Had the 16" out for the first time in about three weeks tonight, Saturn was brilliant and sharp Cassinni division easley seen,Enke division glimpsed under very high power, 4 moons and lots of detail on the surface, the shadow on the rings was very crisp, one of the best views of Saturn for a long while
I continued what I call my pretty picture tour, 47 Tuc, Tarantular Neb,Orion Neb and surrounding area, even Mars got a quick look but was not very exciting, then over to the homonculus and the Eta Carina Neb and some of the open clusters in the area.
The only galaxy I managed to get a look at was Ngc 2903, by this time I was realy enjoying myself when the clouds started rolling in and the moon started to brighten the sky and the scope for some strange reason had gone out of collimation, so I closed up shop and went and sat on the verandah with a stubbie and a pair of bino's and watched the moon and Jupiter rise, and some small bright meteors shooting across the moonlit sky.
Quite a pleasent night to start the rundown to New Moon and hopefully lots of observing.
