finally some photons

[Brian W]

Hi all, last night was a very rare decent night. By decent I mean I was able to go to, with averted vision, mag 10.9 with NGC 3642.

Last night I concentrated on Ursa Major and managed to catch with our 8" dob at 44x;

NGC 2681 direct vision
3310 direct vision
3359 very averted vision
3587 direct vision
3610 direct vision
3642 very averted vision
3718 averted vision
3726 direct vision
3893 direct vision

As well, and for the first time, and I believe time rather than skill came in here, at 200x in the 8" I saw the Cassini division.

As a final treat I lined up on Eta Carinae, the Jewel Nebula and Omega C. For me there is nothing quite as humbling as watching Omega C. slowly slide through the fov at 200x.

As a small aside I saw more last night than I have in the previous 5 months:D.
brian

[CraigS]

Good onya Brian.
Well done, and a great report.
:)
But what do you make of it all ?
:)

Cheers

[Brian W]

Hi Craig, the quick answer, and one not empirically provable is that somehow everything is connected and interdependent. I may never get a suntan from Omega C. but it sure effects my life. Though if Eta C. goes boom a suntan might be possible.

And that if the universe is sentient it is sentient with a nasty sense of humour... consider that O.C. is definitely related to the disco balls of the 70's.
Brian

PS there are one or two questions bugging me that will end up in the science forum.
B.

[CraigS]

:thumbsup:

You're always welcomed there .. for as long as I inhabit those parts, Brian.

Cheers & Rgds
PS: Apologies for taking this a little off-topic, folks .. I'm done now. Cheers.

[Paddy]

Glad to hear that you've seen some stars Brian. A long time between drinks of quintessence for you! And Ursa Major - alien to my southern telescope!

[Brian W]

Trust me I would trade you either the LMC or SMC for Ursa Major any day. mind you J. Herschel catalogued roughly 260 galaxies in U.M. so if like me, you like to chase the faint fuzzies it can be a treat.

By mere chance I find myself living in the Philippines 400 meters above sea level with a fairly good north south sky that on a good night is truly stable and dark. I have caught all of the M-110 and maybe a third of the H-400 with an Orion short tube 4.5' reflector from my back yard... the 8" LB allows me to see a wee bit more.

Last night it was possible with averted vision to catch at 200x in the 8 NGC 2867 which is also labelled H-3163. A truly magnificent planetary nebula which is so tight and compact that J.H. thought he had discovered another planet when he first observed it.

Brian

[Brian W]

make that a 4.5 inch not foot reflector... but don't I wish.