20 inch telescope in New Zealand -2, First day on road.

[Chanlunlun]

Dear star lovers,

Today was an exciting day. We finally collected our CamperVan. We have no idea how it looked like even though we saw it a lot in the web. To see things on the WWW and to actually feel it were completely two different experiences.

Our CamperVan was a 4 berths 5.5 tons truck ( the biggest type vehicle that we could rent ) which meant that we already provided maximum space for our journey but to place a 20 inch telescope inside was still a rather clumsy job.

Our first destination was Wiatomo to see the glowing worms inside a dark cave. Though not actually looking at the milky way but the glow worms mimicked a starry night sky very well. What an awful experience -you couldn't belief nature could create such scenario until you really saw one.

When we arrived Wellington, the Capital of New Zealand, it was already approaching midnight. After everything was settled down we started to observe the sky - though inside the city the milky way was still easily seen. The coal sack was easilt seen under the Southern Cross. The Large and Small Magellan Clouds hangs overhead in the sky. By just a little bit averted vision one would notice how big the Large Magellan Cloud was. The small Magellan cloud could only be sighted by averted vision. After all we were in the capital of New Zealand.

Having driving a 5.5tons truck for more than 8 hours and covered a distance of more than 600 km we were all exhausted. There was no point to set up a 20 inch telescope inside a city and so the 4 inch f/3.5 RFT was handy under such circumstance. We were using a Vixen LVW 24.5 mm eyepiece gave a power of 12X and field of nearly 5 degrees !

We targeted the Eta Carina and a fine 3 cracked nebula was readily seen inside the LVW 24.5 mm eyepiece. The entire nebula was fit in the field of view of the eyepiece. The nebula was bright and details were revealed even in small telescope like this.

We then trained our scope to the Jewel Box. It was real small under the 12X power
of the RFT but was very bright.

After the desserts here came the main course - The Large Magellan Cloud. The field of the LVW 24.5 mm eyepiece was just enough to take in all the galaxy. The Tarantula Nebula was a bright smog at the edge of LMC while the chain of '4 brothers' next to it was also bright enough to be detectable. We were actually seeing the whole LMC with many of its details inside.

Of course we didn't miss the Small Magellan Cloud. In the 4 inch RFT under 12X magnification the SMC looked like a somewhat a round nebula without details. But the main attraction is the Tucan 47 next to it in the same field. This super globular shined with extreme brightness inside the RFT. Although individual stars were not resolved but the brightness was a thrill to us.

There were still much to tell in this first night in New Zealand but I have to stop here before the massage became too long.

More would come and be told and so please stay tuned.

Best regards
Chan Yuk Lun
22 December 2014.

[Chanlunlun]

More pictures.

[Chanlunlun]

Still more pictures.

[Carl Chan]

實在太美了！

[bingsze]

Good memories. Nice pictures. More to come ?

[Steve]

Could you show the setup of 4 inch f/3.5 RFT?

[Eddy So]

實在太美了！

X2

[anyone]

羨慕中

[Chanlunlun]

Good memories. Nice pictures. More to come ?

Yes, BingSze my friend, there is more to come.

Stay tuned.

[Chanlunlun]

Could you show the setup of 4 inch f/3.5 RFT?

Yes I will.

Please stay tuned.

[鄧登凳]

Dear star lovers,
...
Our CamperVan was a 4 berths 5.5 tons truck ( the biggest type vehicle that we could rent ) which meant that we already provided maximum space for our journey but to place a 20 inch telescope inside was still a rather clumsy job.

...

We then trained our scope to the Jewel Box. It was real small under the 12X power
of the RFT but was very bright.

....

Lugagge storage is always a problem with New Zealand Campervans (USA versions are better). I remember that I had to store some suitcases on the bed!

Did you see green stars in the Jewel Box?

[Chanlunlun]

Dear star lovers,
...
Our CamperVan was a 4 berths 5.5 tons truck ( the biggest type vehicle that we could rent ) which meant that we already provided maximum space for our journey but to place a 20 inch telescope inside was still a rather clumsy job.

...

We then trained our scope to the Jewel Box. It was real small under the 12X power
of the RFT but was very bright.

....

Lugagge storage is always a problem with New Zealand Campervans (USA versions are better). I remember that I had to store some suitcases on the bed!

Did you see green stars in the Jewel Box?

Yes I did. Indeed all the teammates saw it by the 20 incher. They just loved it. Orange green blue stars in the center of the Jewel Box is an unforgettable memory.