With mostly clear skies forecasted i have the 10 inch SCT and 4 inch refractor set up and cooling off. Talk about the odd couple. Tonight i am going to five the little frac a steady diet of 2 inch 100 degree eyepieces just to see how it goes. At some point i will have to slide the 2x 4 element Barlow into it to run up the magnification. This ought to be interesting
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So clouds rolled in before i even got a chance to get going. The only thing i managed to see was the moon, so i took some pics of it.
The scope was a AT 102 EDL F7 frac. The eyepieces were Astro Tech 2 inch 13 and 7mm 100 degree along with a ES 9mm 100 degree. The 200x photo was done with the 7mm in a 2x telecentric focal extender. I held my cell phone over the eyepiece to capture the images.
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If I recollect core that would be the craters of Atlas an Hercules up there .
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Could be. I have never learned all the names on the lunar surface
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you have some good detailed images in those pics 
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Thanks. Its about the best i can do
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I spent viewing session from the one day old moon up through its half lit stage every night for like 7 nights . Viewing along the terminator you get your best detail . You can actually watch sunrises on mountain tops and crater edges in real time . Lunar viewing can be an entire project in itself .
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I learned the names of many craters and mountain ranges while viewing and having a good moon atlas at hand . It’s a cool thing if you’ve never done it . Some of the most excellent viewing sessions I’ve had were total lunar eclipses . Some of the most colorful 3D images in the sky . Checking out all the supposed Apollo landing sites is cool too .
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I will look at the moon at half or less because i like looking at the mountains and valley.
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We had mini storms a couple of days back. Raining for weeks straight. Anyhow, it didn’t rain today. Hope it’ll go away 
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16, Im new here and those are compelling Lunar Photos. I hope I see more pictures. Bob
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@chumpasol thank you. That’s about the best i can do just holding the phone over the eyepiece.
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I tried again last night with poor sucess. It was hazy up there and the humidity was 95 percent. I wont say it was pea soup up there but it was definitely at least chicken noodle
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In northwest Arizona we are experiencing 100 degree temps and 6 to 8 percent humidity . With the winds expected to kick up tomorrow prompting red flag warnings .
@Starrancher 6 to 8 percent? Are you kidding me? I knew it was dry there but didn’t know it was that dry.
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Yep , just looked at today’s forecast ; high of 102 degrees with 8 % humidity .
Usually means transparency is really good but transparency and seeing doesn’t necessarily go hand in hand as atmospheric stability or lack thereof still varies . Sometimes you get lucky with both and seeing becomes phenomenal .
@Starrancher i had that w couple weeks back, a 400x kinda night.
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IIRC the highest magnification I’ve ever used is 381x on Saturn through my 8 inch two nights in a row back to back . A couple rare nights indeed . That was with a 3x Barlow and my shortest 6.4mm Plossl . I probably could have gone higher but would have needed a 5x Barlow and tried some longer eyepieces . The focal length on that scope is only 812mm . I just didn’t have the oculars to go any higher and for as many times might see those conditions , I just couldn’t justify spending the money . Saturn was huge though at 381x . Colors on the disk and in the ring structure as well as disk shadows on the rings and ring shadows on the disk were stunning .
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@Starrancher its 80 degrees and a comfortable 63 percent humidity lol
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