Best nights viewing I've ever had!

[cuivenion]

Had a big grin on my face all night. The sky has been clear as a bell, the scope is collimated as well as it's ever been, and I'm getting much better at finding the fuzzies. Here's the list of Messiers I observed tonight:

M1 Crab Nebula
M31 Andromeda
M35 Star Cluster in Gemini
M42 Orion Nebula
M45 Pleiades
M57 Ring Nebula
M81 Bodes Galaxy
M82 Cigar Galaxy

The highlights were M35, M42, and M57. I found it hard to drag myself away from M35 and M57, I spent a long time looking at them. Its interesting how well averted vision works with the ring nebula it really brings the shape of the nebula out. The only slight letdown was the Crab Nebula. I couldn't get any detail on that at all, it was just a grey smudge. There was also a small orange/red star in Lyra visible through the scope that stood out. I'll have to find out what that is. All in all a great night.

[Paul73]

Good stuff.

Wall to wall cloud here.

That is a splendid list of targets. The Crab Nebula is a bit of a let down when compared to M42, but it is a good catch due to its faintness.

Paul

[Macavity]

Yes, certainly the best nite (N.Wales) thus far. Remote controlled video astronomy

from the lounge is almost too easy? I'll have to stand on one leg or something...

But it's nice when everything finally comes together, isn't it?

I imagine one or two "satisfied customers" around here...

[Nathan_Pembs]

Clear all last night here in S.Wales, was imaging till about 2am testing out my recently modded dslr. A cracking night

[estwing]

Looked at M1 at Elan and it was still poor...35,36,37 are nice and close, well done

[andrew63]

That's a greatest hits list for most - M35 is glorious.  

andrew

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice collection of DSOs. M1 can be tricky, well done spotting that. Are you keeping a log and ticking objects off a list? I found that once I started doing that I got better and better at finding stuff, instead of only revisiting old friends (still do that, some objects like the Ring and Pleiades never tire)

[Alkaid]

Excellent! I still have not managed the crab, although I must accept this living in Leeds I suppose. Never tried it from a dark site...must have a go...

[cuivenion]

Excellent! I still have not managed the crab, although I must accept this living in Leeds I suppose. Never tried it from a dark site...must have a go...

I'm in Morecambe, which isn't as bad for LP I would imagine. All the neighbours had their lights off last night which helped.

[cuivenion]

Very nice collection of DSOs. M1 can be tricky, well done spotting that. Are you keeping a log and ticking objects off a list? I found that once I started doing that I got better and better at finding stuff, instead of only revisiting old friends (still do that, some objects like the Ring and Pleiades never tire)

I have spotted most of them before, but M1, M35 and M57 were new. I like to revisit some fuzzies just to make sure I can still find them.

[bomberbaz]

I like to mke a list of potential new tobjects and then also a list of other targets depending on the season. I then always have a fallback for failed objects.

Your viewing list is excellent btw, I only ticked M1 off on Saturday myself after numerous attempts under pitch black skies. Well done.

PS Pleiades is on my top 3 list along with Orion neb.

[Moonshane]

Looked at M1 at Elan and it was still poor...35,36,37 are nice and close, well done

 did you not see the knotty structure Calv? I did at PSP11 with an Oiii

[Daniel-K]

nice list you have there and M1 is a tricky one in smaller scopes so well done for bagging that one

 did you not see the knotty structure Calv? I did at PSP11 with an Oiii

it was very low at Elan. ive seen structure in the 14" with a orion ultra block filter.

[MadamCaptain]

Fantastic!! That is an impressive list. I love looking at Andromeda, it looks good even with a small scope. 

[PeterW]

I like the other smaller cluster on the edge of M35, spent last night doing a comparison of the seasonal globs. Dropped the veil and crescent in too for good measure.

Good times!

PeterW

[cuivenion]

I like to mke a list of potential new tobjects and then also a list of other targets depending on the season. I then always have a fallback for failed objects.

Your viewing list is excellent btw, I only ticked M1 off on Saturday myself after numerous attempts under pitch black skies. Well done.

PS Pleiades is on my top 3 list along with Orion neb.

In addition to a planisphere and info off the net I also use a app called Skyview on my Ipad. You can search for objects that are above the horizon with it.

[MadamCaptain]

I'm looking forward to a great night tonight, its lunar night with my local astronomy club and the skies are crystal clear here right now! Its also the opening of an observatory at the park where we have lunar night so its a combined event, with a barbeque, speeches and social gatherings. Then we get to check out the new scope in the observatory (I think its  something like a 20 inch goto or even bigger) so that will be fun. I always get excited about astronomy nights!!

[PeterW]

Waiting for the rain to come and GO.... Humidity forecast to be nice and low this evening... Have to see how much I can see given that big fat light polluter (moon) is up, who knows may also do some crater spotting too.

Cheers

PEterW

[cuivenion]

Waiting for the rain to come and GO.... Humidity forecast to be nice and low this evening... Have to see how much I can see given that big fat light polluter (moon) is up, who knows may also do some crater spotting too.

Cheers

PEterW

Yeah, looks like I've got rain for the rest of the week. Nevermind.

[DaveS]

Very transparent night here but bloomin' cold, and things are dewing up fast.

Trying to image M27 in OIII. How long I'll get I don't know. Must get dew control.

Amazing how a bit of rain can clear the clag out of the air.

[PeterW]

Transparency wasn't brilliant, lots of moisture, nippy to put it mildly... Toes started to complain. Moon was nice, but my mount decided to play silly and mess up!

PEterW

[DaveS]

I dunno, while my subs were coming in I was wandering around the sky with my 7x50s. I've never (Well rarely) seen such a transparent night, the double cluster was very clear, as was M31. Sweaping down the Milky Way showed a background sparkling with "diamond dust". With Mk1 eyeball I could just discerne a slght texture to the sky through Perseus > Cassiopea > Cygnus. The strs of Delphinus and Sagitta were also clearly visible, as were 5-6 stars in Ursa Minor.

To put this in perspective, this is LONDON we're talking about, the land of the orange fog, with a 2/3 Moon getting in the way. I wonder what would have been visible without the moon.

Early mid week it was also "clear" but with so much orange foog it wasn't worth getting chilled. Just shows what a good washing can do to the sky. Mind you when I came in at 11.30 or so everything was dripping with dew, but still working OK.

[cuivenion]

I like the other smaller cluster on the edge of M35, spent last night doing a comparison of the seasonal globs. Dropped the veil and crescent in too for good measure.

Good times!

PeterW

Is that NGC 2158? I thought that might be separate from M35 but they are are close.