Due to my recent relocation to Kiama and the fact all my equipment is still on the NSW Central Coast, I have done very little observing in the past 10 mths. Last night was my first serious night under the stars in what seemed like and eternity.
3RF are currently hosting about 8 overseas visitors at Coonabarabran for our annual Ozsky pilgrimage. We had excellent sky conditions and I spent the night with the 30"/F4.5 SDM showing our northern hemisphere visitors some of our Southern skies eye candy. For me it a case of revisiting some old friends.
Some of the targets we sucked in were:-
NGC 5139 (Omega)
NGC 2070 (Tarantula)
NGC 4038/39 (Antennae)
M104 (Sombrero)
M83 (Southern pinwheel)
NGC 2997 (Lovely face on spiral in Antlia)
NGC 2442 (The Meathook)
NGC 2808
NGC 3242 (Ghost of Jupiter)
NGC 3132 (Eight Burst)
NGC 5189 (Spiral Planetary)
NGC 4945
NGC 4755 (Jewel Box)
NGC 3293 (Gem Cluster)
NGC 3532 (Football Cluster)
NGC 104 (47 Tuc)
NGC 1566 (Lovely Seyfert Galaxy in Dorado)
Barnard 86 (The Ink Spot)
Barnard 87 (The Parrot's Head)
NGC 6231 (False Comet Cluster)
M22
Abell 1060 (large Galaxy Cluster in Hydra)
B33 (Horsehead Nebula)
M42 (Orion Nebula)
NGC 3372 (Eta Carina and the Homunculus)
NGC 3532 (Football Cluster)
We also did quite a few other targets.
Overall a great nights observing with a great scope under great conditions.
What a list! Some of those objects had interesting names that I hadn't heard of before. Sounds like you had a wonderful time.
Thanks for sharing your session with us John.
I look forward to more reports from you!
Sounds like you had a wonderful time.
