Perseus: The Double Cluster
More precisely, NGC869 and NGC 884. An excellent target for my ST80, and the best thing I managed to observe tonight.
I started off by continuing to work my way through Turn Left At Orion for the Autumn season, there seemed to be quite a few clusters and double stars that required either dark skies or a bigger telescope than the ST80, I attempted a couple of the double stars but could not see them, possibly hampered by atmospheric conditions (high haze?)
M34 was my first real success, an open cluster in Perseus, though a little underwhelming in the ST80 tonight. The next page was The Double Cluster, a really easy one to find, just visible with the naked eye even with all the light pollution coming from the neighbour's spotlights. I saw it beautifully through my 8x42 binoculars, and again in sharp detail through the ST80 and 25mm eyepiece. It really made the night worth while!
Also had quick peeks at Jupiter (four moons visible in a line around the planet) and Pleiades (my favourite cluster).
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