nice sketch Orestis, you've got more patience than me
, I can never get the proportions right when I try OC.
Anyway I too had a clear night and went out with the challenge list.
Scope: 80mm f11 refractor.
Location: Adelaide
Seeing: good
Transparency: average
NGC 2615.
I used a 32mm EP to take in the full field of the cluster the two red giants stand out. This is a very nice OC one I have looking at with my binos on my random sweeps on the Carinea region. I put in the 15mm EP to find the doubles, I found 2 doubles and one that looked like it might be a tripple. (Will check in Stellarium later).
M42.
This is a favourite in any EP. The trapezium is easily visible but not matter how long I stare at it or what EP I use I could not split the doubles.
Rigel.
This was a tough one but I got it. While I was locating it with the 15mm a meteor went through the field
. To split the double I had to use the 6mm EP and stare at it for a long time. It was only in moments of good seeing that I could see the double. Once I had found it I put the 15mm back in and I could again find it but only in moments of stillness. A nice challenge.
IC335.
I don't know this area of the sky at all so was lost. While searching around I did see a couple of faint fuzzies but not the object in question.
NGC121.
This one also elluded me. It wouldn't be a challenge if it were easy
Mars.
Well I can find it
. And it does appear visibly larger than since I first saw it at the beginning of the month. I cannot say I can resolve any surface features.
It is just a bright orange ball. One side does appear brighter and could be the polar cap but I cannot pick any defining line where it ends. Tried all my filters and while they take away some of the glare it just changes the colour of the ball.
The month is not over yet so I still have time to complete the project