Bombardon
31-01-2016, 10:53 PM
After six weeks of cabin fever I decided to dash out after dark and rolled out the 10" Dob. I would have to be quick as cloud seemed to drift in from all sides and the forecast was the same as for the past few weeks.
Stayed with a medium mag of 21mm. Returned to an old favourite Gamma Velorum as the Blue Ice primary is forever appealing, I was soon sliding south to oc 2547 with its diving bird like group of mag 7-10 stars that Stephen J O'Meara forever the poet sees as "like a chandelier earring with a glittering topaz stud," but which our own James Dunlop simply describes as " a curiously arranged group of pretty bright small stars." It has odd-shaped sprays of stars with fine doubles and delicate colours.
From there to Canis Major, riding high near the zenith and to revisit one of my favourite southern doubles, h3945, which Sissy Haas describes as "a showcase easy pair pair in 150mm X 36 with in my mind her accurate colour description as "Bright citrus orange and royal blue." Nearby is the gemlike Tau Can Maj. surrounded by the oc 2362 giving it a star in a bubble look. Finally, as the clouds gathered I just reached Nu 1(of 3) Can Ma and was able to spot the triple of strange colour and illumination contrasts. Sissy says: Splendid view; " Orange, Yellow and Bluish. " Half an hour of eyepiece in 6 weeks. Is in any wonder people collect beer mats as a hobby!
Stayed with a medium mag of 21mm. Returned to an old favourite Gamma Velorum as the Blue Ice primary is forever appealing, I was soon sliding south to oc 2547 with its diving bird like group of mag 7-10 stars that Stephen J O'Meara forever the poet sees as "like a chandelier earring with a glittering topaz stud," but which our own James Dunlop simply describes as " a curiously arranged group of pretty bright small stars." It has odd-shaped sprays of stars with fine doubles and delicate colours.
From there to Canis Major, riding high near the zenith and to revisit one of my favourite southern doubles, h3945, which Sissy Haas describes as "a showcase easy pair pair in 150mm X 36 with in my mind her accurate colour description as "Bright citrus orange and royal blue." Nearby is the gemlike Tau Can Maj. surrounded by the oc 2362 giving it a star in a bubble look. Finally, as the clouds gathered I just reached Nu 1(of 3) Can Ma and was able to spot the triple of strange colour and illumination contrasts. Sissy says: Splendid view; " Orange, Yellow and Bluish. " Half an hour of eyepiece in 6 weeks. Is in any wonder people collect beer mats as a hobby!