domstar

Just 49 sessions this year. There were a lot during lockdown but it tailed off later in the year. The highlights were mostly doubles- my smallest double split 1.8 arc seconds and finally splitting S Mon in the Christmas Tree Cluster. I also saw my first dark nebula. I can't wait for a crisp clear night on Orion. Thanks for your reports. They really help keep me enthused.

Great report. I'm very happy with my 4-inch and I like reading about what others do with theirs.

@fifeskies Great advice. It's a rare day that I can get a better view at 150x than at 90x.

Wow. An excellent report. I was very excited to spot the white and red dwarfs around Keid last year- the only ones I've ever seen. I want to try for Cleopatra's Eye. I'd never heard of it before. Thanks.

Great report. Sounds like a lovely session.

Very nice report. Like most people, I found it hard to find M33 for the first time. It is easier in binoculars and even my 9x50 finder. It's an intriguing galaxy, always on the verge of giving up some detail in my scope but I've never quite managed it. Stephan's Quintet is another favourite of mine. I've spent a lot of unsuccessful time on it. It's the first thing I'm going to look at when I get a big dob.

For me it depends on the season and the moon. I have a south-facing balcony and it's great in the winter, when it's too cold to be outside for a long time without a break. When the Virgo galaxies are back at a reasonable time around March, then I go for a short drive. I'll stay outside until around October. Winter, for me, is mainly about double stars and open clusters. It's great to be able to pop inside and look at the Cambridge Atlas of Double Stars. On the other hand, it's a shame that I don't usually see the Ursa Major galaxies at their highest.

Hi Doug. Always a pleasure and an inspiration to read your reports.

@Littleguy80 Thanks very much. That helps. And what a fantastic report. I too have spent many an hour failing at Stephan's Quintet. It's amazing how my brain has picked up just a hint of it and I almost see it whenever I look now- but not quite. I can pick up all the galaxies I've seen before but can't seem to see new stuff this year. Maybe my tenacity isn't what it was a year ago.

Hi everyone, Does anyone have experience with Barnard's galaxy (NGC 6822)? I've been trying to see it on four separate nights now and I haven't managed it. I'm confident I've found the right place. My question is- Is it an especially hard galaxy? I know it's down low and it's not in the best area for me, but I was surprised that I couldn't get even a hint of it. My other question is about the Heart Nebula visually. Is it comparable to the Rosette Nebula? It's difficult for me to see the nebulosity, but instead I see an area actually darker than the rest of the sky and without stars. A UHC filter seemed to make this clearer. This is what I found when observing the Rosette earlier in the year. It was almost like a patch of dark nebula. Am I on the right track here? Thanks for any experience / help.

Great report. It's been so clear here that I've been out 4 times since Sunday after a break. It's good to read about what you were looking at. I had a late Autumn of M72, M73 and the Saturn Nebula a couple of years ago. Very enjoyable but I haven't been back since. It could be time for another look soon.

An excellent report. I've never come close to seeing it but I admire your tenacity and in your shoes I would be very close to claiming it. The clincher for me is whether I can see it a second time. On a different note, what about Barnard's Galaxy? I've tried it a few times now and have never seen it. Is it especially difficult? I've seen things that are dimmer and have less surface brightness. I thought it must be because of light pollution. Have you seen it on other occasions? Anyway, concentrating on trying to pick out stuff like the Pillars of Creation are what it's all about for me. That's when the time whizzes by. Congratulations and good luck with the second observation.

Thanks for the thread. I managed Barnard's E Nebula this week. It was a very enjoyable observation and I'd never considered dark nebulae before.

I started out on a Bresser 70/700 from Lidl. The finder was a real pain and I had to change the eyepieces but it set my on the right path. I never would've paid for a decent scope if I hadn't started on a cheap one. It was really important that I could set up just for short observing sessions to get me into the hobby. It also taught me not to get a EQ mount. It was great for a first view of Jupiter, first galaxy and first double. I have very fond memories of it.

Actually, I made it out last night. Just a little session but found 3 new doubles. It was thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding. Keep writing the reports. It's the best part of the forum for me and it often gives me the little push that I need.

A very good read. Bode's and the Cigar often seem about to give up detail and I love looking at them. There's a third, dimmer galaxy right near them too, which I only saw for the first time in May. I'm always put off by the late nights and lack of darkness at this time of year, but your report has given me a bit of a push to get out again. Thanks.

A great report. I really enjoyed it. I haven't read one of yours for a while. Getting out has been difficult this spring. I must try one more time before astro darkness leaves here too.

A great report. These are my favourite things in the sky. I especially have a fondness for M49 and the couple of galaxies in the field. I'm always proud of myself for catching a non-Messier galaxy and finding a so-called 'lost' one is very satisfying indeed. Thanks for the inspiration. I'm just of outside now.

Great report. The Virgo galaxies are my favourite things in the sky. I always start at the same place as you. I call it 'the Startrek badge'. I was helped by another member who seems to have coined the phrase 'galaxy hopping'- and that is what I do- just hop from galaxy to galaxy. The stars are too few and unmemorable for me. Anyway, glad someone else is getting as much pleasure as me. I haven't seen many galaxies this year but I hope to rectify this very soon.

What a great read. I'm always interested to hear about what can be done with a 4-inch. I spent many hours last Autumn trying for a glimpse of Stephan's Quintet. Your report has encouraged me and made me question my own observations.

Great. That's so helpful. I've been trying to see as many doubles as I can from the Cambridge Double Star Atlas. I find it really hard to find the ones in the clusters. The map isn't big enough for me to see which ones I should be looking at. Thanks very much.

@Nik271 Great. It's nice to have it confirmed and reading about others trying the same targets always keeps me enthused. I'm glad I didn't give up on it even though I failed a lot. Alas my skills at focusing and tracking are not up to magnifications over about 150x.

@Nik271 Yes, it says 3 arc-seconds but I find it more difficult than I expected. Maybe it's just focusing issues, as there isn't a nice bright star to focus on at 150x that is near enough that I wouldn't get lost on the way back. Anyway, the whole cluster is great with a lovely double just down from it and Hubble's Variable Nebula close by. I read that the Christmas Tree Cluster was the first cluster to be aged by looking at the brightness of the stars and whether they had left the main sequence or not (but I can't find any references to that at the moment so I hope I've remembered correctly) so that place in history gives it some added interest for me. Have a good nice tonight. After 8 nights of observing in March so far, I'm happy enough to see a bit of red on clearoutside .

@Jiggy 67 Excellent work. S Mon is a real toughie for me. I've only managed it once out of about 5 attempts- not sure why. Yes, I've been working my way through CDSA too. It's really reinvigorated my observing. We have been lucky enough to have a long clear period lately and I've been observing every night from the balcony. Without CDSA I would've looked at open clusters for a couple of nights and wondered what to do next. With a fat catalogue of double stars, there's always a new challenge and so many different types.

@Jiggy 67 Yes, indeed. That with the Crab together is one of my most satisfying views of the last few sessions. I'm very pleased to have split S Mon in the Christmas tree cluster. A lovely sight with three tiny doubles around it. I've done a lot of double stars recently but I'm looking forward to some galaxies soon.