Camping with the 10x50's

[StarSapling]

I wanted to get any early start on a hike, so I took the Jeep out the night before and camped near the trail head.  I didn't want to take any of my telescopes four wheeling, so I just brought my 10x50 bins and a lawn chair:

1/20/2015 - Buehman Canyon - seeing good - trans fair (occasional high thins) - obs fair

10x50 Bins

Aries:

C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy - comet - With the naked eye, using averted vision, I could make out the comet with its tail. - With the bins, I had the best view of Lovejoy I’ve had so far with any of my instruments. - Large, bright core and halo with narrow tail pointing east - I could trace the tail for nearly 6 degrees - The 6 degree field of view of the 10x50’s really provides me the best view of this object.

Taurus:

M45 - The Pleiades - O.C. - The associated reflection nebulosity was readily apparent - The nebulosity is easily seen with my 20x80’s, but I believe was the best view I’ve ever had of it with 10x50’s.

Lepus:

M79 - G.C. - Could be detected, with averted vision, as what would appear to be an out-of-focus star.

R Leporis - Variable - Carbon Star - Faint and dull orange - Have seen it much redder on other occasions.

Ursa Major:

M81 & M82 - Gals. - M81 - Small bright core surrounded by an oval halo - resembled naked view of M31, except more distinct.

M82 - Dim, cigar shaped streak of nebulosity - in same field as M81

Puppis:

M46 & M47 - O.C.’s - The other double cluster - M46 - A swarm of many faint stars

M47 - A scatter of many bright stars - There were many other fainter O.C.’s in this general area.

Camelopardus:

NGC 2403 - Gal - Faint, flattened oval of nebulosity - roughly same size as M81, but substantially fainter - no distinct core or halo.

[BinocularSky]

I envy your skies!

[Joves]

Reflection nebulosity of the Pleiades seen in 10x50 binoculars? Wow, I wasn't sure you could even catch that in a large scope. Your skies must be very nice indeed!

Very envious... This is something I have always wished I could see visually.

[Qualia]

Lovely report, Starsapling and glad you had such a nice evening. The area around M 47 is a gorgeous hunting ground and I'm sure you had views of M 46 and NGC 2423 as well. I have caught hints of nebulosity in Pleiades but only in the 10" at low power. Good spotting my friend

[Walshie79]

M79 in 10x50s can't be easy. Can only just see it in 25x70s here, although it never rises very high. And stars in M46? As in resolved? That's just a faint patch n the 25x70s, must be really dark skies if it will resolve in something smaller.

Sounds like a fun trip, small bins are great for that sort of thing...

[BinocularSky]

M79 in 10x50s can't be easy

It's not, but it does depend a lot on glass quality. A few weeks back, when the comet was near it, we were comparing various binoculars. None of us could see M79 in Celestron Skymaster 15x70s, but we could all see it in Leica 10x42.

[StarSapling]

M79 in 10x50s can't be easy. Can only just see it in 25x70s here, although it never rises very high. And stars in M46? As in resolved? That's just a faint patch n the 25x70s, must be really dark skies if it will resolve in something smaller.

Sounds like a fun trip, small bins are great for that sort of thing...

Yes, it was.  Please remember I'm located in rural Arizona in an area surrounded by professional observatories.  Though the skies around here are no where near as dark as they were 35 years ago, when I first started observing, I imagine they are probably still much darker than what is available in most of western Europe.

[StarSapling]

It's not, but it does depend a lot on glass quality. A few weeks back, when the comet was near it, we were comparing various binoculars. None of us could see M79 in Celestron Skymaster 15x70s, but we could all see it in Leica 10x42.

I have developed a very low opinion of Celestron products, lately.  Very sad, they used to make such great instruments.

[BinocularSky]

I have developed a very low opinion of Celestron products, lately.  Very sad, they used to make such great instruments.

In the last few decades, they have had others (such as Synta, the Chinese makers of SkyWatcher kit) make kit for them, I think the quality control is a major issue. When they made their own stuff in the USA, the quality was usually excellent. However, whatever the quality of the budget kit,15x70 binoculars that cost less than a half-way decent astronomical eyepiece have brought binocular astronomy to thousands of people who may have been otherwise unable to afford it.As long as you regard the budget kit as either a stepping stone or a project that will need occasional tweaking.

<offtopic>

I used to have a Celestron C5+, which cost nearly as much as the fork-mounted C8 and was worth every penny. Very good optics, sturdy mount, and easily upgradeable - which I did: someone called mine the C5++ and the monicker stuck. In 2002 I "upgraded" the mount to a Vixen GP, which was OK but, when I wanted to return to using the original mount, I found that, unknown to me, the shed I had stored it in had developed a leak and, although the  mount had been double-wrapped in plastic bags,  the innards were rusty. Not my finest hour!

</offtopic>

[Walshie79]

My 25x70s are Celestron and they will show:

M74 on a perfect night

M110 with no moon

M76 (just) when near zenith

M109 quite clearly with averted vision

M1 and M77 quite easily

M51 in twilight (sun about -10 degrees)

Saturn's rings

Not tried the 15x70s, I suspect they would struggle with M74 and M76 but should manage the rest.