Finished migration

The older blog entries are migrated from my website, to facilitate better storage and later addition of new entries.

They're not in good order, but date will be found in the title if possible. On migrating the log entries, I found that it's really nice to bring back old memories. Even better than photographs alone.

So, from this point onward, the reports will be in proper order.

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Pushing C90 to the limit (7:15-7:45p,22-Oct-98)

After the purchase of the 6.3mm Celestron Plossl, I've just observed with the C90 for once only and on that night, my two favorite planets were gone from the night sky. Therefore, I've only used 159X that the 6.3mm offered on the moon, while it's breath taking already for a relatively
new amateur like me.

After getting my Ranger, I've put aside my C90 for the quality difference is quite large and people are likely to neglect their old lovers when they are having new ones. While several days ago, I've decided to place my C90 in my office so that I can go up to the roof when the weather is nice. Now, the C90 got its unique position.

Tonight, it's virtually the first observing session after the purchase of my Ranger. I always have an idea in my mind, and it is to use the 6.3mm with the barlow in my C90. I guess people always want to try higher power. With the 6.3mm with the Orion Shorty Barlow in the C90, I can get 317X which is far beyond the ability of the quality and the aperture of this small scope. The manual states that we can push it up to 210X, while I have no way to verify it. I've only a 12mm and it yield only 167X and the next step is 317X.

I tried the C90 on the Jupiter first. At 40X with the 25mm Celestron SMA, Jupiter is a little disc and all the Galileo Satellites are in the view. With more experience, I noticed that there're servere chromatic abberation. I guess the major source of this error, is from the eyepiece.

I tried to use 83X with the 12mm Celestron SMA, I could see two cloud bands, but they were not as contrasty as in the Ranger (76X with 6.3mm Celestron Plossl). Central obstruction? Less perfect opticals? I guess both.

Next, I tried out the 12mm Celestron SMA with the barlow. It yields 167X, and the view was alright, but again, not as contrasty as that with the Ranger at similar magnifications. Later, I tried to use the 6.3mm with the barlow, i.e. 317X. Oh! I got a fuzzy disc of light. I just couldn't improve the view by turning the focusing barrel. I would say there're two reasons: first of all, the limit for this little scope is exceeded; second, the focusing mechanism is bad. Okay, at least now I know what's meant by "the image is broken", and how blurry the view can be, if the optics is pushed too much.

My next target was the Saturn. At 40X, the view is so nice. The ring was clearly visible, and I could see the gap between the ring and the little disc. Then I tried it at 83X, great! The disc is larger and things seem to be clearly. By pushing it higher to 167X, no more detail could be detected, while again at 317X, I couldn't even obtain a clear image.

Now, I know that it takes better seeing to see if I could get 317X for the C90, however, I guess it's unlikely. Maybe I should proceed to use higher magnification on the Ranger, since Tele Vue tests each Ranger up to 300X, and people reported that they could push it up to 500X in good
night. My plan is to push the Ranger to 240X by purchasing a good 10mm eyepiece, with the 5X Tele Vue Powermate. One sad thing other than the confirmed fair optics of the C90 is that, I forgot to look at the Andromeda Galaxy, which was planned originally.

7:15-7:45p, 22-Oct-98, By So King Yan Oldfield

21-Oct-2001: 元朗錦田水尾魚塘 (大氣透明度: 8/10, 穩定度 2-3/10)

Crews: 阿茂, 志光, Oldfield

今次突登唔帶大鏡,　但帶多 D 星圖同埋書 (DeepMap 600, 台灣旋轉星團, Night Sky Guide, Turn Left at Orion, 夜空), 目的係為左多睇星, 少玩儀器... 最後只有一支 Pentax PCF III 10x50

結果, 目的達到, 因為搵倒新野, 最深刻係 M15, 茂叔畫個視場出黎, 發覺同 Turn Left at Orion 既圖畫係一樣既...!

仲有其他野, 不過唔係好記得... M31 越夜越美麗, 土星出黎既時候, 用相筒睇, 大家都覺得睇倒個環既方向, 因為未講, 大家都講得出, 而且係一樣!

30-Sept-2001 to 1-Oct-2001: 塔門 (大氣透明度: 7/10, 穩定度 2-3/10)

Crews: 阿茂, 嘉儀, 志光, Oldfield, 基樑, 慧賢

呢次有好多稀客, 原因係因為呢次係露營, 唔係淨觀星, 所以多左好多人...

我地大部份人係第一次去呢度露營, 論環境, 呢度真係一絕, 因為交通尚算方便 (即係唔使行咁多), 而且景色怡人, 風水又好...

今次係中秋, 所以主菜始終係露營, 唔係觀星... 但原來基本天文知識係好有用既, 因為呢次個天蓋就係按住黃道 (即太陽行過既軌跡) 而設計, 叫一班頹友可以訓晏 D...

一上船, 天開始黑, 已經見倒比城市多好多星, 正!!!! 到左碼頭, 已經可以見倒大三角同佢地所屬既三個星座...

講返觀星, 今次簡直係齊鏡又齊人... 我地有 Pentax PCF III 10x50, 又有 Celestron 10x60, 仲有一支新既 11x70... 單筒方面, 當然有我既 Ranger 啦... 是晚我話之各位死, 一到步既刻映月光... 十四既月光仲有少少 terminator, 都仲映倒少少立體感, 同時間, 又能夠映倒放射紋, 實在太好喇...

當然, 到左食野既時候, 我一定要停一停, 食飽個肚, 先至可以繼續啦! 如果唔係點捱到咁夜!

等食之間, 各位已急不及待走到營的另一邊 (避開營燈), 開始睇下星喇... M7 同 M8 當然要趁早喇... 不過因為已經低左少少, 所以明顯無咁精采, 不過都好! 差 D 唔記得有稀客添! 立即要指下天上面最易認既野, 呢個當然係夏季大三角咁啦! 跟住就天鵝座, 天鷹座, 天琴座, 當然有牛郎, 織女咁啦... 天蝎已經唔易認啦, 因為太低, 所以最後講埋茶壺就收工...

原來雙筒係咁難用既, 因為稀客們話肉眼望倒想睇既野, 但擺埋雙筒, 就立即迷失方向! 做壞人都要做一次, 惟有叫佢地用遠處既燈光 practise 一下先啦, 效果如何不得已知, 因為大家都忙於觀星, 找自己心入面想搵既野... 奈何月光太勁, 搵倒 M31 再教人搵, 都發覺有困難, 我估所有人都搵倒, 不過只係搵倒都唔覺得有乜特別... X(

突然想起, 要映下北極星附近既天區... 60s 曝光, 320mm (135mm equivalent), D 星都好似全部唔轉, 勁! 再試下同樣方法映仙后座附近既天區... 有人問我係咪流星黎喎! 仙后座都唔係距離北極星咁遠唧, 乜已經分別咁大!

等下等下, 乜有粒咁光既星呢! 我以為係獵戶膊頭, 原來唔係... 諗真 D? 土星呀朋友! 點肯定呢? 支 Ranger 剛拆左出黎讓支腳出黎 mount 11x70! 我決定手持! 15 倍已經睇倒有 area 啦, 仲唔係?! 一定係啦! 嘩, 想映土星好耐啦喎! 對唔住都要架啦, 11x70 要讓位喇! 32mm Plossl + 2x shorty barlow + Ranger + Casio QV2800... 好難對焦喎... 粒土星鬼咁快... 好唔開心, 因為超難映! 算喇, 搵個七姊妹星團大家睇下仲好, 起碼開心 D 丫嘛... 用個 zoom frame 到靚一靚先俾各位老細睇!

係喎, 點可以唔 show 土星俾各位稀客睇睇呢! 當然, 呢個差唔多可以話係全天最勁既天體, 絕對唔會令各位老細失望... 由 75x... 再推到 200x, 大家都睇過... 好野黎丫嘛! 不過去到 200x 其實無乜著數, 不過睇黎

人人都鐘意大, 唔鐘意細但 sharp D... 算, 有乜所謂, 最緊要開心丫嘛... 不過要上到 200 倍, 每次只可以一個人睇, 之後我又要 center 返, 再可以到一下個... 所幾辛苦, 但又好鬼開心!

大家都睇完之後, 各人有各人再睇星... 當然, 拿雙筒既方法, 大家都似乎掌握倒, 無咁震啦起馬... 但原來有人嫌雙筒睇倒太多星, 完全迷失方向喎... X(

我死唔斷氣, 再戰土星... 呢次定死 1/8 秒曝光, 對焦就用令到粒土星最光為止... 好似有 D 野喎! 放大睇下... 喂! 我映倒個環啦!!!! Yeah!!! 太興奮添... 諗起要 stacking, 立即唔使錢映多幾十張先... 一共映左 31 張, 其中有幾張用左唔同既 ISO settings... 相機睇都幾好, 不過粒土星都係細左少少...

搵個老細搵志光座丫... 衣架星團, 其實係... 志光哥好似搵唔返喎, 最後都係阿茂勁, 第一個搵倒, 之後志光哥教埋我再搵... 然後用 Ranger 睇, 好似無乜著數, 但勝在 mounted, 個個都可以睇丫嘛... 不過後來好>似都有稀客搵倒啦喎... 幾好丫!

一個出場係獵戶座, 好易認... 但個星雲就... 呢次實在太差啦... 費事介紹, 以免以為係廢物, 下次先啦...

木星始終未能趕及訓覺之前升高 D, 所以都係留返下次先...

今次發現基樑買左支 11x70 之外, 仲有一個非常正既旋轉星圖, 係我一直想買果個... 仲加左紅色小電筒, 簡真係完美配套...!

24-Sept-2001: 錦田水尾再入 (大氣透明度: 0-3/10, 穩定度 3/10)

Crews: 阿茂, 志光, Oldfield

我們到了上次阿茂報告的新地點... 由巴士站直入要步行四十分鐘 (!!!)，沿路不知連續幾天好天也會有少許泥濘... 那條路明顯不會有很多人走，雖然是山路，但也能看出那是車路，因為兩邊沒有草，中間卻有不少...

沿路都有很多溪錢，不仇迷路 (LOL)，也有金塔，墓碑和棄置了很久的汔車一架 (生滿了銹，草由裡面長出來)，十足十鬼片... 因為要探路，走到合適草地觀星的地方，最高的草長到腰那麼高... :)

志光哥不幸著了涼鞋，雖然沒有事但也換來一場虛驚，因為秋風起，D 蛇出黎食野預備過冬丫嘛，如果唔係點得三蛇肥呢!

遠處有荃錦公路，還很美呢 (光害倒很小)! 近處有幾座小山丘，環境其實很美， 若不是先人的居所，那裡定必是露營的好地方!

坐下來看星不夠五分鐘，雲便湧來，連月光也看不到!

玩了一輪阿茂新置的 laptop，還是留了二十分鐘左右便離開... 我映了幾張相， 遲下 send 俾各位，水準自問十足，可以做 wall paper!

話雖如此，這還不失為一個好節目! 試想想，下了班，一班好友一同到郊外走走，原來也是一件賞心樂事呢! 極想星期日快到!

23-Sept-2001: 石澳大頭洲 (大氣透明度: 6/10, 穩定度 3/10)

Crews: 志光, 樹殷, Oldfield

昨天晚上我們一行三個傻佬去左石澳大頭洲，發覺高壓區帶來近兩三個月黎最好既天氣，日落後約一個半小時，30 秒曝光仲可以睇天空係深藍氣既... !

一入黑，我地幾乎失去方向，打電話俾阿茂遙控 technical support 都唔掂，始終無左佢隻可以睇倒天箭座既眼!

阿茂去唔倒係佢同我地既一大損失... X(

無新野搵倒，但開始見番 D 舊朋友，好似 M31, Double Clusters...

第一次映倒地照...

29-July-2001: 錦田水尾 (大氣透明度: 7/10, 穩定度 7/10)

Crews: 阿茂, 志光, Oldfield, 惠玲

本來諗住要摺, 但後來因為天氣太好, 決心太強, 志光哥既犧牲精神, 最後決定再戰田...!

旺角天氣好正, 屯門都係, 深藍色既天, 天蝎座頭頂三粒星, 都係尋日無既, 所以雖然 Oldfield 想去大尾篤 (東), 志光哥想去石澳 (南), 茂叔想去錦田 (北), 最後, 志光哥犧牲自己既意願, 去左錦田...

尋日發現 251M 勁快, 約二十分鐘可到錦田! 好似令到我地失左任何去大帽山既原因... 露營除外!

檢討後發現在大帽山從來都無新深空天體搵倒, 除左 double clusters,睇黎呢個唔係一個好地方... X(

成九點先入到錦田, 因為大家都要 compromise... 最後十點半走, 仲走左班車, 志光哥真慘, 因為第二朝要早返工, 佢又住得最遠(HK Island!)...

呢晚想搵 Omega (NGC 5139), 不過我張美國星圖無, 又可能因為真係太低, 所以睇唔倒, 但最後返屋企之後 verify 發覺有其實機會可以!算啦, 下次一定要帶 DeepMap 600....

原來志哥光話佢尋晚已經搵倒鯨魚座, 仲話中間有個鈎, 好型... 我聽佢話, 都搵倒, 惠玲 spend 左一段時間, 都搵倒... 但後來勁眼茂叔話果個唔係鯨魚, 唔知係乜... 因為都唔係果個位...

之後叫左果個野叫 "志光座"... 茂叔用大鏡搵倒, 最後我映左張相, 返屋企後發覺呢個叫衣架星團 (Cr399 - CoatHanger), 真係勁似!

Lagoon M8, M7, M6 都無問題, 又映左幾相月球, 同埋 M7... 呢次個 M7 好左好多, 因為得各方好友指點得以對焦更準! 又搵倒三件另外既 (即除左 CoatHanger) 新野: M22, M23, M25... 都係茶壺頂, 無乜難度... 搵 M13 容易好多, 因為武仙既四邊形肉
眼睇得非常清楚!

仲搵到真正既鯨魚, 仲有天箭 (只有茂叔可以肉眼睇倒)... 另外仲發現原來志光哥既 Albireo (藍橙雙星), 同我一路講既原來唔同添... 鵝頭同鵝尾原來大家無乜共識... 哈哈!

最後走既時候, 見倒一粒幾低下既光星... 當時唔知係乜, 後來check 星圖之後發現係 "北落師門"...

大帽山, 依家呢 function 唔係觀星, 依家可能只有行山, 頹露營, 或者係擋住 D 雲... 我地發覺旺角好天, 屯門好天, 但荃灣多雲, 元朗就... 都係靠大帽山頂住!

28-July-2001: 錦田水尾 (大氣透明度: 2/10, 穩定度 2/10)

Crews: 阿茂, Oldfield, 樹殷, 志光

由於阿茂既誠意 (出夏令會後直去睇星唔返屋企住), 是次行程先至可以成功! 原本諗住去大帽山, 最後天氣唔係太好, 無落車, 原車直入錦田!

大氣透明度較低, 好多野都搵唔倒, 所以映左好多月球... 都算係成功, 因為呢次既月光比上次高好多, 所以無論月面光度, 大穩定穩定度都好好多...

樹殷既 1000 度菲林唔知晒出黎會點, 不過因為月光都幾勁, 加上有煙霞, 同埋第一次映, 所以期望唔係太大, 不過希望在人間丫嘛!

搵倒 M7 見唔倒 M6, 又唔係太睇倒 Lagoon M8... 映左張 Albireo, 仲有突登映到有流跡添...

都算係咁啦!

不過志光哥隻腳踩左入泥...

23-July-2001: 大帽山 (大氣透明度: 2/10, 穩定度 unknown)

Crews: 阿茂, 惠玲, Oldfield

約 8:20p 上倒車, 上到去都幾夜, 估唔到仲睇倒月球, 因為想玩左天文相好耐, 所以立即唔放過機會, 用 32mm Plossl (15x) 映左幾張無焦點 (afocal), 因為月球已經很低, 所以光度唔足夠, 好難對焦...

包圍曝光映左幾張, 映唔倒地照 (Earth-shine), 但有一兩張都映倒隕石坑... 算係咁啦, 第一次映...

之後搵深空天體, 搵倒 M7, 仲映左幾張相, 發覺 15 秒之後星光已經唔係點而係線, 10 秒亦尚可, 但光度明顯唔足夠, 睇黎唔用追蹤拍攝的話, 想攝倒深空天體都幾難, 可以映像既天體都好有限...

亦都映左幾張火星, 不過唔係太識對焦, 並且曝光大多數都過度左, 因為無做實驗...

因為大氣透明度唔高, 所以好多野都無得睇...

後來到巴士站等車既時候, 發覺大氣透明度比起直昇機場果度好好多, 可能果個位真係有問題... 下次唔好去囉... 要試下有桌椅果邊...

20-Feb-2001: 大帽山 (大氣透明度: 6/10, 穩定度 4/10)

Crews: 阿茂, 志光, Oldfield

尋晚 (20-Feb-2001) 上左大帽山睇星, 成個月都無咁做喇...

以前都好少春天睇星, 因為天氣唔好, 所以今次望上個天都有少少迷失既感覺...

當然, 幸好好多野都仲認得, e.g. 金星, 木星, 土星, 獵戶座, 仙后座, 金牛座, 雙子座, 御夫座, 大犬座等, 獅子座, 仲有大半個既大熊座... 因為未春得晒... :P

好容易搵倒獵戶座大星雲 (M42), 七姊妹星團 (M45), 鬼宿星團 (M44), 仙女座星系 M31, M35, 36, 37, 38... M41, 雙重星團 (NGC 864, NGC 869), M46/47 (新發現), M81/82 隱約可見但不能肯定...

想搵但搵唔倒 M1....

試過手拿數碼相機以無焦點方法映木星, 土星, 金星, 效果不好.... :(