Kon

Thanks. Nice to know that others were also getting some nice skies last night. You got some nice targets as well. I have an Explore Scientific filter. My skies are fairly dark, bortle 3, but transparency is key and having all the signs I mentioned give you a good chance to see the HH. I have seen reports of others seeing it with even smaller aperture.

Yes very pleased with all of them and the first HH of the season.

It's always nice to catch something that has eluded me.

It has been a rather long time since I did a proper DSO observing due to planetary imaging in recent months. I managed a fantastic 2 hour session after the moon had set last night and before the clouds rolled in. After coming back from dinner with the family, my wife and 5 year old daughter wanted to see the moon and my 7 year old son Orion's nebula. In the end the kids were happy running around the garden with a torch that they found in the kitchen and chasing each other. After they all went to bed, I had my night vision back 🤣. For the rest of the night, I used my 8" Dob with and without my OIII filter and most of the night with the ES24mm 68 degree eyepiece. Transparency looked excellent with many stars lighting the night sky. The aim of the night was to look some of my favourite nebulas with the aim of catching the Horse Head at the end when I would be properly dark adapted. I started with NGC2169 and worked my way upwards. The cluster showed the '37'. NGC2175 showed some faint extended nebulosity with the OIII. Not much structure to it. M35 and NGC2158 showed really nice almost getting them in the same FOV (by missing a few stars on either side). M35 was showing nice distinct stars with some nice yellows. IC444 showed some nice nebulosity although with averted vision. IC443 is just huge and although I could see it , it felt underwhelming as i had to pan around to find the darker edges without nebula. Due to the season, I could not miss the Christmas Tree Cluster and the Cone nebula (NGC2264). I had previously failed to see any nebulosity but I could make some very weak one around the stars this time, quite exciting! I finished in that area with NGC2238. Again huge but with the OIII it was easy to make the central 'empty' donut (no nebulosity) and the surrounding with clear edges from the darker sky. A quick hop onto M1 and it was showing some nice nebulosity although I could not make any of the filaments with or without the OIII. I preferred the views without it. I finally moved to Orion. I started with M78 and NGC2071. Both showing nice and 'bright' without a filter. A jumped to M42 and it was mesmerising as always. I could make the wings extending all the way to the edge of the eyepiece. It was showing some deep reds where the nebulosity around the trapezium was a teal like colour with pinkish edges. That's usually a good cue that transparency is excellent. The Runnig Man was also nice and bright. NGC1999 could also be seen with averted vision. I finally moved to Altinak and the Flame was observable without a filter, another good sign of transparency. Using my H beta it popped brighter. NGC2023 nebula was also visible with direct vision and I could easily make the edges of the nebula running down to HD37806. And there it was a piece of nebula missing from it the size of a thumb on the left of my eyepiece (Dob view). That did really make my night. By the end, clouds started rolling in and I had to call the night. I now remember why I love my nebulas. This is a quick photo grab of my back garden skies.

Fantastic achievement! Weather has not played ball to see them all yet.

I have been out of the visual aspect of the hobby for the past few months doing planetary imaging. I am taking a break to enjoy my nebulas again. I had a quick session with the family after we came back from dinner, as both my wife and 5 year old daughter wanted to see the moon and my 7 year old son Orion's nebula. After they all went to sleep, I had an amazing session around Orion. Transparency was excellent. I was using my 8" Dob with or without an OIII filter. I managed M1, NGC2175, IC444, IC443, M35, first time to see nebulosity around NGC2264, Rosette Nebula (NGC2238), NGC1788. The transparency was so good that M42 was splendid with colours, reddish wings and a teal trapezium nebulosity. NGC1999 was showing with averted vision. M78 and NGC2071 were also showing nicely. The piece de résistance was the Horse head. I started with the flame that was observed without a filter as an indication of seeing. Using my H beta it popped brighter. Moving to Horse Head🐴 a bit of nebulosity the size of a thumb was missing, it was there! First time to see it this season. Incoming clouds cut the seeing short but an excellent night back to observing nebulas. I will try write a full report tomorrow.

Yes, averted vision is a great skill for the nebulas. Many will reveal more details. Another one that you might want to try is the 'blinking' NGC 6826; looking at it straight on doesn't show any nebulosity but with averted it pops. An OIII will show it with straight on vision. It's a fun one to make it blink.

Very nice animations.

I hope you all had a nice Christmas day yesterday. Clear skies this morning and a chance to shoot ISS at 626 UTC. Not the best seeing as many frames were too noisy due to overhead jetstream. 8" Dob, manual, asi462mc, 2.5x TV powermate.

Very nice capture.

Another excellent animation. It seems a lot better seeing than yesterday's post.

Excellent animation!

It seems to have teased more details. Very nice!

Very nice image Stuart. Derotation has worked very nicely.

Stunning image, but to me the highlights are the rilles. Captured and processed very well.

Very nice set of images with good amount of details. Nicely processed.

Thanks. It seems that although the Jetstream was over us it differently affected parts of UK .

Thanks Stuart. So annoying to have stable seeing but clouds. We can never win with this weather. Looking forward to your images if you post them.

Thanks Geof. Quite pleased despite being a short session. I thought you would have had better weather as the weather front was coming from W to E but it seems you did not manage to dodge it. It seems that at least until Boxing day the weather is pants.

Longest night of the year tonight with some decent seeing that was ruined by the constant passing clouds. I managed a few captures but most frames were junked due to clouds. Mars was showing nicely in the capture window. 8" Dob, manual, asi462mc, 2.5x TV powermate. Original size and 150% resized.

Excellent image! Lovely details.

Very nice Stuart. I didn't bother with the overhead Jetstream last night, plus I am recovering from a cold.

Very nice capture and processing.

Nice capture.

Looking forward to more of your Jupiter captures next season.