Epick Crom

Very interesting report Nicola, thoroughly enjoyed it! A trip that you will never forget.

Nice simulation Stu👍 It was a fantastic sight to behold!

Another night, another big event! Still buzzing from viewing the Europa egress eclipse the night before, last night it was the turn of the moon and M45 to take centre stage. From my location, the waxing gibbous moon passed right over the Pleiades, resulting in multiple occultations and reappearances. Among the highlights were watching Electra reappear on the moon's bright limb close to Mare Crisium and seeing Alcyone and the triangle of stars close to it slowly get blotted out by the moon's dark limb. Sensational!

A very well written and concise observing report! I enjoyed visualising your descriptions, thanks for posting 👍

Very well said John 👍

I had an extraordinary observation last night, I watched Europa slowly materialise out of Jupiter's shadow! Wow, that was the first time I've seen one of the Galilean moon emerge from an eclipse. I tell you, it's an awesome spectacle! Sky Safari told me that Europa would emerge from Jupiter's shadow at 9:39pm local time. At 9:35pm I decided to go inside for a quick drink of water ( its summer on this side of the equator) but when I got back to the eyepiece I saw that Europa was starting to appear, as a very tiny light source. Sky Safari was off by about 3 minutes! But nevermind I watched as Europa slowly started to brighten beside Io. What a fascinating phenomenon and I can wait to see another one again! Clear Skies Joe

Congratulations Nik on seeing the Pup with 4 inches of aperture 👍

Cloudy, stormy, very hot and humid here in Perth the last couple of days, but last night I whipped out my 10x50mm binoculars to catch the waxing crescent moon and Saturn 1.1° apart in a gap between flashing lightning clouds. Was quite magical seeing them together while lightning flashed in the field of view 😊

I had a pleasant tour of Taurus last night. Observed M 45, Hyades, NGC 1647, M 1 ( with averted imagination ☺️), asteroid Vesta, picked up two new to me double stars 47 Tauri and 103 Tauri and observed the faint planetary NGC 1514. Also hit Jupiter and Uranus, both planets looked great! Moved over to Orion where I observed the charming little open cluster NGC 1662 ( it looks like a sailboat to me) and I also had a stunning observation of M 42 where I saw a reddish tinge to its outer nebulosity for the first time. All in all a smashing night 👍

I got back late from work last night looking forward to sit outside and try to see some Geminids, but clouded over unfortunately 😔

I know you guys over there in UK have been shivering lately ( I have family in England they tell me it's very cold there now) Over here in Perth, Oz we are warm and sunny. Clear and steady last night, had a look at Saturn with Titan hovering above Saturn, a nice sight. Checked out M42, two bright satellites zoomed right though it seconds apart. That startled me a bit! I also observed the LMC, so much too see there. I compared M42 with NGC 2070 ( the Tarantula Nebula in the LMC). Both these showpiece nebulae were spectacular. The Orion Nebula was green while the Tarantula Nebula looked light blue! Finished the night on Jupiter, stunning as usual with subtle details seen in it's cloud bands. Stay warm my northern hemisphere friends! Clear Skies Joe

Hi @wookie1965 that is one fine looking scope! Is it carbon fibre?

Get well soon Mr Spock!🙏

Very good observing report using extremely handy 16x70mm binoculars! Yes, it's great to get out of the city and observe in dark skies in the middle of nowhere. It sounds like you had a fantastic time, well done 👍👏👌 Clear Skies Joe

Fantastic report (and sketch)! Thanks for sharing

As others have noted, Jupiter is really putting on a show at the moment. Last night I spent 2 hrs observing it and enjoying a shadow transit of Io. Whilst observing this event I also saw a prominent dark marking in the North Equatorial Belt, a brown barge perhaps? I'm still brushing up on the names of Jupiter's various cloud features, but this marked the first time I've clearly seen a brown barge on Jupiter using my 10 inch dob, very pleased with that. Jupiter is very turbulent at the moment!

I visited all four giant planets last night with my 10 inch dob. Saturn beautiful as usual, but Titan was interesting at 522x, showing a clear disk and as orange as I've ever seen it! Uranus and Neptune were both pleasing, well defined disks. Jupiter breathtaking in size at 522x but features washed out at that power due to wavering seeing conditions. I tried for M33 but not this night, nothing seen at all. I did however get some pleasing views of NGC 752 and Almach in Andromeda. They only transit at 15° from here so it felt good to see them before they disappear for another year again. All in all a pleasing observing session 😊

I had a clear sky last night but was too tired from work to haul out the 10 inch dob. I settled for an informal session with my VisionKing 5x25's. Was treated to the zig zagging shape of Lacerta skimming the northern horizon, as well as the spectacular rising of Sirius! Sirius was flashing colours furiously, low on the horizon. What a light show in my VisionKing's 😊

A very enjoyable report Sunshine! It must be a pleasure moving to a darker location, your observing sessions will be greatly enhanced now 😊

Hi @Saganite. Yes it was soo good ! Makes it hard to face my light polluted back yard, but it's all good there is lots to see and enjoy for us all, no matter our location or light pollution levels. Yes mate, when you visit your daughter you must leave the city and go bush to experience truly dark skies. It's mindboggling! All The Best Joe

Hi all. I pulled over on the side of the road on my way from work last night, doing long haulage truck driving. A long 1,200km round trip. I was 500km from Perth, in the middle of our West Australian outback. The darkness was blinding as I got out of my semi! I brought my trusty Nikon Aculon 10x50mm binoculars with me and proceeded to have a 1 hour long observing session under those pitch black skies, solid bortle 1 with zero light pollution as I was in the middle of nowhere! Highlights included the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, M7, M45, M42, Jupiter and M31 low on the horizon. The Sky was so dark and transparent I could actually see stars rising on the horizon! Keep in mind outback Australia is extremely flat. A religious experience 😍 Clear Skies Joe

Fantastic report Magnus, thanks for posting. This is very timely for me as I've been researching Herschel Wedge's and am interested in buying one in the future ( after I buy a refractor) Thanks for the details report! Clear Skies Joe

Hi astro friends! Last night I observed Jupiter with my 10 inch dob using my wratten 80A blue filter. Marvelous results, I saw the South Temperate Belt for the first time. Overall this is a very good filter for observing Jupiter. Tonight I will try my violet filter on Jupiter just for fun!

I had a Solar System night last night with my 10 inch dob 😊 Saturn: A bit of a "wobbly" view as the atmosphere was a bit unsettled at the beginning of my observing session. Still it was a fabulous view of the ringed planet, with moons Dione, Rhea and Titan nearby. Waxing Gibbous Moon: Seeing started to improve by the time I turned my attention to the moon. Copernicus crater looked amazing at the terminator, the tops of its terraced walls shining in sunlight while it's interior was deep in shadow. Using 686x magnification was awesome, it transformed Copernicus in a 3D like object, showing its base rising up and looking like a dormant volcano. Crater Clavius also put on a show with its curving inner craters. I also observed Rima Hesiodus for the first time. Jupiter: My first observations of the king of the planets this season. Looked wonderful at 300x with multiple cloud belts and shading seen at one of its poles. Oh Jupiter, how I've missed you! A thoroughly enjoyable night. Clear Skies Joe

Hi John, I'm happy for you that your night ended well. It's those special nights that keep us coming back for more!