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Two observing nights - DSOs, Planets and Double stars


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I spent most of Friday and Saturday painting the kitchen with the odd outing into the garden to view the Sun with the PST.

On Friday night I set up the 10" Dob to have a session on DSOs.

I started with the Ghost of Jupiter (NGC3242) which was very clear in the 10mm Delos and 8mm Ethos. Because the sky appeared clear to the horizon  I wanted to view objects in Crater and Corvus. I wanted to view NGC 3962 a 10.7mag ellipitical galaxy in Crater to tick off my list. Easily star hopped from Gienah in Corvus - able to view the galaxy without any problems.

Two galaxies that I have had problems viewing in the past are the Antennae (NGC 4038 and 4039) - successful this time but very faint and difficult to make out the galaxies as two separate bodies. Next the PN NGC4361 - again very clear in the 13mm Ethos and 10mm Delos. I added the 0lll filter which did not appear to improve things that much. Finally I headed further South to view M83 but the height of my Dob could not see that low.

I ended the night in Leo, Coma Berenices and Virgo viewing Galaxies. Started with the Leo Triplet M65, M66 and NGC 3628 - the view of all three in the 21mm Ethos was fantastic. Over to view M98 and M99 and decided to finish with the Markarian's Chain. All the galaxies from M84 through the Eyes to  M88 and M91 were a great sight with the 21mm and 13mm Ethos.

Saturday night was Planet and Double Stars. Set up the 180mm Mak/Cass on the SkyTee 2 with binoviewers.

I started with Jupiter and 15mm EPs - however the conditions were so stable I switched to the 12.5mm William Optics Planetary EPs. I can only say 'Wow' - so many bands visible - my only regret was that the GRS was not visible. I was so pleased with the view I had to view Mars and again so many features visible. I tried different colour filters but could say that they improved things that much.

Before switching to doubles I wanted to check out whether I could see the Leo Triplet with the Mak/Cass. I used the 38mm Panaview which gives a mag of 71x and a FOV of nearly 1 degree. Well NGC 3628 was visible and not too difficult to see.

Finally it was going to be a night of Double Stars situated in Bootes. A few weeks ago Nick (Cotterless 45) did a great list from this constellation - copy below. Although I have had the book of Double Stars by Sissy Haas for several years I have not used it that much - so Nick's thread made me re think my observing of these objects.

I used a Baader Hyperion 8-24mm zoom which gives me mags from 112x to 337x and set about going through Nick's list - cross referencing with Siisy Haas's book and the Cambridge Double Star atlas. What a delight, able to split all the doubles either using 225x or 337x. The real problem was Zeta Bootis but during the odd moments I am sure I could detect the split. So thanks Nick (Cotterless 45) for your list.

I ended the night with Mars as it was so much higher in the sky. Again the binoviewers and 12.5mm WO EPs. The view was even better than before and was able to indentify more features by reference to the Mars Profile from Sky and Telescope website.

So two great nights of viewing with different telescopes and eyepieces.

This is Nick's (Cotterless 45) list

post-1628-0-01463000-1397992942.jpg

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Get into the doubles. It's taken a year to do about half of our northern constellations. Some real beauties up there,

Nick.

Yes thanks Nick. I was hoping to chat with you at SGL9 but we did not seem to meet. Now that I experienced the wonderful doubles in Bootes I am going to use Sissy Haas's book more often.

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