Hi Richard
thank you so much those tips tho I missed your post when I observed them on the night of the 5th (I see you posted that morning).
I'd already seen that S&T link some days ago but I didn't find it very helpful for me. So instead I did some homework in my Starry Night planetarium programme and I also found
this terrific image as a guide (by Gianluca Masi at the Virtual Telescope).
I did see that triangular shaped asterism you mention and using that and Zeta Virginis, I was on it like a hot potato
. It helped that Vesta was the brightest thing around within that field (aside from zeta of course). It was an easy catch in my 9x50 finder too
. So I saw them both- I was tickled pink & I couldn't get over how bright they were! Even hubby came out in the cold in nothing but a t-shirt to have a look-see.
Ahhhhh times like these, don't you just love owning a telescope
.
While I was observing them, I had Donna Summer's song "Love to Love You Baby" playing. First time I've ever played it under the stars. If the sky wasn't gorgeous enough already- omg it got very sexy to boot
.