ving
18-03-2006, 10:57 AM
Date: 17.3.06
Time: 9:30 - 11:00
Seeing: 4-5/10
Transparency: 7/10 between clouds
Scope: 200mm f/6 eq newt
The moon was very bright and taught me a lesson or 2 in DSO hunting. Cloudless at first the night was but about 30 mins into my session they rolled in from the north east patchy at first then thickening till there were no gaps by 11pm when I packed it in.
My first target was to be a DSO. I was going to hit m104 but alas it was hidden behind the roof of my house :( so instead m68 was the go. Star hopping from Beta Corvus then south to a double star called B 230 (I didn’t know at the time that it was a double so I’ll go back to it on a new moon as star B is mag 11.3) then down to m68, a globular in hydra. It's a fair size one (9.8'x 9.8') but dim at mag 8.2. Due to mass moonage close by the glob was barely visible but I spent a fair amount of time on it eventually managing to resolve a few stars in my 15mmSV.
Having decided that dim DSOs were out of the question I went for something bright... Saturn :). Saturn was residing just above the roof of my house. Titan 3-4 other moons were clearly visible. The Cassini division however was not evident all the time (most but not all. Because the planet was so close to the roof of the house, hot air rising from the roof was playing havoc with seeing (I’d say reducing it to 1-2 sometimes) but I stuck at it and occasionally I got clearish views with a lovely yellowish globe and light brown banding. Saturn is always worth a visit, I just wish it was higher :(
M42, the great Orion nebula. 6 stars stared out at me in the trapezium. I am finding that I get all 6 all the time now which is great :). M43 was an averted imagination object almost, but I have to admit that due to using an eq mount the EP was in a most uncomfortable position having to lean over the top of the telescope to see anything :P
Last port of call was the moon which had just risen above the house.... I don’t know what I was looking at but it was sharp and bright and cratery :D oh and very mountainy :D...
Just a note on my observing position. There is only one flat level part of my yard and it restricts my views a lot:
NW to N to SE nothing below 32 degrees
SW nothing below 30 degrees
S a tree blocks 20 degrees and below
Hope you enjoy reading this report :D
:thumbsup:
Time: 9:30 - 11:00
Seeing: 4-5/10
Transparency: 7/10 between clouds
Scope: 200mm f/6 eq newt
The moon was very bright and taught me a lesson or 2 in DSO hunting. Cloudless at first the night was but about 30 mins into my session they rolled in from the north east patchy at first then thickening till there were no gaps by 11pm when I packed it in.
My first target was to be a DSO. I was going to hit m104 but alas it was hidden behind the roof of my house :( so instead m68 was the go. Star hopping from Beta Corvus then south to a double star called B 230 (I didn’t know at the time that it was a double so I’ll go back to it on a new moon as star B is mag 11.3) then down to m68, a globular in hydra. It's a fair size one (9.8'x 9.8') but dim at mag 8.2. Due to mass moonage close by the glob was barely visible but I spent a fair amount of time on it eventually managing to resolve a few stars in my 15mmSV.
Having decided that dim DSOs were out of the question I went for something bright... Saturn :). Saturn was residing just above the roof of my house. Titan 3-4 other moons were clearly visible. The Cassini division however was not evident all the time (most but not all. Because the planet was so close to the roof of the house, hot air rising from the roof was playing havoc with seeing (I’d say reducing it to 1-2 sometimes) but I stuck at it and occasionally I got clearish views with a lovely yellowish globe and light brown banding. Saturn is always worth a visit, I just wish it was higher :(
M42, the great Orion nebula. 6 stars stared out at me in the trapezium. I am finding that I get all 6 all the time now which is great :). M43 was an averted imagination object almost, but I have to admit that due to using an eq mount the EP was in a most uncomfortable position having to lean over the top of the telescope to see anything :P
Last port of call was the moon which had just risen above the house.... I don’t know what I was looking at but it was sharp and bright and cratery :D oh and very mountainy :D...
Just a note on my observing position. There is only one flat level part of my yard and it restricts my views a lot:
NW to N to SE nothing below 32 degrees
SW nothing below 30 degrees
S a tree blocks 20 degrees and below
Hope you enjoy reading this report :D
:thumbsup: