Fanit galaxys for LaPalma in December in a 20"

[Hakann]

I order a Delite 7 mm EP and used it last week in clubs 18” Newt, but sky has been terrible here in Swede ( as always ) and it was a window according to weather reports but soon after we started the clouds came in.
It’s more or less hopeless here. ( add on observing in snow and all summer is gone because of sun, this ain’t a place for visual astronomy.
Anyway the Delite in this scope was at 285X less a paracorr and sky was SQM-21.0 and I saw actually the Milky way ( Bortel 3-4 )
Idea was a 1.5 mm pupil, so good for faint stuff observing.
I could split the double in Vega but stars was very fuzzy, so it was more easy split it at clubs old Nagler 12 mm so I could not say if it is a sharp EP or not.
This weekend it’s even worse sky, so let’s see on next new moon in November.
If not, my next chance will be observing in LaPalma under new moon in December. ( it’s at 28 degree )
I will be observing at 1.000 meter close to Roque with a 20” Dobson, and I will try if weather allowed it observe at Roque at 2.400 meter some nights.
I will bring my own EP with me so Ethos and the new 7 Delite ( scope do not track )

Any ideas to see long distance galaxy’s.
A list of worth trying ?

It’s very dark there and near 21.9 is not unusual but seeing has been a problem for me before at this time of year.
Last year I was on west side at 900 meter just south of the road to Roque, and had a 25” Dobson but seeing was very poor and scope did not hold collimation, so I will rent the 20” again, and I rented a house near the road up to Roque.
According from website Roque should have good seeing.
One year I was up there it was very windy and cold so it’s not easy, and it can be snow very fast but it can also be rather mild.
I think this time of year it can be ok, but I think it’s not the best time of year, but I talked to people there and they told me there are no ‘best’ time there, vs sky quality.

[Hakann]

LaPalma showed a sky worth observing for 7 nights.
This was my 5’th trip there.
I was on several parts on the island and it was dark ( SQM-21.8 ) and even if it is hard find a good location, we was at Roque over 2.000 meter as planned.
The haze is there as usual and it’s hard to find a good spot see out at south ( as LaPalma is a big volcano and trees all over ) if not go lower on island to sealeval at the south side.
I think the best place is what is called the ’water tank’ and it’s not far from the telescopes/Roque but road up there is another one that to the telescope area.
It is around +2.000 meter at that spot.
The road is really tuff and it’s actually a ‘hill climb’ up and the last part on a very narrow concrete road !
Its a scary place to be alone in the dark with a small and weak power car, but this year we was 3 observers. ( one need to see this to understand the deal... )
Good thing is few houses or no vs light pollute and no cars as around the telescope area where it is a narrow road and it's several cars pass there each hours, and one need to be on the road for observe ( no wonder observatories like to close it and bring people up daytime with busses )

The seeing is a big fuzz as always.
I had no chance to test ( or use ) the Delite 7 mm less a P2.
This is a 20” f/3.9 telescope.
Stars is like footballs so I was at know bigger objects in lower power or galaxy’s in not that small pupil diameter.
I could split Rigel and saw E/F stars but not Sirius B.
But it was a fun week and I saw many new objects !

The seeing issue gets me kind of worry.
I know we are in the soup down here but at this alt/darkness and be on the top the winds should get rid of turbulence, but no – it’s way more in Sweden (?)
Ok, in Sweden DS can’t be done for many reasons ( my way see it ) but take ex Stephens Quintet at LaPalma.
I normally use a 18” here in Bortle 4 area and I seen it much better from Sweden.
M33 was a yoke as a used a 25” one night ( 900 meter alt ) vs compare it with ex Chuck’s 25” Kennedy optic scope at OSP.

So at least this week, it was no place for observe faint fuzzes.
Then my plans to use a Pyrex 30” that create own seeing effects in the sigatta as glass re-works all nights at pupil 1.5-2 mm - it shore will not be easy.
-My plan’s might be re-thought.

I might give spring a chance down there 2020 as then the sky change objects ( ex Scorpio is up totally ) as now in December it was more or less the same I can see from here I live.

[Uwe Glahn]

The seeing issue gets me kind of worry.

Hakann, you have to search another place to observe when you will handle high magnifications. It's in the nature of things that you have bad seeing when you are at the lee-side of a steep mountain top. I know the "water tank place" and I know the seeing problem, no surprise at all.
Go as high as you can with as little as possible risk for turbulence. Or go to the windward side. All in all it is always problematic when wind stronger than say 10m/s is blowing, also for the professionals, see the seeing monitor of the large telescopes on the top.

[Hakann]

Uwe,

I think I been at most places now there.
But it is hard ( not impossible ) to observe at the real top ( telescope area ) but one need to stay there all night.
Most telescopes is not at the top either.
As I heard the west side should be best vs turbulence.
So I has not been on east side.
This year we planned observe at the new visitor site but wind was just to much.
We went on the road to Santa Cruz but rest area showed light from Los Llanos and huge winds. But we find le maybe 3-4 km from Rogue to east side.
Problem was craters stopped view and light from Barlovento.
We was also in south from El Paso ( high alt ) but light from city Los Llanos was really bad ( been there before and told my buddy’s, but they did like try it ) as big sport areas with spotlights, road lights etc ( huge light pollution )
-How can it be, just few km from the telescopes ? ( strange )
One from LaPalma told me some years ago, why are you here vs stars, go to Fuerteventura instead.
He said all on LaPalma know it’s not good there ( haze, bad seeing )

-So why go there, ..well all told me go high alt ( good for seeing ) and LaPalma is dark ( also few tourists )
Canaries is easy for me to go ( 5-6 hours flight and cheap, plus great summer weather all year long )
But now I get worry over the seeing and some future plans.
Ex Fuerteventura is not high alt, but its dry ( close to Africa )

I might go there in spring instead as LaPalma.