Mark at Beaufort

Very clear at the moment so I have left out my Heritage 130P on a tripod and the ES 68 24mm giving me over 2.4 degrees fov. Will increase the mag to view the Venus phase.

Excellent image - it shows when observing visually how to move along the chain - brilliant.

Thanks Stu - mostly cloudy here but I will get the scopes out just in case.

I have used 15x70, 20x80 and 25x100. As John said you need a very stable tripod to hold big binoculars. In the end I settled for 15x70 as the most useful binoculars for observing. I don't know your budget but these are my prime binos for observing - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/helios-binoculars/helios-apollo-high-resolution-70mm-binoculars.html I bought these because I am able to screw filters into the eye cups for viewing certain types of objects. There are other models that would fit the bill - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/helios-binoculars/helios-stellar-ii-70mm-wp-binoculars.html However, I have a look at this website - http://binocularsky.com/index.php - Steve is a member of SGL

Thanks Neil I have to admit this is a new one on me. I have just looked at Steve O'Meara - Deep Sky Companion on Messier Objects. He mentions the jet but states you need a large scope in fact he saw the jet in a 20" reflector at a Texas star party. Well I am up for the challenge anyway

I set up the PST + DS and the Skywatcher 150P with solar filter + IR/UV filter for extra safety. White Light using 13mm Ethos + ND filter - sunspot easily visible + some granulation PST + DS - 8-24 TeleVue zoom set at 12mm. There are a number of proms around the edge and on the NW side there is a small filament. Looking at the Sunspot you can see some Plage. Glad that Fozzie did the heads up.

Thanks Fozzie for the 'Heads Up' I will have a look if the Sun stays out.

Great read Magnus - you certainly have a dark sky. Its great to start at M84 and then move along the Markarian's Chain. Not viewed the Virgo Galaxy Cluster this season so I am hoping that we might get a clear spell again.

To get a better idea of my Heritage setup and its location I attach a photo. The Heritage now sits on a Skywatcher AZ Pronto but a better tripod. This makes it easier to move from one object to the next with fine tuning with the slow motion devices. The photo also shows the end of my garden and if you look closely you can see a washing line (not used for clothes). Attached to this line (hidden behind the garden shed) is 6 black groundsheets which blocks out all lights from the house. I can set up scopes in this area - totally dark.

I live on the edge of the City and my viewing is very similar to the Lucksall site (about 10 minutes away) used for the SGL star parties. I have not measured my home site but it helps that I know the exact location of these objects and what they look like in a larger scope. I really should buy a light meter and measure the sky quality.

I have had 4 days of enjoyable observing with the 12" Dob. However, tonight I decided to have a quick grab and go with the small Skywatcher Heritage 130P. Using a Explore Scientific 24mm 68 degree EP + Celestron Duo 10mm 68 degree I went looking for C/2019 Y4 (Atlas). Found the Comet but it was difficult to compare brightness with the previous nights having regard to the difference of the scopes. Had a look at M81 and M82 then down to M51. Moved over to Leo and observed M65 and M66 no sign of NGC 3628. Moved over to Auriga and viewed M38, M36 and M37. Quick look at M35 and finished with M1. This lovely little scope is great for a quick grab and go.

That is really a nice set of images. I agree with you that the Prom on the Northern side is the most interesting.

Thanks for the 'heads up' and the solar image. I decided to set up the PST + DS to check out any proms. We have some nice proms (not too large) to the North, South and a fainter one on the Eastern Side.

John I used the 20mm mostly with the 13mm Ethos giving a closer look.

Yes Paul with your 16" it will be incredible.

Last night was the best for transparency over the last few days. Spring is usually the best time to view the DSOs in Ursa Major so I compiled a list of galaxies, some of which I had not seen before. The 12" Dob has been outside for days so I was ready to start at 8.30pm. The Altair 80mm finderscope attached and the Interstellarum atlas on a music stand. I started by viewing C/2017 T2 (Panstarrs) and C/2019 Y4 (Atlas) the latter now brighter than T2. Although I have seen M81 and M82 many times I often overlook their companion NGC 3077 so it was good to start my DSOs collection at this point. Throughout the evening session I really only used two EPs - 20mm Myriad and 13mm Ethos and whereas I made a list of previous unseen objects whilst star hopping I came across many other DSOs. This is the list from last night - NGC 3198, 3938, 2681, 4605, 2985, 3998, 2787, 3718, 3729, 2841, 3738, 3953, 3982, 3990 and M109. I must give a mention to a lovely galaxy which I had not seen before which I think was my highlight. NGC 3079 (Phantom Frisbee) which is no.38 in Steve O'Meara's - 'The Secret Deep' book. This is a spectacular edge on galaxy which I recommend viewing. So a great observing night or should I say week.

Baz using 66x should be okay. When I view the triplet I always start at the star Chertan and then move down to a line of 3 stars starting at no.73. The galaxies are slightly to the left -

Up until this week I had not used my 12" Dob this year relying on my 6" Newt and Heritage 130P for quick grab and go. With the 12" Dob still outside after several days I started viewing looking at C/2019 Y4 (Atlas) which seemed slightly larger and brighter. A few days ago I found an old article on the PN - IC3568 - not easy to star hop but the 80mm finderscope and the Interstellarum atlas certainly helped. This PN is very star like and I had to use my 6mm Ethos + 1.6x barlow (405x) to really confirm it. I also decided to test whether I could see M1 with a pair of 7x50 binoculars - my report is contained in a thread started by paul73. As part of the same test I also used my Helios Apollo 15x70 binos and because they were out I also undertook some observing with these. Highlight was observing the Rosette and Monkey Head Nebulae - for this I used a TeleVue Nebustar UHC and Astronomik O-III - both objects really well defined. Finally I returned to Leo to view the remaining brighter DSOs that I did not finish the other night. Galaxies observed using my 20mm Myriad and 13mm Ethos EPs - M95, M96, M105, NGC 3384, 3389, 3412, 3338, 3367 and 3377

I undertook the review and here are my findings - I would add it was not the best for transparency only just managed to see all the stars in Ursa Minor. Helios Apollo 15x70 - easily observed M1 Celestron Cometary 12x70 - just about viewed Russian 7x50 - could not see M1 Altair 80mm finderscope - easily observed M1 I don't own any 10x50 binos but noting the Celestron 12x70 above I doubt I would have seen M1

Paul it will be interesting if you are able to observe it with smaller binos. I just looked back and found that the Lucksall site visit was made in 2008 prior to SGL4 the following spring.

When SGL first decided to use Lucksall Caravan Park for its star parties I was asked to make a site visit. The site was closed but I parked the car looking over the site. I was using some Celestron Skymaster 15x70 binos. My task was to view M1 and M33 and I am pleased to say I saw both in the binoculars. Although I mainly now use my Helios Apollo 15x70 binos from home I can easily see M1. I have a pair of 7x50 binos and I will try and view M1 tonight - hopefully transparency will be better than last night.

Last night I made a list of the Galaxies I wanted to observe in the constellation of Leo - quite a lot!! I set up the 12" Dob with the 80mm finderscope + my Interstellarum star atlas on a music stand. Before starting the galaxy hunt I did observe C/2019 Y4 (Atlas) which clearly had moved from the previous night - same brightness but hoping for bigger things in the months ahead. I should have started my Leo observing with NGC 2903 but I viewed this galaxy the previous night so I started on the Leo sickle with NGC 3193, 3190 and 3185 (quite faint). Moving down to Algieba to view another group NGC 3226, 3227 but failed to see NGC 3222. Moved over to the other side and picked up another tight group - NGC 3607, 3608 and 3626 not too far away. Starting at star 81 there is a line of galaxies NGC 3681, 3684 and 3686. To the right of 81 is NGC 3655. Moved up to Zosma and observed NGC 3646. Moved down to Chertan to observe NGC 3596. I have to say that seeing and transparency was not the best I have known but it was okay. Certainly star hopping with an 80mm finderscope and a detailed atlas makes observing more of a pleasure. Finally I decided to view M65, M66 and NGC 3628. This means that the galaxies starting with M95 and moving upwards will hopefully be observed tonight.

Nice photo Francis - hope you are keeping well. Its just as well we had the Oxford trip when we did.

Reading your report John reminds me of the observing session we had together at a SGL star party when we were jumping from one DSO to another. Last night was really good for DSO observing although I did start with observing the 3 Comets. After viewing c/2019 Y4 (Atlas) I had to visit M81 and M82 these galaxies are a wonderful site in a 12" Dob using an Ethos 13mm EP. Checked out M51 whilst in the area. I made a list of DSOs I wanted to visit - some for the first time. I tried to concentrate on DSOs crossing the meridian. Started with NGC 2775 (Caldwell 48 - last viewed in March 2008) NGC 3115 - lovely Spindle Galaxy (Caldwell 53) NGC 3242 - Ghost of Jupiter - (fantastic PN viewed with 9mm Myraid) NGC 2784 - very low on the border of Pyxis - not seen before. Tried to view NGC 3109 - too low for Dob. Next a lovely close group of Galaxies in Sextans and an easy star hop from Alpha Sextans. NGC 3166, 3169 and the fainter NGC 3156. Well worth seeking out. Ended the session with NGC 2903 in Leo. I am hoping to carry on tonight, if it stays clear, and view more DSOs in Leo.

I set up both my 12" Dob and 150P Newt to view these 3 Comets. I first used my 150P Newt to view Y1 (Atlas) - very low in Andromeda - too low for my Dob. As Neil stated its a reasonable star hop from M31. Check out position in Stellarium and was able to see the Comet using 13mm Ethos and 9mm Myraid. Over to the 12" to view Y4 (Atlas) - very easy to locate and seemed reasonably bright - first time at viewing this Comet. Next T2 stopping over at Iota Cass to view this lovely multiple star then picked up T2 nearby. Really pleased to start the observing evening with 3 Comets before observing DSOs.