Mixed weekend ...

[kev100]

Hi all,

I've been really looking forward to the darker nights (obviously), and the weather this weekend seemed to promise some good opportunities. I particularly wanted to bag comet Jacques.

With the sky limited to just some clear patches in between some big clouds on Friday and Saturday nights, I didn't bother with the scope, but instead set up my 20x80 bins on the tripod and set about looking for the comet ... nada! Did get lovely views of the double cluster in Perseus, though.

Sunday night looked good, and with a final check on the sky at about 10.30 (all clear and sparkly), and with a day off on Monday, I set up the scope and the bins looking forward to a late one. I'd hardly begun scanning Perseus/Cassiopeia for Jacques when I noticed the sky clouding over ... "That developed quickly" I thought to myself ... "Perhaps it'll clear just as quick". After all, the weather forecast was for clear skies ... Ten minutes later there wasn't a star in the sky and I was running for cover with my gear from a proper downpour ... my evening's observing over in about 10 minutes!

Monday night, and despite being back at work this morning, I checked the sky at about 10.30, and was gobsmacked by how clear it was. Even before my eyes were properly dark adapted I could see the double cluster and Andromeda with the naked eye. "Right", I thought ... "This time!"

First stop, the double cluster in my 32mm. Glorious. So amazed was I that my next thought was to check out Andromeda. M31, 32 and 110 were all beautifully clear, with a dark band running round the foreground in Andromeda. For the first time I could see that the galaxy was a 3D object, tilted away from me, rather than just a fuzzy cloud with a bright centre.

Whilst in the area I thought I'd have a look for a couple of new Messier items. With Google sky map on the phone I hunted down M76, the Little Dumbbell. Took a bit of finding (certainly lives up to it's name!). Definite 'apple core' shape (like its bigger sibling). Next up was M52, an open cluster above Cassiopeia. Very sparkly indeed. 

Next stop was Ursa Major and the Cigar, Whirlpool and pinwheel galaxies. Definite spirals in the latter two (thought faint), and dark bands in the Cigar.

With all this sparkly clarity on offer I thought "I know ... M13!". Again, this was a delight. As was M27, M11 and M72 (by this point I was getting a bit tired and a bit random). I recently bought a Revelation 2.5x barlow, and was trying it out for the first time in anger. Even at quite silly magnifications (x333 with the 9mm EP) some things came up lovely (especially M13, M11 and, amazingly, M82!) Absolutely cannot wait to try it on Jupiter!

With the time fast approaching 1 o'clock, and with work in the morning I felt it was time to pack it in. One last look at Andromeda though the 32 and then the 20mm EPs (I really can't get over how good this looked!) and I called it a day. Packed up and went home, only to remember the moment I closed the front door ... my main aim for the weekend ... comet Jacques! "Rats!" I'd completely forgotten all about it!

Never mind! The forecast for this Friday is looking great, so fingers crossed.

Cheers,

(A very tired) Kev

[Paul73]

Galaxies again. At last!!!

Sounds like a fun session. You missed Jaques by a single FOV

Interesting about the big magnifications. Conversely, at the end of my session on Sunday night, I had a look at M52 using 100x (12mm Delos) and got very little off it. Possibly a bit too much for that one.

Paul

[algol]

Lol we've all been there mate, with that elusive object to find, neptune and uranus are my jinxed, every time I go out to find them I end up hunting fuzziness or double stars

[Paul73]

Lol we've all been there mate, with that elusive object to find, neptune and uranus are my jinxed, every time I go out to find them I end up hunting fuzziness or double stars

At least the Fuzzies and doubles stay still!!

[cotterless45]

Jacques has been really bright, good luck !

Nick.

[dick_dangerous]

Comet Jacques is well worth the effort - I found it on Sunday night. It's still fairly bright, even in London's light polluted skies.

DD

[kev100]

Cheers everyone. I'm gonna pop out tonight with the bins and see if I can find it. Failing that I'm gonna try again at the weekend when it'll be a bit higher.

Cheers,

Kev

[kev100]

Hiya,

Just been out with the bins, and found it (Jacques) almost straightaway; just to the left of the double cluster. Still too bright to see it properly, but will hopefully get a better look at the weekend (with the scope).

Cheers,

Kev.

[Astro Imp]

That is a great report well worth reading,

With such an excellent night did you have a look at M33? Judging by the sky conditions this should have been well worth tracking down.

[szymon]

Great report!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kev100]

Hi all. Thanks. I didn't try for m33 that night. Saw it a couple of weeks ago, though.