Ed in UK

Thank you to everyone who has replied, your input is greatly appreciated. @globularThanks for the link, looks like the test that guy has done seem quite comprehensive. I'll have a proper read through over the weekend and hopefully get a better understanding too.

Trying to find a filter that will help me see nebulas and planetary nebulas a little more. Getting a little confused by it all TBH. Will a UHC Filter allow me to see more detail in nebulas like M42 and will the work just as well on objects like the Crab and Owl Nebula? Or are they do they require two different types of filter? What are the better makes of these filters ? I'm sure this question has been asked 100's of times before, so sorry for repeating it..... Thanks in Advance

Likewise I need to do the same. Loads to see and learn about. Like you say may as well embrace it. 😁

I had a great session last night. Started with another good look at Pleiades, no nebulas seen around the stars this time. Then I moved over to 32,33 Tauri didn't try to split 33 Tauri just happy to locate them last night. My alarm went off ready for the Ganymede eclipse over on Jupiter so watched that until Ganymede had gone. Then back to 36,37 & 39 Tauri. Again didn't try to spilt these (understand they are all doubles) or look for colour just happy to locate them for now. Moved across to HD25201/STF 479 which was an easy split to make even at with my 25mm (x36) could just see the double. Then to finish off moved over to Andromeda for M31, M110 and unexpectedly M32 as well. Really pleased that I found everything that I'd planned to find. Need to revisit some of these and have a proper look at them.

I watched Ganymede go into eclipse last night, according to SS it should have gone around 8pm, it finally disappeared for me at 8:15pm.

Well, I managed a session last night. I started on Jupiter and just missed the Io & Europe Occult, for me Jupiter very washy again although occasionally got a clear view and could see more banding/detail on the planet. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the GRS Transit, but unfortunately it wasn't to be. Some may call it optimistic, some may call it stupidity but my second target (and fail I may add), was the 12P/Pons Brooks, but everyone loves a tryer...... I was in the right area looking at the stars in the eyepiece but noting seen. 🙄 Next onto M29, managed to bag that one quite easily to kick start my Messier Marathon. I tried to get M33 next, although the star hop seemed to have me scratching my head a little for some reason I arrived in the area to see no M33. Again stars pointed to being in the right area. Later read it can be very easily affected by LP. Over to M42 next and a good look again at the Trapezium, A to D showing really well, but no E or F for me. I was going to move on to M45, but have read a magazine article about some other stars in the area worth a look so thought I'd save that for another night. High level cloud started to roll in about 9pm so called it a day. Very happy Bunny. 🐰

I got up early this morning and took a drive to the beach with the plan of watching Mercury rise. Didn’t take the scope as I didn’t want sand anywhere near it, plus the forecast was for strong winds. I live in the Lincolnshire Wolds, in a valley, so struggle to see anything low in the sky. I’ve never seen Mercury before so took the opportunity seeing that the sky was relatively clear. I arrived just in time to watch it inch above the horizon. Couldn’t get any photo’s of it on my phone. Managed to watch it for just over an hour before a combination of cloud and the sky getting light made it disappear for me. Pretty windy and cold on the coast this morning. Photo below of the lovely sunrise that finally greeted me.

Being stuck over towards the east coast is proving a bit frustrating at the moment. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll finally be able to get out. @Mr Spock Hopefully clear skies for you too 🙂(Finally).

Glad to see that someone, somewhere is having clear skies.....

I found this video on YouTube a few days ago showing another method that we seem to have not touched upon.

For me it's using Sky Safari 6 to plan an observing list. I usually look at Star Hops in advance either on my phone or tablet to make sure there's enough stars to guide me. Outside with scope set up find the brightest star close as close as possible to my target and star hop using SS6 as my guide. I found SS6 a game changer for me as I could flip and invert the display to show what I could see in the scope and adjust the magnitudes to again match the view in the EP. I really struggled with charts and pretty much always failed to find anything I was hoping to see. Planning is a big part of helping me and not to have too many targets to view in one night. I also use magazines to compile observing lists (again in SS6). I did think at the start of taking up this hobby about paying the extra for a Goto but decided against it. For me it's better to look and learn via trial and error, more satisfaction then when you reach your target. Owning horses, I have a number of jobs that need to be done outdoors in the dark at this time of year. I like to take a few minutes between jobs to look at the sky and become familiar with the layout of the constellations etc.

With regards to Star Hopping, I use the RDF onto a visible star closely then use Sky Safari 6 as my guide to hop towards my target. Sounds sad, but I normally sir done with Sky Safari prior to the session and look for the best hopping route and practise it on the tablet so I know roughly where I’m going and what too look for. Sure I get lost and it may take several attempts to finally get to the target, but it makes the sense of achievement much more greater and rewarding. I deliberately didn’t invest in a GoTo scope so that I could learn more about the sky. Hopping thread sounds good to me.

This post is a bit late as it wasn't last night, but the night before 😳. Out for a couple of hours and spent most of that on Jupiter. Still the same for me, Fuzzy disc with the occasional clearing showing the banding quite clearly. After that moved on to Aldebaran and a looked around Taurus. Followed by a look at Mirfak and the stars close by. This was the first time I've looked at Perseus and kicked myself a little for not compiling an Observing List from the Astronomy Now magazine which had an article on this constellation in the December issue. This was also the first outing for my RA Motor which worked really well. Nice not having to fiddle the RA control and then wait for the scope to settle again. Wind buffeted the scope a bit couldn't go beyond 12mm (x75) due to the movement from buffeting.

Thanks @mikeDnight. Wow those are some pretty cool sketch’s and way beyond what I could achieve. I have literally started to sketch what I see as a form of a reminder for me and also to make me look closer at subjects to record the details. As you say it is hard to get to grips with it. I have just invested in a RA Drive motor to help not only with the sketching but also to help stabilise the scope when viewing at higher magnifications. Less vibrations when the motor drives the scope compared to me twiddling with the RA flex control……. Thanks for the guidance

Thanks @bosun21.