some success

[jason.p]

Went out last night with beautiful clear skies and high hopes..

Pretty sure I found M97 and M108, although couldn't get enough detail to be sure. There seem to be a lot of faint fuzzies around. Came across one just inside the dipper bowl close to Phecda which looking at Pocket Atlas was prob NGC3982. I then moved over to Leo for the other trio. I find it quite confusing around here. Definitely got M95&6, then moving "up" from there another pair closer together than the others which might have been 3367 and 3377. Couldn't be sure of M105.

Tried (yet again!) to split Izar. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm on the wrong star! Is it really that difficult? By contrast split Regulus (is it really a double!)

Then my RA slo mo knob fell off. I heard it roll away but just couldn't find it. A sudden call of nature made me decide to pack up (dark adap ruined).

On my way back from putting things away I looked up and the sky was absolutely amazing and I thought to myself that really, at times like this, you don't need a scope with bits falling off.

(Sorry, bit of a ramble!!)

[cotterless45]

You were lucky , we had just wind and heavy cloud rolling in. Izar has a seperation of 2.9" with mags of 2.6 and 4.8, providing lovely contrast . I found this most pleasing at x200.

Regulus has a split at 176" and although the secondary is quite faint, it's a wide neat double. Never fails to surprise , the amount of named stars that are doubles,

Nick.

[Stu]

Nice one Jason, nowt wrong with rambling, I spend my life doing it :-).

Izar can be tricky, I suspect it may even be more tricky in a larger dob than a smaller refractor - I got it easily at x160 last night in the TV76. Cooling, collimation and seeing are all key to getting it.

Cheers,

Stu

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