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Archive for June 2021

A review of Omegon’s 2.1×42 wide-field binoculars by Sky&Telescope

June 24 2021, Marcus Schenk

This Omegon 2.1x42mm star field binoculars is a great instrument for observing star fields, extended nebulae and entire constellations. Dennis di Cicco reviewed the Omegon star field binoculars for the astronomy magazine Sky&Telescope.

With a 42mm aperture and a magnification of 2.1x, the star field binoculars are truly remarkable. They offer a new observing experience that was previously not possible with binoculars and telescopes. This is also a reason why Sky&Telescope took a close look at this instrument. Among other things, the magazine liked its simplicity and compactness, the huge field of view, and the deep view of the sky. The author of the review was able to fully capture the constellations of Swan, Orion, Gemini, Wagoner, Perseus and others, as well as some deep sky objects or double stars like Algol.

Testbericht Omegon Sternfeldglas

Here are some quotes from the actual review:

Very well made

Excellent aid for learning and enjoying the night sky under less-than-ideal conditions

The Omegon 2.1×42 Binoculars are definitely a joy to use

I was seeing stars more than 1.5 magnitudes fainter in my suburban sky

Whether on vacation or on a hut tour through the Alps, the Omegon star field binoculars make beautiful observations possible even where you have no room for a telescope or binoculars. They also serve as a small observation treat from time to time. There is always a place in the (travel) bag for these Omegon 2.1×42 star field binoculars.

Omegon Advanced 150mm: now with 2″ focuser

June 16 2021, Marcus Schenk

The Omegon Advanced 150/750 EQ-320 telescope is a popular instrument offering an introduction to the exciting hobby of astronomy. With a new, large focuser, you can now even use 2″ eyepieces. For stunning observing and almost limitless views of the cosmos.

2" Okularauszug beim EQ-320 6"

Until now, observers using the Advanced 150/750 EQ-320 have only been able to use 1.25” eyepieces and accessories, but with the new 2″ Crayford focuser (patent pending), you will literally grow your horizons. This gives you the freedom to choose the eyepieces and accessories you want to use.

These are advantages the focuser offers:

With the 2″ eyepieces available in our shop, you can reach a larger area of the sky than is possible with 1.25″ eyepieces. For example, you can capture full-size large nebulae or enjoy seemingly never-ending vast fields full of stars. It also makes it easier for you to find objects. In short, a 2″ focuser is a blessing for deep-sky observers who want to experience the skies as if through a panorama window.

What if you complement the standard 1.25″ eyepiece, as supplied, with a  2″ eyepiece? The Omegon SWA 32mm 2″ eyepiece offers a fantastic image and a real wow-effect for deep sky observing.

Smooth mechanics for precise focusing

Such large focusers are quite unusual for a 150mm Newtonian telescope. However, our development department wanted to ensure that even owners of medium and compact telescopes could benefit from wide-angle eyepieces. In contrast to a normal geared focuser, the new 2″ Crayford focuser with ball bearings runs totally free of play. This allows you to focus your object smoothly and with high precision.

The advantages of the Advanced 150/750 EQ-320:

  • Experience sharp and clear objects: with the parabolic primary mirror
  • 2″ Crayford focuser (patent pending) for 1.25″ and 2″ eyepieces: you can connect additional accessories at any time – even from other manufacturers
  • Equatorial mount: so that you can precisely track celestial objects
  • Trouble-free start in the sky: complete telescope with two eyepieces
  • Find objects easily and successfully with an illuminated LED finder
  • Immediately recognise stars, planets and nebulae – even if you’re an absolute beginner

The Advanced 150/750 EQ-320 telescope is available with immediate effect with a 2″ focuser.

Build your own OpenAstroTech mount!

June 11 2021, Stefan Taube

A photo mount allows you to track the rotation of the night sky on a camera equipped with a photo lens or a small telescope. This allows for long exposure shots of large areas of the night sky.

The manufacturer OpenAstroTech now offers a very functional, yet particularly inexpensive variant of a photo mount. The OpenAstroTracker is a mount you can build yourself!

Der OpenAstroTracker mit Kamera und optionalem Autoguider

The OpenAstroTracker with camera and optional autoguider

Building the mount yourself is not only fun and educational, you also get a powerful GoTo mount at an extremely low price thanks to the DIY approach!

Some of the features:

  • GoTo: The mount comes with full, computer-control functionality. The electronics are compatible with commonly used astronomy software.
  • Suitable for DSLR cameras with a maximum total length of 35cm (camera body with lens). The maximum recommended focal length without autoguider is 200mm.
  • High-precision stepper motors: GoTo positioning accuracy of approx. 1 arcmin, tracking accuracy of 25 arcsec, guided accuracy of approx. 1 arcsec.

What you will need: A USB power bank able to deliver at least 5V 1A

The OpenAstroTracker is available in different latitude setting versions. We will supply you with a set that allows you to set up the mount for a latitude of either 35° to 45° or 45° to 55°.

Der Bausatz OpenAstroTracker

The OpenAstroTracker kit

No need to worry: The electronic components are all designed for easy use. No soldering is necessary.

A matching DIY autoguider is also available as an option: OpenAstroGuider V2

Astro-highlights – Summer 2021

June 4 2021, Marcus Schenk

A solar eclipse after six years, the large planets in opposition and the August meteor shower is visible without any moonlight.

If you’re not looking at the stars this summer, you’re missing something. The sky chart “Astro-highlights – Summer 2021” shows you all the significant celestial events at a glance so that you don’t miss anything. Additional information about these events can be found below the graphic.

We wish you lots of observing pleasure!

June

10/6 Partial solar eclipse

The last partial solar eclipse in Europe was visible on 20 March 2015. The Moon covered up to 80% of the Sun’s disk then. The next solar eclipse occurs on 10 June. It is an annular solar eclipse visible in Greenland and Northern Canada, and partially visible in Central Europe. It is relatively unspectacular, only covering a few percent of the Sun.  The further north you are, the higher the degree of the eclipse. In Munich, only 6.3% of the lunar limb touches the Sun, whereas in Hamburg it is 17.3%. The eclipse begins at 11:35a.m. and ends at 13:22 (depending on the exact location). Caution: Only observe the Sun with a suitable solar filter, which you can purchase from our online shop.

Degree of coverage at our Astroshop sites:

Landsberg, Germany: 6.56%

Marseille, France: 2.7%

Malaga, Spain: 1.3%

Warsaw, Poland: 9.9%

Hasselt/Genk, Belgium: 14.9%

Aveiro, Portugal: 9%

Palermo, Italy: 0%

12/6 The Moon meets Venus

The faint waxing crescent Moon and brilliant Venus appear low to the west shortly after sunset. To the upper left, you will discover Mars. If you are observing with binoculars, a short diagonal sweep to the upper left will bring you to the Beehive Cluster M44.

13/6 The Moon meets Mars

Today the Moon rises higher and joins the planet Mars, which it passes at a distance of 1.8 degrees. Both make a beautiful view through binoculars.

27/6 June Bootids

The June Bootids meteor shower originates in the Boötes constellation. The number of falling stars is small but variable. There have been years in which no meteors were sighted at all, but there have also been occurrences of 100 per hour. This meteor shower is exciting and worth taking a closer look at.

27/6 The Moon meets Saturn

Those who want to see the big gas giants will have to wait until midnight in June. Saturn is currently in the constellation of Capricorn, the horned mountain goat that climbs the meridian at the peak of the sky before dawn. The Moon passes Saturn today at a distance of about 9 degrees.

29/6 The Moon meets Jupiter

On its way along the ecliptic this morning, the Moon passes about 5 degrees below Jupiter. The large differences in brightness between the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and the brightest stars are interesting to observe.

July

8/7 The Moon meets Mercury

Mercury hovers low over the horizon in the morning sky for the next few days. We can observe it with a perfect horizon view well after 4a.m., close above a flat landscape. The crescent Moon joins it 2.5 degrees above. The new Moon is in two days’ time.

12/7 The Moon meets Venus and Mars

As dusk falls, the Moon and the two planets Venus and Mars make for a delightful sight. The pouncing Leo seemingly about to snap at the three objects. You can admire both celestial bodies through binoculars in one field of view. It’s also a great opportunity to take a photo at dusk.

18/7 Pluto in opposition

Pluto is a dwarf planet that is not easily visible and a challenge for larger telescopes.  Once the 9th planet, it was stripped of its planetary dignity in 2006, but of course our enthusiasm for the solar system’s outpost remains undiminished. If you want to set your sights on it, the best time to do so is during its opposition. Use your GoTo mount’s controller and a star chart to distinguish it from the background stars.

Coordinates for GoTo controller (23:59 CEST): RA: 19h49m59s, Dec: -22°38′

19/7 Golden Handle

The Golden Handle of the Moon? It does exist, but only during a certain lunar phase. Appearing like a handle of light, it is an effect caused by light on the lunar surface, along the terminator line. We are gazing at the Mare Imbrium in the Sinus Iridum crater region and the Montes Jura. Here, the sun rises at the day-night boundary. While the crater is still in darkness, the peaks of Montes Jura catch the sunlight at their summits. A golden ring in the darkness. Best seen between 18:00 and 21:30 CEST.

20/7 The Moon meets Antares

This evening, the Moon remains to the east of the star Antares. It is a red supergiant and shines bright with a reddish hue in the night sky. Its diameter is 700 times greater than that of our Sun and it would swallow some planets, including our Earth, if it were to take the place of our own celestial body.

21/7 Venus meets Regulus

With a good view of the horizon, you will discover Venus at the foot of the constellation Leo after sunset. In the immediate vicinity you will find the star Alpha Leonis, better known as Regulus. The name means  “little King” or “prince”. If you’re thinking of little Simba and the Lion King, you’re probably right.

24/7 The Moon meets Saturn

Shortly before midnight, the constellation of Capricorn appears above the horizon. It is easily recognised by its bowl-like shape. The Moon passes below Saturn at a distance of 4.6 degrees on this night. If you focus on Saturn with binoculars, you will notice a magnitude 5.8 star on your left.

25/7 The Moon meets Jupiter

One day after its encounter with Saturn, the Moon meets Jupiter in the constellation of Aquarius. On this night, the two celestial bodies are separated by 5.5 degrees. Next month, the two gas giants will be in opposition to the Sun.

28/7 Delta Aquariids

The Delta Aquariids are a meteoroid stream that appear to originate in Aquarius. With around 25 meteors per hour, however, it trails far behind the August meteor shower in terms of prominence. Because the Moon phase is very high, the only suitable time for observation is before moonrise.

August

1/8 Jupiter’s moon Ganymede covers Europa

If you take a look through a telescope after Jupiter rises, you will notice the two moons of Jupiter, Europa and Ganymede.  Like double stars, they appear close to each other. At 0:00 CEST, Ganymede partially obscures the somewhat smaller Europa, and at around 2:00 CEST, the two moons go their separate ways again.

2/8 Saturn in opposition

Due to the low position of the ecliptic plane, Saturn has remained low above the horizon in recent years. In 2019, it reached a height of about 20 degrees. During its opposition this year, we can observe it at an altitude of 24 degrees. Over the next few years, Saturn will continue to climb higher. The higher its position, the less we have to contend with atmospheric air turbulence.

On 2 August it reaches its opposition and shines brightly in the sky with a magnitude of 0.1. In doing so, it competes with the brightest stars. We recognise it by its yellowish colour and calm glow. Its ring opening is 18 degrees and if we look at the ring system from the north, we can easily identify the Cassini division.

11/8 The Moon meets Venus

A gaze into the evening twilight is well worth it, Venus shines brightly low in the west with the narrow crescent Moon just above it.

12/8 Perseids

Enjoy the most beautiful shooting stars of the year. The Perseids can be seen at their best this year, there will be a new Moon and dark skies all night while we observe them. The meteor shower is most intense during the morning hours of 12 August. At this time, up to 100 shooting stars fall through our atmosphere each hour at a speed of approximately 216,000 km/h. The best observation time is between 22:00 and 4:00 CEST.

18/8 Mars meets Mercury

An extremely close encounter for seasoned observers. At dusk on 18 August, Mars and Mercury meet only about 3 degrees above the horizon. The sun is barely below the horizon at this time.

20/8 Jupiter in opposition

You can already see Jupiter rising flat in the east at twilight, at magnitude -2.8, a bright object that is hard to miss. But the evening sky has even more to offer in terms of conspicuous objects; the moon and Saturn in close proximity and radiant Venus close above the western horizon.

Today, Jupiter draws all the attention – it is in opposition to the Sun and can be admired all night long. It is now separated from Earth by 600 million kilometres and the light takes just over half an hour to reach us. Its apparent diameter is 49″, it reaches its meridian passage and thus its best visibility and highest position at 1:14 CEST.