a relevation

Last night started out with pretty good seeing, so I stared out with Jupiter at 277x with the Tele Vue Planetary filter.  Views were nice and detailed.  Moving slightly up to the quarter moon, I thought to have a look with the planetary filter -- and it was fantastic!  More detail, brighter but not overbearing, and something of a realistic color.  Even the bright illuminated part of the moon looked good.  I'll keep using and enjoying it.

I tried out the spectroscope/eyepiece I made in the afternoon, where I used some old plastic plumbing pipe and some straws and clamps to hold it on axis over the exit pupil of a 26mm plossl.  I aimed it at Spica but it would not focus -- I have the spectroscope set too high.  But, I did notice there were two spectra streaks -- and Spica is a very close double -- so perhaps I will be able to "see" the very close doubles using this device?

I spent some time on doubles -- seeing was good in the beginning but after about 40 minutes it deteriorated rapidly and became hazy as the marine layer moved in.

STF 1825: White and orange, 3 delta mag, well split.
P.A. 154 SEP 4.4 MAG 6.47,8.42

ENG 51: Very wide faint blue star to the south, 5 delta mag.
P.A. 219 SEP 163.6 MAG 5.44,10.84

Now at 553x:

CHR 41: 0.2: much too close.  I should have tried the spectroscope.  Seeing not very good anyhow

STT 279: Very pretty orange and blue, 2-3", PA SW 2 delta mag
P.A. 257 SEP 2.2 MAG 6.84,9.13

KUI 66: Since it's a close unequal pair (3 delta mag 1") I tried with the apodizing mask, which seemed to help, and I had a few good moments of seeing when I suspected some glimpses -- but nothing more.  It was not the right night.  Looking up I saw the moon had a thick haze around it, and marine layer clouds were moving in from the west.