[§AB]

Seeing as it was probably the only clear night for several more weeks, in light of this incredibly disgusting autumn weather of late (and that's a MASSIVE understatement), I thought I'd try my luck.

I began by trying to shim the primary of the 12" dob to alleviate that comllimation shift problem and I appeared to be rather successfull. I spent like over an hour working with that to get it right. I also checked the jetstream maps - gee, not a hint of jetstream anywhere. Looking good!

Scope: 12" F/4.65 dob
Time: 9pm-10:45pm
Seeing: 2/10
Transparency: 3/5
Temp: 10ºC
Dew: none

Unfortunately, tonight the seeing was so crap that it had to be seen to be believed. I couldn't even focus Saturn at 176x, sure there were a few moments of clarity but for the most part it was as if someone had smeared it with their finger. I've heard reports of excellent seeing in Adelaide and NSW but obviously nothing in Melbourne. No surprises there, our climate is the most lametacular in the nation.

Alot of the time was also spent fiddling with collimation. Maybe I'm paranoid.

MEL 101
This is a moderately sized open cluster near the " Southern Pleiades". At 83x, it appeared quite large, sparse and populated with faint stars. The brightest stars are arranged like a V sitting on top of a W, much like the Volkswagon symbol.

NGC 5979
Just a random planetary I found in Triangulum Australe. Sits in a rich area which makes it slightly more difficult to pick out at low power. I couldn't use high mag due to the abhorrent seeing, so I had to stick with the 8mm eyepiece for 176x. I could see a small, grey disk, it reminded me of NGC 3918.

M80
Globular just northwest of Antares. Very condensed, classic profile. Outer regions were largely resolved at 176x, pushing mag to 208x bought no improvement.

by 10:30, along with everything else, I got really tired and have to go tro uni aswell. Didn't bother me, as it was far from a spectacular evening anyway. Moonlight, horror seeing.