Lovejoy and Variable Polariser Test

[Johnnyaardvark]

Similar reports to others re: C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) Found it quite easily in the 15x70 bins. Good strong nucleus with slightly oval surrounding smudge. Looks a good size and hope this well be worth imaging in the coming days (found a potential spot in the garden ) Slightly doubted myself as it was not where I expected it to be from Stellarium. Set up the scope as it looked like it would stay clear for a little while and punched in the RA and Dec from Stellarium and no joy. Was starting to get a bit washed out due to some low fog coming in so decided to move onto other targets for the evening.

 

Confirmed location looking at Andy Laing's image (thanks for that) and decided to reimport the orbital elements from MPC. Interestingly I was using the data imported from a couple of days ago and it was quite a way out! Much better with this evenings data?!

 

Other targets for the evening:

 

M42, trapezium looking pretty good. I also experimented with a 1.25" light pollution filter. Didn't make a great deal of difference but I think it would have more potential on a night with less moon.

 

Jupiter was looking excellent tonight high in the sky. The ED80 was showing a little reddening/brown colour to the bands. The seeing seemed quite still and at times I could see and extra band to the bottom of the image. Mostly looked using a 9mm Zhummel and 13mm Baader Hyperion both with and without 2x Barlow.

 

Moon to test 2" variable polarising filter. Actually really impressed with this really brought out some detail on what was a very bright moon. Was thinking that I would be buying a 1.25" as well at some point but found it also attaches scope end on the 2" Star Diagonal so was  able to use it (on the ED80) with my 1.25" ep's as well. Very pleased with it but it does highlight some dirt on some of my older 2nd hand ep's.

 

Varying and then increasing levels of fog brought the night to an end. Overall a cold but successful evening though.