20131205 Moon and Venus

They got really close, a 55mm lens in APS-C format:

Up close with my Ranger at prime focus, 1853 (GMT+8):
 

Overexposed to bring out the darker side, 1855 (GMT+8), 1/7.5s maximum gain:

Vertical artifacts could be seen easily.

I have shared the eyepiece view with my kids, they were amazed.

Getting back into the game!

I guess I will take the plunge to get back into the game, this is the plan in my mind.

First of all, I will do H-alpha solar imaging again by getting a filter set for my Ranger.  I will also need to get back myself with a JMI motorized focuser both for better focusing and more in-travel to allow the use of a reducer lens for full disc image.  Adapter has to be made to fit the Solarmax with my Ranger.

Secondly, I will need to optimize my Mark-X to get two scope/camera at the same time, or a counter weight on the other side.  A Vixen GP photo guider like adapter should be made, one side for the slow motion adapter and another side for a ball head.

Finally, I will be looking for a 100mm class ED refractor for visual observation.  This is the last step and I shall wait for good deal.  It will allow me to do better white light sun, some wide field night time observation, and visual planet or lunar observation or imaging.

That's above what I could do to sustain and remain myself in the hobby.

20131203 Venus

With 5x Powermate, seeing worsen compared with yesterday.

Taken at 1811 (GMT+8).

20131202 Sun and Venus

Plenty of sunshine these days, and the sun is pretty active too.  Seeing becomes a little bit more stable and I would rate it as 3/10, transparency on the high side at 6-7/10.

Prime focus, taken at 1257 (GMT+8):-

With 5x Powermate, 1302 (GMT+8) and 1304 (GMT+8):-

Finally, I pulled out my 4mm to have a look.

And later on the same day, I take a look with Venus together with my family members and then took the following:-

Again with a 5x Powermate, 1817 (GMT+8).

The Mark-X tracks really well for over half an hour at 120x, still dead center.