Visual Observations 2025
Conditions | Observations | References
In progress
In 2025, I only made a few visual observations (and not in the previous years either) because I either only photographed ("observed") with my "Smart Telescopes" or with telescope-camera combinations for EAA. In 2024, I did observe with binoculars in France and tried out my new TLAPO804 refractor at home.
Conditions
Sky Region and Objects
In 2025, I observed different sky areas so that a sky map does not make much sense.
Observation Time
The observations were done mostly directly after sunset (exception: observation of Venus).
Observation Location
The telescope observations took place in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau (Germany):
- Coordinates: 49° 15′ N , 8° 43′ E
- Coordinates (dec.): 49.25° N, 8.72° E
Devices Used
I used the TLAPO804 and the C5 on the AZ Pronto mount. I also used my binoculars.
General Conditions
In Mühlhausen/Kraichgau, the sky was not particularly dark.
Observations
TLAPO804, Binoculars, Mühlhausen, January 18, 2025
Observed with TLAPO804 on the AZ Pronto mount and binoculars:
- Venus and Saturn were close together these days (2°10' minimum on Jan 18, 2025)
- First I observed Venus and Saturn with the small binoculars from the terrace: Saturn's ring not visible. I also took photos of both (RX10, RX100), but the photos did not turn out well...
- Then I observed with my TLAPO804 telescope (refractor) on the balcony:
- Venus and Saturn together (24 mm eyepiece, just fitted together in the field of view), Saturn's ring at best to be guessed.
- Individually, Venus was visible as a crescent (barely half) and the flat ring of Saturn (4 mm eyepiece).
- Mars could be seen as a disc with a 4 mm eyepiece
- We also saw the ISS and Jupiter (with our eyes only); Mars was nicely reddish to the eye. There was fog coming from the west and the sky was quite "bubbly" (poor seeing)...
- I also observed some DSO: Orion Nebula M 42 at various magnifications (24, 16, 4 mm eyepieces; Trapezium clearly visible at 4 mm), Pleiades M 45 and Hyades Mel 25 with Aldebaran
TLAPO804, Binoculars, Mühlhausen, January 18, 2025
Observed with TLAPO804 on the AZ Pronto mount and binoculars:
- Venus and Saturn were relatively close to each other on this day (4° 36').
- Observed after 6 p.m. the crescent of the moon and Venus with binoculars and TLAPO804 and with different eyepieces (32, 24, 16, 10, 4 mm); Venus at 10 mm and 4 mm lying on its back recognizable as "almost half Venus". Moon and Venus also photographed; Moon beautiful with "dots" resulting from craters at the lower edge.
- TLAPO: Jupiter (4 moons seen, two on top of each other: Callisto and Ganymede; stripes difficult to see, best with 10 mm); Pleiades, Aldebaran with Hyades a bit (too large)
Found moon and Venus without finder, used angle finder from Jupiter on.
C5, Mühlhausen, March 16, 2025
Observed with Celestron C5 on the AZ Pronto mount:
- After 7 p.m.: Observed Jupiter with 4 moons (3 left, one right) using 32 mm und 16 mm eyepieces.
- At about 7:30 p.m.: Observed M 42/43 with 24 mmeyepice. The Trapezium was well visible, the "wings" as well;, M 43 with a star at the center was harder to see.
- At about 8 p.m.: Found M 78 with reducer/corrector and 24 mm eyepiece, but was more of a guess that a sighting... Thereafter, I observed M 42/43 again. Despite of the lower magnification, the Trapezium was still well visible - with the region around the Running Man Nebula (about NGC 1977) and the Lost Jewel of Orion (NGC 1980) in the field of view! The Coal Car Cluster (NGC 1981) was on top of the Running Man regions and coulöd be moved into the field of view (with M 42/43).
References
Books
- Michael Feiler & Philip Novak (2023). Deep Sky Reiseatlas (5. Auflage), Oculum Verlag (ISBN 978-3-949370-04-5)
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=608 - Ronald Stoyan (2021). Deep Sky Reiseführer (6. Auflage), Oculum Verlag (ISBN 978-3-938469-72-9)
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=603 - Erich Karkoschka (2022). Atlas für Himmelsbeobachter, Kosmos Verlag (EAN: 9783440173602)
www.kosmos.de/de/atlas-fur-himmelsbeobachter_1074889_9783440173602
On this Website
- TS Optics Photoline 80/480 Information (3.2" Refractor)
- Sky-Watcher AZ Pronto Mount Information
- Celestron C5 OTA Information (5" Schmidt-Cassegrain)
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