Jinx

Well its been about a month since my last observations, little baby Addison has had me up every night unable to be put down due to acid reflux! However, my wife has let me out for one evening and I feel I've made the most of it. Started off with Venus through the 9mm, looked to be about 2/3 full, no resolution of the cloud cover using the UHC-S filter. Next was our moon, broke out the new 20mm 100 degree, really clear wall to wall, moon filled central 2/3 of f.o.v. so really good for lunar mapping. Plenty of contrast detail even well within lit crescent, enhanced further by the UHC-S filter. Didn't use the vaqriable as moon not bright enough and quite low. Now time for a new one - first look at Saturn and wow, just panning through the pinprick stars and bang - Saturn in all its glory - was expecting a fuzzy planet with "ears" instead crystal clear separation of rings from the planet, think I could see Cassini division with Big Barlow and 9mm along with ? ring shadow on planet body. Quick stop off at Mars - some difference in surface shading unsure as to clouds or plateaus / ranges, ice cap not distinct at all. Now some DSOs, M42 as a sighter, then M35 with the 9mm and 20mm - cant help myself. Then some new ones -M13 in Hercules a nice globular with my 9mm not barlowed, then M90 and M104 in Virgo both tried with 9mm with and without Big Barlow an UHC-S, Sombrero needing averted vision to pick out the shape, M90 very difficult to make out any structure. Might try the 20mm next time. Finally attempted M31 but too low in the sky. Lastly was going to check out the double in Perseus with both ES EPs as a treat but time pressing and Saturn calling so one last look for the rings, higher in the sky so bit better viewing, still unsure as to ring shadow. All done in under 2.5 hours, then back home to do the night shift with little one sending mum upstairs to sleep. Not a bad night!

Thanks folks - with a heavily pregnant wife (should have come Wednesday!) I limit myself to 2-2.5 hours at a time, so I am glad that I have found M1. Really want to start putting the Messiers I have found on my fibre optic constellation ceiling I have done for the nursery, but wife says that should be a project to share with little one when they are older!

Well back down the lane again, quicker setup but nearly snapped the goto cable tripping over it. All obs with 9mm. Moon 3d with filter, didn't Barlow so crescent complete edge to edge with nice central mare Venus obscured by cloud Jupiter, 2 dark cloud bands, but 4 gallileo moons in two pairs winging up either side of the planet. M35 non Barlow, saw boundaries, still pretty. M36 nice, easy to find, looks like 5 pointed star or upside down spaceman. M37 easy again, looks like dark lanes running through in shape of A on right side. Couldn't find M38 nearby, cloud starting at zenith. M1 I think, non distinct grey blur, upright oval, not Barlowed as looked quite feint. Moved down to Sirius and M41, nice open cluster again, but M35 favourite, remembered NGC 2158, used goto, think I found it but not sure as M35 not within nearby panning.