Hi all.
The Newcastle Astronomical Society had it's monthly viewing night on 2nd April. It was a great night's viewing. Fellow Ice in Space member Orion brought along his new 18 inch fully computerised Dobsonian, which he built himself with exceptional workmanship. It's a joy to use, with its Argo Navis computer and encoder system, which includes a wireless remote control. Accuracy is excellent, and is very easy to use.
I tried for a challenging object, managing to locate the Hourglass nebula (NOT the "Hourglass Nebula" inside the lagoon Nebula, but rather
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/image/ast...ass_nebula.jpg
Also known as MyCn 18 or PNG307.5-04.9 It's at Ra 13, 39, 32,
and Dec -67 22 48 and I was surprised to see it faintly visible in my little 6 inch Schmidt newtonian. It was a joy to see in the 18 incher, with nebula filter on, one could see definate detail inside it. (Who needs the Hubble Telescope hehehe).
Heres a bunch of images of the happenings at the viewing night
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/2.jpg Orion's fantasting new 18 incher
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/4.jpg one of our other members with his SCT scope
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/6.jpg Some of us who were there (me seated)
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/7.jpg A young fella soaking up the starlight through Orion's scope
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/8.jpg Orion's scope with..... Orion!
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/9.jpg Viewing activities.
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/jupiter.jpg Jupiter through Orion's scope
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/1.jpg more viewing
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/5.jpg a membors new 50 watt torch being used as a pointer