Out of bed and driving !

[cotterless45]

Got up at 2, still broken cloud.

Up at 4, black and clear. Grabbed the bins, never seen so many stars or such a black sky from here. Got to do the right thing, set up or go dark ?

Left in the car , still in pjs and a jacket with bins ! Worse could happen would be arrest on suspicion , "going prepared to peeping Tom action in pyjamas".

Bizarre driving through villages in Leicestershire with no street lights. Leics is about mile and a bit away.

The forest sky was just stunning. Even before my eyes got adapted I've never seen so many stars from there.

By eye, the Auriga clusters ,M44, M35 in Gemini and the Milky Way through to Auriga.

With bins, around Capella, the skies were just brown with stars. Same for the double cluster, not so much the cluster , but the ocean of stars they were bathed in. Certain that I caught the small puff of M1 in Taurus and the clusters out from the Hyades.

Perseus showed a whole curved arc , like a scorpion. Below Sirius I got M42, well buzzing now. Orion showed the whole bow, the clusters and the Nobular. Even caught some nebulae out of there to Alnitak.

The Monoceros clusters of NGC 2244 and 2264 easily picked up .

I lay back on my old bit of rug and just scanned the sky overhead, so many stars.Cassiopeia was on its side and provided an excellent show.

Always a strange winter sky with UMa on its tail in the north, the legs striding out to the east.

The Moon, Venus, Mars and Jupiter all up in a great show in the east, like a huge bright Plough. Don't think I've ever seen such a great sky from here.

Up and out in the early hours, no folk or lights around and out in the sticks,

Clear skies,

Nick.

Sent from my iPad

[SnakeyJ]

Wonderful report and great story Nick. Whilst I didn't drive out in my Pj's, I did slip out in my slippers with a cup of Tea to watch Venus, the moon, mars and Jupiter's procession. A stunning sky, with clear milky way, despite the dark blue hue of dawn to the east.

Fingers crossed for more fine autumn mornings :-)

[rockystar]

Very nice. Do you just have all these objects & catalogue numbers in your head, or do you look them up before, after or during?

[Astro Imp]

Wow, that's a great report.

Good that you were wearing PJs, the other option doesn't bare thinking about 

[laudropb]

Lovely report Nick. Got up at 4:30. Back in bed at 4:32. Pouring rain outside.

[scarp15]

Extreme visual astronomy - great!

[andrew63]

Lovely early dawn views Nick.   It brought back visions of a wonderful film, The Fisher King, with Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges buck naked on the backs in Central Park gazing up at the stars...

andrew

[YKSE]

Very nice Nick, no wonder you can get over 100 observing nights in a year

[JeremyS]

Wonderful report Nick. You remind us why we love astronomy.

Go well!

Jeremy

[Piero]

Wow Nick, YOURS is real dedication! 

I really do admire you as well as I thank you for all the inspiration you give us every time you write your reports! 

I would not be able to wake up at that time and go out in pyjamas for observing! I would freeze! 

That's too "English" for my Italian blood!

Great report as always!

Piero