Mark at Beaufort

Andrew good to see you are firmly back in the saddle. Hope all is good with family. You never know we might see at Lucksall again.

Thanks Doug I have never heard of the Leo double double. That is a great diagram - I will give it ago. I want to test my new Nagler 3-6 mm zoom.

That is interesting Francis. I looked through a friends cardboard Charles Frank refracting telescope in 1960 maybe 1961 and I was hooked. I bought this telescope and here it is mounted on my 6" wooden tube newtonian reflector dated 1972. Not sure what happened to it.

A great observing report and some great DSOs. Although I don't suffer too much from IP at the moment I still curtain myself off from the house and my neighbours. I have a washing line across the garden (7 foot off the ground) and I use black ground sheets which I bought from B&M stores. You can see this arrangements in Stargazine EP5 (it starts after 39minutes after Ian's talk on double stars) -

Thanks Rob that is much appreciated. I enjoyed your post on the comparison between the Tal and the Heritage. I can't believe the quality of the Heritage for the money.

Thanks Stu I would like your opinion. I fancy buying another 4" apo but 90% of my time is viewing DSOs - so is it worth it? I have just bought a lovely case to transport the 130p so it really has become my travel grab and go.

Thanks Stu - what I like to do is to compare this scope with a quality 4" APO on DSOs. Have you ever done this comparison? I know there is no comparison when observing Planets, Moon or doubles

Luke glad you are back into observing - a great report and objects. I still remember viewing through your 16" Dob and seeing the Horsehead and NGC 3912 in Leo at SGL8 (in 2013). Great memories.

Wonderful sunny day yesterday so early evening I left out my Heritage 130P on its Pronto mount in the hope of seeing the Nova again. Just after 10pm I went outside to see a fantastic transparent sky. I leave a SvBony 10-30mm zoom permanently in the OTA so I moved the scope to pick up M52. Went straight to the cluster and identified the Nova. I estimate that it was still around mag 8 similar to 2 nights before. The sky was so good I decided to view DSOs without reference to a star atlas and going just by memory. I added the Celestron Ultima DUO 17mm and 10mm EPs and started with M1. Really good view of this DSO. Moving from West to East starting with Auriga these are the objects I viewed. M38, M37, M36, M35, NGC 2158, M67, M95, M96, M105, NGC 3384, M66, M65, NGC 3628, M104, NGC 4494, NGC 4565, M53, M3, M51, M63, NGC 4485, M101 and finally M13. The Heritage 130P is a brilliant, small and lightweight OTA and works well on an Alt/Az mount. I cleaned the primary and secondary mirrors a week ago so this was a first test. I would add that all my neighbours lights were off and no light pollution from east to west. Great night.

Decided to use the Heritage 130p as a quick grab and go. Using a 9x50 finder scope went straight to M52. Used a SvBony 10 to 30 zoom and located the Nova. Estimated at around mag 8. Seemed the same as 2 nights ago.

Another clear spell and was able to use the 12" Dob. I wanted to explore some of the delights of Coma B but whilst waiting for it to rise a bit more I went looking around Ursa Major. Like the previous night I started with M97 (Owl Neb) - used the 13mm Ethos with the Castell O-III filter. Filter removed and took in M108, M109, M81, M82, M51 and M101 (used the 20mm Myriad). Viewed M66, M65 and had a much better view of NGC 3628 than the previous night before moving over to Coma B Whenever I start viewing the Coma B area I start with the cluster Melotte 111 which is great in my 80mm finderscope. I started from the eastern edge and observed NGC 4494, 4565 (Needle), 4559, 4278, 4283, 4274, 4414. I crossed the border into Canes Venatici to pick up two favourites - NGC 4631 (Whale) and 4656 (Hockey Stick). Moved down to NGC 4725, M64, M53 - I tried again to view NGC 5053 but failed. My notes show that I observe this Globular last April but it was beyond me last night. In the book by Ted Aranda - 3000 Deep-Sky Objects it states that 5053 is 'Probably the faintest globular in the sky'. Must have another go. Finally, ended with M85, M100 (an absolute jewel) and M98.

Really enjoyable report Mark. Its great that we can have some deep sky observing - reminds me of last April.

Observed it last night for the first time. I estimate it at mag 8 comparing nearby stars.

Nice Stu - I have always fancied trying the Nagler 31mm in my various scopes.

I have not had much observing of deep sky objects recently. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day but the forecast was cloud from 9pm onwards. I have not had the opportunity to observe the Nova in Cassiopeia and I really wanted to have a go before it faded. I set up the Skywatcher 150P in early evening and hoped for the best. Around 9.45pm I noticed that the sky was clear so decided to try and find the Nova. In the end it was easy using M52 as my starting point. Found the Nova and made an estimate of mag 8. Sky still clear so had a look look around Ursa Major. Using a TeleVue Nebstar 2 I observed the Owl (M97). Removed the filter and observed M108 nearby. Down to Phecida and took in M109. Then M51, M101, M81 and M82. Before I ended I observed NGC 2903, M66, M65 and just about NGC 3628. Not a long session - just over an hour but nice to see the sky again. If it stays clear over the next week I will try and use the 12" Dob.

John what a brilliant list of objects. Viewing this area of sky reminds me of the excellent observing conditions we had at the start of the first lockdown last year.

That is a great collection of DSOs plus a few doubles. Its nights like this that keeps us going.

Chris I really enjoyed the video. I think you made a good outline of the merits of both eyepieces.

A great session and enjoyable read. I was hoping to have a session but high cloud ruined the situation.

Brilliant image thanks for sharing.

Hello Paul - my PST is 97155 and I remember getting it in the summer of 2005. I took it to Spain for the Annular Eclipse in October 2005. I also took it to the USA for the Venus Transit in 2012 and many observers remarked that the image was one of the best seen through a PST. That statement went downhill when a member of staff from NASA had a 6" Lunt with binoviewers + TelevVue EPs.

I bought my PST in 2005 and only really noticed the rust a few years later. Since that time the views have not changed in fact I often use a double stack. I did try to get it fixed under warranty but the supplier has ceased trading and my emails were ignored.

Thanks Alexander. Like John I have used Stellarium for many years. It has been brilliant for a visual only astronomer.

Paul that is a great photo of Lunar X. I tried to view the Moon last night - total cloud cover. Your Tecnosky 102ED F7 looks the business- clearly a great purchase.

I use the Interstellarum Desk Edition but I place it in a large plastic box to protect it. When required at the telescope I place it on a large music stand - find the object then return it to the box. I have used this method for years and the star atlas is still okay.