What a great night!

[Ganymede]

I don't know how everyone else fared last night, but here in SE Qld it was a crystal clear night..one of the best I've experienced for quite a while.

Armed with a brand new copy of Wil Tirions "Cambridge Star Atlas" and my trusty newt I ventured outside to try a bit of star-hopping. With Sagitarius, Scorpio, Telescopium etc right overhead my backyard, it made for some great viewing.

Objects I found quite easily once the book showed me the way, included Lagoon Neb, Trifid Neb, M6, M7 and quite a few of the smaller NGC objects in that area. Supposedly 'easy' Glob NGC6441 proved a bit of a challenge to find (not helped by the neighbour turning his outside light on just as I was searching! :mad2: ) but the one with the biggest 'WOW' factor for me was glob M22, first time I'd seen this and it elicited a bigger wow than first sighting of 47Tuc.

A great night, all topped off nicely with a spectacular shuttle launch on telly.

[iceman]

Excellent report Kev, sounds like you had a great night. It feels like weeks since i've done any observing with the cold weather and my ill health. I'm itching to get back out their with the scope.

I agree with your synopsis of M22, it's a marvelous glob - not the same bright inner core of 47Tuc but it really resolves well in my 10".

Thanks for your report!

[toetoe]

Good on ya Kev :thumbsup: it's great to view things for the first time. I still have a lot of first time objects out there to view which i hope to do one day.

[rmcpb]

Great to hear someone had more luck than me. It was beautiful in the mountains then the cloud came :(

Nice report.

[davidpretorius]

it was a good night!!!

[ving]

sounds like a great night. rather insiping really... hope it inspires my cough to go! :(

[beren]

Nice to read your experiance Kev , the cambridge star atlas is one of my favorites perfect for surburban star hopping

[asimov]

Yep, good one Kev. feel's like years sinse I looked thru mine.

[Orion]

Enjoyed reading your report Kev, I can also relate to the neighbour turning on his lights the bloke next door has three or four spot lights (I don't know what for!) pointed towards his back yard it can get bit annoying at times.