[Stevo69]

Well I had official first light tonight, and I'm full of mixed emotions.

Firstly, I began re-learning my star hopping skills from Aquila to Pegasus. I knew there is not many bino objects here, but I wanted to get used to the FOV and sky again. Ended up at M31 with ease looked magnificent - elongated with a well-defined central nucleus.

Star hopped to a few variable stars including R And, which I have never made observation on. Variables are going to be so much easier with 15x70's! Then I turned the binos onto the south. Very hard with the Melbourne light pollution, but made out the LMC, SMC and 47 Tuc with ease.

Then I noticed a little nebulosity rising in the east, between the trees. M42! Star hopped through Orion for next hour or so.

Only three issues came up. After 15 years without a telescope 3 things have struck me.

1. The light pollution has increased in the last 15 years. This may sound like an odd comment to make, especially to many who have been observing all these years. I could barely pick out the SMC and LMC with the naked eye. I have to adjust to this.

2. Two months ago I had to get glasses. I've come to the realisation that my eyesight has deteriorated in the last 15 years. Getting old, I guess. I spent nearly an hour night adapting and star hopping with the naked eye, when I realised I could try my glasses! Much better. The inconvenience was continually taking them on and off. I couldn't get close enough to the bino exit pupil with them on. Another thing to get used to.

3. My star hopping skills are very scratchy, but this improved over a couple of hours. Unfortunately, the sky this time of the year with the abovementioned light pollution does not give me many binocular objects to start with.

These three things I have to adapt to. (Might have to look at a dark sky site down the track).

On the whole a very enjoyable night. The new binos and tripod from AOE performed exceptionally well. Now it's on to building a Dob.

hoo roo,
Steve