It started out promising in that I observed better seeing conditions even though the transparency was worse than the night before. But then I experienced fogging at the eyepiece and I realized my mistake: I had the eyepiece installed in the optical tube assembly when I put the telescope out hours before to chill down. I should not have left the eyepiece outside. When the chemical hand warmer did not work at clearing the frost I went inside for a deep cycle battery and dew heaters. I actually put two straps on the eyepiece to heat it up fast and that did work!
In the meantime that transparency was degrading as was the seeing. I still wasn't tagging the companion. Once more to the house, this time for the 2x Tele Vue PowerMate. Effectively I was using a 4mm eyepiece.
Not bad! Not a completely useless mushy view!
Once I thought I saw something, to the east of the primary. And then a second later again I saw something again, a very faint star, a easy distance away, not directly in the glare. Was that it?!
I really wanted some more sightings but the transparency and seeing continued to decline and I packed it in.
I really do like the insulated bib overalls! Is this what a space suit feels like? When I first put it on I can feel the limited range and the bulk but after a short while at the eyepiece, I don't notice it anymore; rather my legs were completely warm, they were fine.
This time I had another layer for my torso: long sleeve shirt, long sleeve shirt, Cookie Monster sweater, RASC vest, fleece sweater, and finally the winter coat. At the end I was feeling a bit cool but I think it was that I was sweating through the inner layers because of all the running around.
Tonight's air temperature was a little higher but there was a bit of a breeze and the humidity was elevated so overall it felt kind of the same. Damned cold. Winter dark bitter chill.
I had high hopes early on but I'm really not comfortable with those two brief sightings. Anywho, the stars of alpha Canis Majoris ain't going anywhere soon...
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Wait, is the old Kendrick 2-inch strap dead? If so, I should not have it in the dew fighting case...
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Yep, found the Kendrick eyepiece strap faulty (on 26 Jan '19) two years ago! That's why I made my own...
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The Orion XT10 specs:
- Optical diameter: 254mm (i.e. 10 inches)
- Focal length: 1200mm
- Focal ratio: f/4.7
- Resolving power: 0.46arc*sec
- Lowest useful magnification: 36x
- Highest useful magnification: 300x
- Highest theoretical magnification: 508x
- Limiting stellar magnitude: 14.7
- Secondary mirror obstruction: 63mm
- Secondary mirror obstruction by diameter: 25%
- Secondary mirror obstruction by area: 6%
- Tube material: Steel
- Weight, optical tube: 31 lbs.
- Weight, mount/tripod: 23 lbs.
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