2023-04-20

Condition: VG5

Location: Home, Spearfish: 44.49, -103.87

Today I decided to make adjustments to my EXOS Nano mount in order to better suite the AT102ED. The first thing I did was add a small roll of magnetic tape around the counterweight. This was a perfect and cheap way to get RA balance for the scope.

Next I wanted to simultaneously stabilize the tripod and raise it in order to make it more ergonomic (I've been sitting on the ground in order to view since I got the AT102ED). I ended up replacing the hollow metal legs of the EXOS Nano with 1-1/4 inch by 4 foot poplar dowels. Since they were the same diameter of the metal legs, they fit with the existing Nano hardware. The only permanent alteration I had to do to the Nano was to drill through a 1/4 inch hole through the center of the collapsible cross brace. This allowed me to replace the mount head locking knob with a 1/4 (M10) threaded metal rod. With the rod screwed into the GEM mount, and the bottom of the tripod head and the cross brace surrounded with fender washers and lock nuts, I then added a threaded coupler with a 1/4 inch hook below the cross brace. That will allow me to attach weights below the cross brace that fall right in the center-line of the tripod head, maximizing stability.

Initial tests with 100x on the moon proved to be successful. With the stock EXOS Nano, legs fully extended it would take about 8-10 seconds for the vibrations to settle. After the adjustments were made, the tripod (at the same height) with about 15-20 lbs of weights added reduced the vibrations to 2-5 seconds. There still might be some improvements I can make with vibration dampening pads on the feet of the tripod.

8:50PM

Target: α Geminorum

Const: Gemini

RaDec: 7h34m 32°53

Scope: AT102ED

Setting: 34x

Warmed up by viewing the Moon and Venus until Castor was visible. Beautiful and tight split. The 102 resolves neat round pricks of light allowing a discernible split at 34x (with some micro focusing). The color of the pair seems to be a deep blue / purple.

9:10PM

Target: NGC 5466

Const: Bootes

RaDec: 14h05m 28°32

Scope: AT102ED

Setting: 60X, AV

Got a detection of 5466. The moon is really bright, but I can still discern about 4 bright stars that pop and a twinkling of many more stars behind them that can only be seen with AV. Going to have to return to this one in darker skies.

9:40PM

Target: δ Corvi, Algorab

Const: Corvus

RaDec: 12h31m -16°38

Scope: AT102ED

Setting: 100x

Double: AB: 220°

Vindicated! I feel so silly for all the trouble δ Corvi gave me last year! Not only was it easily evident (even at 34x), but I was able to discern the split through the finder-scope. The sibling is very faint, but not so faint that I would doubt my ST80 at being able to see it.

9:58PM

Target: NQ Geminorum

Const: Gemini

RaDec: 7h33m 24°27

Scope: AT102ED

Setting: 34x

Image

Decided to try my hand at my first carbon star from the Astro League Carbon Star challenge. I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew from the rules of the challenge is that I need to sketch all the evident stars in the FOV and mark the location of the carbon star. Given that requirement, I assumed that we have to "identify" the carbon star ourselves. After about a minute of viewing, one star in the area had a distinctly different color. Seems to be a deep orange, marked as an "x" in the image.

After I went in for the night, I looked this star up on the AAVSO site listed in the Carbon Star challenge rules. The site had a "finder chart" that let me verify that the star I picked was correct! I got it on my first attempt!

10:14PM

Target: M 104, Sombrero Galaxy

Const: Virgo

RaDec: 12h41m -11°44

Scope: AT102ED

Setting: 60x-100x

Could detect M104 without AV, even with a bright moon. I really want to see this under ideal conditions, my very brief glimpse of it last year was really cool. Even tonight, a stark bright line is visible crossing the object length-wise. I tried pushing the magnification up to 100x (1mm exit pupil) and was able to retain clarity. Will revisit this again (soon)!

I can tell that the modifications to the EXOS Nano really helped with the ergonomics of viewing tonight. I had to rely on rotating the diagonal (something I didn't have to do before as the Crayford focuser on the ST80 rotated), however the whole night of viewing felt more comfortable than ever before.

** 2023-05 May