Silent Running

Amazing! I was fairly delighted to get barely perceptible smudges of M101 and M51 with my refractor last night. Reading your and others reports, I am starting to understand the allure of large Dobs...

Thanks, it felt fantastic just being able to see M101 and M51... even though of course no structure visible. Looking forward to more

Living in lockdown like everyone else, I haven't been able to return to my work in the Middle East. All my astrophotography gear is over there... so frustrating when the last few nights have been so clear. Luckily I had a refractor scope in the attic and put it on an alt-az mount. No motor, but I do have Nexus digital setting circles. Fortunately i have a binoviewer and a pair of 8-24 zoom eyepieces. I downloaded an e-copy of Stargazing in Suburban Skies from the Patrick Moore series, and decided to try and work my way through it. Armed with these i have been rediscovering the joys of observing from my Bortle 5/6 back garden on the edge of Glasgow. Although the Clear Outside app gave heavy cloud cover, the reality was a gorgeous crystal clear night... but cold. 

Starting with the gorgeous crescent Venus at dusk, I spent a long time looking at a Planet I had never really studied before. I concentrated on the circum polar regions mainly. I really enjoyed simple things like splitting Polaris, Alcor/Mizar group, Castor and Archid in Cassiopoea. Then a few star clusters in Cassiopoea and Perseus. NGC 457, the Double Cluster, alpha and the nearby Muscle Man Cluster. Sadly, zoomed out to 24mm (magnification x34) was too much to see the whole figure of the stick man. And my favourite, the Owl Cluster... many of these I had never seen before.

With rising ambition, I homed in on M51 and M101 expectantly. With averted vision and slight movements of the scope, I could make out faint nebulosity in both galaxies. They were at the edge of perception given the LP. M51 was slightly more prominent. I hope there will be more nights as clear as this. Clear skies and keep well everyone.

Hi Gerry,

Please do keep reporting. We all need distractions from the current situation in order to maintain our mental health, which contributes to a better functioning immune system and therefore reduces our chances of transmitting infection

Now with flights cancelled, I'm 'stuck' back here in Scotland and couldn't return to my work in Saudi Arabia. One has to try and see a kind of silver lining I suppose. Only problem... most of my astro gear and all my imaging stuff is over there in Saudi. Actually I do have a 5" refractor up in the attic, which I've not really used yet, which was waiting for my final return from Saudi. Although not in your big scope league, I will try and get it up and running for visual use.

Clear skies,

Jo

Hi John,

Welcome to SGL. Wow you've made quicker progress than me. I love your image.

I must try harder!

Clear skies,

Jo

Hi, I enjoyed hearing about your early progress. You begin with one thing... phone app... binoculars and become quite expert in a small way, then branch into something new, and find you're back on the bottom rung of a new ladder, and it's the same story again and again with the steps always beckoning upwards and onwards... I guess this is the joy of our infinite hobby. There will always be something new for each of us to discover. I keep making new 'discoveries' at my basic level that I'm sure are so obvious and familiar to the old hands here. But everyone is so supportive of your steps along the way, and I think relives their own discoveries in reading your account. Enjoy your voyage to the stars...

What a fascinating thread. I am feeling inspired. I haven't so far had the chance to look through a large dob, and can't quite imagine seeing the HH neb with my own eyes. Looking forward to more reports...