Star Tours!

[badhex]

Hello all

I will doing a few hours observing session up on the moors in Derbyshire with some of my family at some point later this week, hopefully with a good clear view all round and lovely dark skies!

I'm taking with me my Mak102 and some 7x50 binos, and my parents are taking a small Celestron 70mm frac.

Can anybody suggest a small 'star tour' as it were - a few objects worth looking at? I'm not too great on the summer sky objects!

I did a summer all night session a with a much more experience astronomer a couple of years ago in Sussex, this is the list of objects we looked at as a possible starter but I guess some of them will be unachievable with our rather more modest setup (no 300mm Skywatcher reflector this time!) and likely the skies won't be so dark. I've already removed some of the ones that are deffo unachievable (like Neptune - although Jodrell Bank site reckons it might be doable!) 

M8 (Lagoon Nebula)

M13 (Great Globular Cluster)

M27 (Dumbbell Nebula)

M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy)

M57 (Ring Nebula)

M101 (Pinwheel Galaxy)

NGC884/NGC869 (Double Cluster)

Albireo (Beta Cygni)

The Coathanger

Moon

Saturn

Any of these completely non-achievable? I know Saturn is on its way out now, but if we have low horizons... maybe. Might try for the Double Double in Lyra, M56 and M81/M82 if possible. Any other suggestions would be welcomed! 

Additionally, any of you guys who are from that neck of the woods, my parents are based in Chesterfield and we're driving up to the moors in their camper, so if anyone knows any good spots I'd be indebted.

Thanks in advance as always!

[Davey-T]

Monthly mags, S@N and Astronomy Now have sections on current stuff to see.

Dave

[badhex]

Thanks Dave

Had a good couple of hours until the clouds rolled in and bought the dew with it.

We managed to find a really good spot in the middle of a country park, marred only by the occasional passing car. Amazed how many stars visible from this spot, I am used to South London skies!

Targets seen:

M57

M13

Albeiro

Alcor and Mizar

We also saw several satallites perhaps one being the ISS and 5 meteors moving approx. south to North whilst we we facing westerly, two of which were exceptionally bright. Not sure if these were Aquarids or early Perseids?

By the time I moved onto Ursa Major for M101, M81/M82,the clouds and dew had attacked and everyone was cold, so we called it a night.

Perhaps not as many targets acquired as I'd like but all in all a good session!

[LukeSkywatcher]

People with just a glancing interest in astronomy are ALWAYS impressed with the inner planets (Saturn,Jupiter) when visible. The Moon is always impressive also as they take it for granted but a scope or bins give a closer look. 

I find that when showing people Galaxies or nebulae through a scope, they dont really know what they are looking at. I explain it to them and to be honest, they dont even know that we live within a galaxy.

They also like looking at Lunar/Solar eclipses, but we have no control over when they are visible. "Shooting Stars" are also a favourite of theirs. 

[cotterless45]

Well done ! I noticed the other night an almost autumnal chill in the air. Won't be long before we're going to deep in dewmidity. The

Peak Star Party is held at Shallow Grange Farm at Chelmorton. Quite good skies there , the facilities and company are ace, come on up !

Nick.

[badhex]

Aye, was a shame about the lack of planets and moon, as you said Luke they are always impressive to novice and experienced amateur alike. Thankfully however, my parents are pretty clued up so were interested in everything we managed to spot. My sister who has downs even described M57 as 'just like a little island'

Nick - agreed, weather has not been best the last couple of days so we were fairly lucky to have gone that night and got a good few hours in. Maybe I will have to try and arrange a visit home when one of the Peak star parties is on - sounds great!