Obs Report 13/6/11

[oosh]

Some have suggested sharing obs reports here, so here goes. For those more experienced than me (ie, everyone!) you will likely find this boring, but here it is anyway (just copied from a word document)

I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on this, if I should consider adding more information etc. I'm sure once I've got more observing hours under my belt and a better knowledge of the sky in general (ie magnitudes, star classifications, and just knowing where stuff is) I'll have more to say. :) Thanks for reading.

Observation Report 13th June 2011
Shell and I started observing at around 8pm or so after a couple of days cloud and poor weather. Moon was at 86.5% and we were observing in her Forest Lake backyard, so seeing wasn't optimal, but in a sense might have been advantagous as we found some of the brighter more obvious objects without too much distraction. Tonight we used my 11 x 70 binos and Shell's 10 x 50's.
First observation report ever, hoping I haven't left anything important out.

Omega Cen
Being new I always spot this one out first out of habit. It was fairly faint tonight even for suburbia, though this would largely be because of moonlight.

Southern Pleiades
My first time seeing these gems. The blue hues really stood out to me, a really gorgeous set of stars that seemed very "alive".

NGC3766
When we first saw these I thought it might have been part of the Carina Nebula but we were way off. Despite thinking it something it wasn't, I still picked it as an open cluster through my 11 x 70 binos which I was happy to have done.

M13 (great cluster in Hercules)
After having a break we found M13 just above the treeline after it rotated into view. We didn't expect to see this as we thought it'd be too faint, but we could just make it out through our binos.

Coathanger
I was very happy to found the Coathanger for myself, rather than Shell finding it first and directing me to it as she has been doing with most objects. It was very distinctive once we found it, but we weren't sure if it would be high enough in the sky for us to see yet. I found the shape of the coathanger easily visible as there weren't many other stars around it (in our current sky conditions) to distract me from it.

M8
Saw the lagoon nebula again tonight. It was faint, but the size of it made it easier to spot. By the end of the night I was confident I should be able to find it on my lonesome next time I observe, so we'll see how that goes.

M20
The trifid nebula was harder to see since it was smaller, and very faint. I could locate it only by finding M8 first, which I'm sure is how it's easily spotted anyway. Can't wait to see these 2 in more detail in darker skies.

M6 & M7
I had found these earlier in the night when trying to locate M8. It was only when Shell told me it must be M6 and M7 that I realised it wasn't the Lagoon nebula. These 2 were easily visible through the 11 x 70's, and I'm still glad to have found another 2 messier objects.

M22
Also found this when looking for M8 & M20, was fairly visible through binos.

NGC6231
Found this with some help from Shell, a very nice looking patch of stars tonight.

NGC6208
Shell directed me to this object, it was quite faint through binos but could still be seen.

47 TUC
After a break and a cuppa we came back out to find Tuc also, which we were hoping but not expecting. I was the first to spot it with Shells guidance. It was quite faint in the sky, but this just gives testament to how nice it will look in darker skies with no moonlight. Can't wait to see this through a scope.

Jewel Box Cluster
Shell showed me the easily found Cru cluster tonight. Even through binos the group of stars was easily discernable. Looked quite nice, another I can't wait to see through a scope.

Cen Nebula
I don't remember seeing this, but Shell tells me we found it when searching for the southern pleiades. I can't really list what it looked like.. because I don't know! (perhaps I shouldn't mention this as I can't remember it, but it's here now)

[barx1963]

Some nice objects there mate!
On clear nights with even moderate LP like I have here, M8 should be visible to the naked eye and is a useful signpost to other nearby objects. Also I have recently done quite a bit of observing around M6 and M7. Once you can find them easily and you get some good charts there is lots to explore in that area.
I find M13 one of the harder globs to find, mainly because my views are so restricted to the north, but even when I have a clear horizon it has always been a troublesome one. While in that area, have a go at M92, may be hard in binos but would be interested to hear if you can get it.
NGC 6231 is known by some as the False Comet Cluster (I'll probably get in trouble with Les now!:P) as to the naked eye that area odf Scorpius can look almost comet like.
Well done on all the other objects, gald someone is getting out from under the clouds.

Malcolm

[oosh]

Cheers for the pointers Malcolm! Duely noted for my next observing session, I'll jot them down and take out some maps and try my best. I agree we were very lucky to see M13 that night, it was probably the faintest object we spotted, and was quite difficult. I'll try and get out during this week to find some of these, though I might need to go for a drive as the LP here is even worse than at Shells place.

Again, thanks for reading and for the tips - very helpful!

[Paddy]

Enjoyed reading your report, Jason. My only suggestion is that writing observation notes is best done in the way you like to write with the information that you want to include and for your own purpose in writing the report. Some people like to just keep a log of their obs, some to capture the feeling of their night's observing or to just share the joy of it. I make notes to sharpen my observing skills, so I tend to put detail in - but this can be an impediment if it all becomes too serious.

Whatever you put in, I reckon a good lot of us will enjoy sharing your experience through your reports. Looking forward to more.

[Rob_K]

Great stuff Jason, enjoyed reading your report and hope to see many more! Always good to hear of other people's experiences under the stars. Like Patrick says, just do it in the way you like to write. I personally like to hear reports from the heart that communicate the excitement and passion of the observer.

Cheers -

[oosh]

Awesome guys, thanks for the tips - all makes sense to me. :) For now as I'm just learning I think it will more or less be a logbook of what I've found as a means of records, but as I learn more and get used to seeing various clusters etc over and over again I think it'll be come a little more personable :) If the cloud stays clear tonight I intend in going out again, though this time in higher LP skies as the night of the report (though the moon doesn't rise until late so I may be lucky!)

Thanks again for reading and for the tips!

[Mliss]

I enjoyed reading your report too. :clap: It's a great idea! I'm sure you'll enjoy reading back over your notes in a few years time too.

[oosh]

I'm sure I will! I just came back from looking from my place, and unfortunately didn't find much without my trusty guide :( Just gotta be persistent and have some patience :)

[orestis]

Nice Observations Jason:thumbsup:

Welcome to the obs report forum,and I look forward to many more.

regards Orestis;),

PS-The Coathanger is one of my favourite asterisms,so bright.

[Suzy]

Great to see you posting obs reports Jason! :D
It was a wonderful read, thank you.

I haven't looked at M13 and The Coat Hanger cluster thru binos yet, sounds good and can't wait to have a look. What am I saying.. I haven't even looked at M13 thru a scope yet even. :rolleyes::lol:

[oosh]

Thanks guys :) I haven't had much of a chance to get out at doing anything lately, work is being stupidly hectic much to my dismay, hopefully again soon :) I'm surprised that I've seen something (kinda anyway!) you haven't Suzy! Just goes to show how much pretty stuff there is to look at ;)

[Suzy]

:lol: There's loads of the "good stuff" I haven't seen yet. :rolleyes: :lol:

I told myself from the beginning to take it slow and steady, but many sessions spent trying to find just one object is bordering on.. hmmm.. there's a word for it just doesn't come to mind.:rolleyes::screwy: I tell myself I'm learning star fields in the process :sadeyes:, yep yep burnt into my head they are, yep yep.:mad2:.
I generally go after objects once I've become familiar with a constellation. So a list of objects for me scattered across different constellations that I haven't come to learn yet, just doesn't happen for me.

Soon I'll be coming to you and Shell for bino targets :P :lol:.

[oosh]

Haha I doubt that Suze :) Though Shell did pick up a handy book aimed at bino-only observing, written by an Australian too :)

[ngcles]

Hi Jason & Malcolm,



Yes you are in trouble ! One more strike and you'll either have to apologise or take my class.

Oh and BTW, excellent report Jason. Aren't 70mm binos just great!


Best,

Les D

[oosh]

Loving them Les! Just need to get out a bit more and use the darn things! This weekend :)

[shelltree]

A lovely report and really takes me back to a great night of observing :D

M13 was ridiculous to find, you could just make it out if you looked through the binos just right and then...it was gone again...but then I could kind of see it's smudgy-ness again :P

I had a really great observing night that night, I should definitely write up my observations report for this night on the computer and put it up as well :) I'm so lazy I haven't even written up a report for Ron's yet :lol:.

And the 11x70's are huge :eyepop: I would not suggest pointing them at any suburban areas, they are really suspicious looking :lol: I have difficult using them for anything longer than a quick look as they are quite heavy!

Reading this has made me want to get outside tonight and try out my new binos (which so far I'm still getting use to as just that bit of extra mag is making it harder to find things because I don't have as wide a field :screwy:)