will not shell-out $200 for the TeleVue® "Band-Mate" Mars filter 'recently' re-branded "Mars Filter."

Thanks' for the esoteric-insider April-Fools joke! Magenta, indeed, Boy we'd be the most boring pair at a cocktail-party!

 

I will call it Celestron Mars filter from now on.

Anywhosit - I like this filter, it's the closest to the trusty, old Sirius Optics 2003 Mars Filter. I'll encouage you to 'round-out' your armada of Mars-Filters with a merry hunt for a B+W FL-D 46mm (almost two inchs - 48mm) which an inexpensive 48mm to 46mm 'step-down' adapter will fix to make work in any 2-Inch eyepiece or 90° 2-Inch diagonal as a nose-piece.

Interested? Then a trip to eBay is the way to go.

It's highly probable ill get one eventually, absolutely. I saw many B+W FL-D on ebay about 5 minutes ago.

 

Neb's?

Heads' Up! A new full-release of Stellarium just landed in the last day or two - 0.18.2 - so stand aware

Do uncheck any little boxes in order to save your settings! It's working awesome!

Oh yes - thanks' for the tip on B+W FL-Ds' being about. I'll be taking a gander!