20260812 Partial Solar Eclipse

This is the second time (?) observing a partial solar eclipse in Scotland.

Friends will come so better setup something in spite of the poor sky, it even rained.

We still have some fun in between the gaps of the cloud.

Some of the shots:

Before, around, and after the maximum moment...

20260421 Visual observation with friends on a cloudy night

We had a BBQ together, and the dark was not getting dark until later than 10:00pm?  But why not take a look at the moon?

So I pulled my 85mm refradtor out and set it up on the SVBony mount.

Some of them had their look through the eyepiece for the first time.

Afocal imaging was a must have action.

20260306 Equipment Testing: Canon FD300mm f2.8 on the double cluster + Seestar S30 in EQ mode

Canon FD300 f2.8 Testing:  Other than the double clusters, I have tried a number of other targets as well.  They will be used to demonstrate the lens.

EQ mode testing failed, since the Seestar failed to point at a clear patch of sky when doing the polar alignment.  It keeps resetting its WIFI for unknown reason.  I have given up and pointed it to M81 and M82 for the rest of the night.

1.5hr in total, altazimuth mode 30s subexposures.

My daughter came back and I setup my 85mm refractor on a SVBony SV225 mount for some visual observation.  I have used my Canon 10x30 IS as well.  Very fine session.

I tested a new zoom eyepiece which is better than expected.

20251120 Deep sky imaging with a telescope

Finally took the plunge to use a real telescope for imaging.  I have been locking myself in using camera lenses, thinking that it's easier and faster (aperture).

This test shot blew my socks off.  The stars are so nicely taken, better than camera lenses.  This is not a real APO but it's not bad especially when compared with camera lenses.

Camera lenses are lighter and easier to operate, but a telescope could do more at the expense of more complicated setup, like more accurate polar alignment and to do guiding in order to have longer exposure.

After the imaging session, I did some planet observations with my daughter Almy using the 8" SCT, nice one.  The Rigel Quick Finder was way out of alignment.  I ended up using a distant lamp post for rough alignment, and then fine tune on the planet.

I spent little time in the preparation, which wasted some of my time in the cool weather.

My 85mm scope cannot reach focus without a diagonal or extension tube.  I went back and forth cooling off my fingers.

Before observation preparation: I tried to put on the motor focuser on the 85mm but the mounting plate is not matching so 

20250401 Stargazing with my family

Our small backyard opens up some cosmic opportunities.

I used my 85mm ED refractor for observation.  Wide field with a 20mm widescan, high power with a SVBony 9mm and a TMB 4mm eyepiece.

The moon was so close to M45, a great side that could be seen within the same field of view of the 20mm widescan.

Soon I pulled out my Canon 10x30 IS and my 18x50 IS for quick scanning.

I looked at a couple of open clusters.

We looked at the Jupiter, and the Mars.

Later I pulled out my green laser pointer, to show them around the night sky.

It was not exactly dark, but that certainly brings a lot of joy.

A pure visual session with Canon 18x50 IS

Transparency low with moon hanging up high.

Even Orion was not apparent, M45 was not detectable with naked eyes.

Scanning around and found M42, and then I could make out the Orion.

And then scanning in the direction of M45, done.

So many low earth orbit satallites, I could even see two of them at the same field of view.

With high magnification of IS binoculars, detail on the moon is great.  Mars is quite close to the moon, making a very nice view.

Family stargazing

Randomly asked my kids to see if they are interested in stargazing, and to my surprise they both said yes.

Forecast told that it's going to be cloudy, and cloud started rolling when we observe.

Before it was totally covered, we watched M45, M42, Betelgeuse, Mars (to see the colors) and finally Jupiter with the Galilean satellites.

2024/10/19 Comet C/2023 A3

I got nothing, but the sky was clearer than last time.

Last time was 14th of October, the lower part of the sky was partially covered.

Aurora Borealis

This is not exactly astronomical, but then it's still a result of extra-terrestial stream of high energy particles.  This is probably the first time I captured some but it's not visible in the light polluted front yard.

It's only taken handheld from my home with a mobile phone. 

It was just before I sleep, otherwise, it should worth a short travel to darker site.

Sun Rise

Camping trip shots:

Another failed attempt on C/2020 F3 NEOWISE

In order to avoid foggy weather, I went to another campsite (黃石營地) where we might be able to have a relatively clear East to NE horizon.  But since it's on the sea side, the temperature was much higher at 30 degree C inside the tent.

So, I couldn't sleep much and I woke up at around 4:00am myself before the alarm clock.

The first shot looked quite promising?

Here is my tent:

As time went by, more cloud came out.  I kept scanning around with my Canon 10x30 IS but then I saw nothing.

After the sun came out, I cooked a simple breakfast and left as soon as possible to avoid the hot weather.  I bought myself a cold drink while waiting for the bus.

A bonus shot of the milkway before sleeping, taken with a Canon 24mm f2.8 pancake lens, 14 shots stacked:

Failed attempt on C/2020 F3 NEOWISE

I planned a day off on 9/7 in order to prepare myself to capture the comet.

I will have to find a place where we might have a clear view of the East or NE, and since it will rise very early in the morning just before dawn.  

My first plan was in the East Dam of High Island Reservoir but then I couldn't setup a tent, and transportation is either expensive or I will need to walk for two hours.  So, I gave that up.

My second plan was in Tai Mo Shan where there's a campsite nearby the potential observation spot.  Therefore, I took the plunge to calculate whether the view would be clear:

And it seems feasible, so after dinner, I packed up my stuff and went out.  The sky was a bit cloudy but it's not without hope.  I arrived the bus station at around 23:15 waiting for the bus scheduled at around 23:25.

Armed with minimal camping setup, I've a just a tent and a small stove with a titanium cup for boiling water for the cup noodle breakfast tomorrow.  I also had a small bottle of Yakult.

Summer night was not too hot up there in the campsite, but it was super hot at home.

The humidity was very high, and it was very foggy with strong wind.  My half pitched tent was blew down.  I setup the alarm clock at around 4:30 and I have prepared myself to walk around 10 minutes to the observation spot.

On waking up, I heard some stepping sound around my tent.  There's no body around the campsite, anyway, on going out, I saw a cow plus super thick fog!  So, I gave up and sleep again.

At around 7:00, the cow was still there as well as the fog.

After short breakfast, I went to the observation spot to check whether my calculation is correct or not, but then it was full of fog!

I believe that it's no good to attempt any observation on the hill, here are some more shots during my morning walk:

Packed up my stuff and caught the bus on 9:00, and then back home for sleeping.

My stuff:

Canon 70D, a 24mm f2.8 lens, a 50mm f1.8 lens plus a 200mm f2.8 lens, a simple carbon fibre tripod and a pair of Canon 10x30 IS.

Some Chinese keywords:

荃錦營地

露營

夏天

彗星

白果之旅

2020/6/21 Partial Solar Eclipse

We had a partial solar eclipse of over 89%!

But it was so hot so that I went out only when it's so near the deepest moment, here is a brief record:

I only brought minimal equipment, leaving my Solarmax at home:

And for visual observation, I had my Canon 18x50 IS with Baader filters.

People tend to look up but it's interesting to look down:

I went to another nearby location near the end of the event:

I noticed that there were some unusual cloud when the sun was blocked by the cloud, over processed to bring out the detail:

While processing the images taken this afternoon, I found there was a 4-5 minutes of clock skew in my DSLR!