I've braved the cold for the last few hours (it's currently 5°) and enjoyed a truly magnificent night of moonless skies, fabulous seeing & excellent transparency. The stars stopped twinkling a little earlier and the views are crystal clear & steady. I can easily see with my naked eye the dark dust belts through the centre of the Milky Way, the large dark 'hole' near the Southern Cross and the huge glowing expanse of the Milky Way - it's extraordinary tonight & there is so much contrast in the views. I've spent time enjoying various Messier objects, globular clusters, nebulae, Saturn, bright galaxies & some double stars
If it wasn't for work tomorrow <groan
> I'd have been outside all night. I'm rabbiting on but it's the handful of nights per year that are like this that keep me hooked on this wonderful hobby
