cotterless45

Well worth a look , Nick,

Great report, pleasing when it all comes together. keep elite , Nick.

Lovely session, the blinking planetary does seem to respond better to smaller apertures. Try catching it out , by looking away , then straight back again , Nick.

Phew ! That's a relief, Nick.

20 degrees C, no breeze, no dew and a busy young hedgehog ( been called worse ). Kick off 10 through to 1 when cloud filled up the sky. It's that special moment when the planetarium lights dim and you know it's going to be a great show, but isolated ! Waiting for the Summer Triangle to completely rise, I had a look around. Two great bright ISS passes added to the delight.Just how huge does setting Leo look ? It dominated the south western sky. Cassiopeia was hugging the northern horizon. The great line between Arcturus and Vega shows the crown of Corona Borealis and the great Keystone. Below Hercules watch out for Ophuichus holding Serpens on each side. Lower in the south east and Libra and a very special star . Libra. HD140283 (SAO 159459) , the "Methuselah " star , ancient enough to be formed just after the BB. I struggled with the binaries here as it's right over town. The seeing here was wobbly and not great over the sky , even past midnight. Cepheus. Lovely view at x48 of the colourful triple in IC1396. There's violet and green here. Draco.Caught the "Cat's Eye", NGC 6543. Ophuichus .IC 4665, the "Summer Beehive", buzzing with stars and unusual in that it's 15 degrees off the galactic plane. Just a mass of globular clusters here , I went for the higher ones, M9, M10,M12(in a flurry of stars) and M14. NGC 6633, a beautiful dancing open cluster. V Ophuichi, a bright carbon star (SAO 159916). NGC 6572, the "blue racquetball", huge and deliciously bright, it's light blue. Serpens.IC 4756, the fabulous "Graff's cluster", so huge ( twice full moon) it wouldn't fit at x30. An unmissable sight. Vulpecula.M27 and a classic view of this bright beautiful dumbbell in the star field. Sagitta.M71, this globular cluster appears faint , but easily resolves from x100. At 8-9Billion years old. It's younger than most, don't be passing it by , spend some time here. Cygnus. No beginning or ending here , must spend another few nights just on this banquet of delights. However settled for the overlooked M39 with rings of bright stars. NGC 6811, the "hole in the cluster". M29, the "shopping trolley". NGC 6910, the little "rocking horse". Ending up with NGC 6826 , the "blinking planetary", wow it does blink and that most lovely binary 61 Cygni (Piazzi's flying double) SA0 070919. I always imagine this as a trapeze with circus music. A most splendid and mouthwatering few hours, keep observing and keep safe, Nick.

Use the Pocket Sky Atlas, some years ago I got some self adhesive clear sheets. Covered each page and the outer edges. Heavy in weight , but has been out in the wettest dew . Very useful cladding , as you can use marker pens on the pages and wipe off later, Nick.

Great report , luckily my wife is anti astronomy ( and most else I do ), good luck , stay safe , Nick.

Just a few to keep you busy , what you're after naming is the "lemon slice Nebula" , preferably in gin,Nick.

Super report , always worth having a go even when light pollution prevails. Just about the views I get from the back garden , well caught ! Nick.

Great viewing ! Even a glimpse opens up these great galaxies to further reading and viewing , under Stay safe , clear skies ! Nick.

Lovely looking night , seeing was very variable before midnight . Widely spaced and variable in brightness , the satellite train took ages to pass just above Leo. Right neck crâner to see before 11. Very pleased to get the comet in Camelopardalis, not easily placed in a brighter area of the sky. Something magic about a small fuzz visiting our skies.Cassiopeia was hidden below next door. Onto Draco, some glorious binaries there, well placed for a comfy chair at the eyepiece. Σ1984 and a close delicate companion, easy spot at x48. Σ2199 , bright and wonderfully matched. 16-17 Draconis a wide triple , the bright A having a companion. Tour of M13 , M92, M53 and M5. Some resolved stars to these ancient cores. Rasalgethi (α Herculis) once again gave the challenge of a small speck beside a very bright ( brightest in Hercules ) star. Rasalhague was rising , Ophuichus is coming with some great views. Keep safe , clear skies , Nick.

Some small comfort required ! Looking around at a milky sky and seeing that was somewhat curious. Some areas of the sky were great , others wobbled like a frightened jelly. Lost in Corona Borealis and the stars there. Then up to Draco, main stars are easily spotted giving the head of Draco . NGC 6543 ("cat's eye Nebula") looked beautiful . Both zeta (SAO 64833) and the beautiful v1 and v2 are a lovely grapefruit (16h22.4m. +33 48'. Nice close pair at Σ 1932 (SAO 83756). Draco. Arrakis (SAO 30239) looked stunningly bright ( home of "Dune" for us sci fi geeks). Σ1878 gives a most delicate companion, see if you spot this gentle small speck of light. Σ2278 gives a great and easy triple. These types got me into multiple stars, useful against increasing light pollution and observing the same old. Stay safe , enjoy those skies , Nick.

102 gave a delightful colour easy split. Seeing was variable across the sky. Try closing a bit of aperture , it might help, Nick.

Nice report Peter ! Followed the Starlink satellite train ,thanks to the benevolent and wonderful Elon Musk. Put out the garden recliner , got togged up and waited and waited .Went through to 1am , just one very spectular trailed Lyrid. Viewed the globulars , ended up with the planetary Nebula ,NGC 6543 ( "cat eye ") very very bright and wonderfully resolved at x200. keep safe , Nick.

Set up and before long the satellite train rumbled by , some lagging , one with a tiny bit beside it . Got the boss out to look , I don't know anything about them apart from they're the size of kitchen tables. Oh and the idiot Elon Musk got a mention. By eye , got down to the four stars of Corvus . Got two sets of triple stars there. Σ1659 and Σ1604. Quite easy and a delight , especially Σ1659 presented as a triangle inside a field triangle. Then a couple of gems in Ursa Minor, Great time for galaxies , so chose the brightest , came away with some bright cores and long streaks. SQM just under 19. Virgo. M104 (+8) Sombrero galaxy , nice shape. M49 brighter , M58, M59. M60 was brighter, both M84 and M86 in the field at x92.M87 and M90 rounded up the fuzz. Canes Venatici.M94 very bright. NGC 4632 ( the "whale") long streak. M51 there with NGC 5195. M63 (" sunflower") and M106. Hercules was well up, try two planetaries there , IC4593 The "white eyed pea" does what it says , then blinks away. NGC 6210 at x92 a very big "turtle Nebula ". Feeling tired , retired for the night , stay safe , Nick.

Same here , just got going and the satellite train came over. Some were clearly lagging and one was accompanied by a speck , perhaps a bit fell off. Then tried some smudges of galaxies. New set of security lights nearby , fully illuminate tall Lombardy stupid poplars. Don't know why folk are obsessed with killing darkness, stay safe , Nick.

Smaller aperture wins out with colour , some really beauties here , enjoy ! Stay safe , Nick.

Eager to get out and get some fuzzy action. Two stars kept coming to mind in Virgo. The first was a remembered "little Sagitta" ( Σ 1664) an arrow pointing at M 104 . Really is a lovely sight , a multiple looking like a small cluster. The second I had always seen as a ghostly speck of a companion to a red star, 86 Virginis, smoky and ghostly . Sky was reading 19.09 (SQM), waited for M13 , lovely and sparkly and the bright M5 in Serpens. Always pleasing with bright field stars against a bright resolution. Lovely big view of M57 and the "double double" in Lyra. This gave a superb view with an old school 8.8mm UWA Meade. A very nice 8.9 degree C, no dew or seeing problems. Continued to Coma Berenices and some targets off the beaten track. Hesitated to pack in at 1,keep safe , Nick.

Borrow a hairdryer from SWMBO. Quick and very gentle blast does it . If dew is that bad , it's time to pack up. Not only will humidity bounce light around the sky , but eps will quickly fog over. Lovely report , plenty time to revisit Bootes , Coma Berenices and Virgo. stay safe, old Nick.

Blow up a few houses, fell a few trees and it would be possible old chap ! Going for smaller aperture , maybe 60mm next time , then a toilet roll ! stay safe , Nick.

Light looking sky , time to get some contrast . Vixen 90 M , f11 and a WO prism diagonal at the user end . Quite stunning views from this lovely ancient achromatic. Selected Bootes as my area of interest . Colours really come out in with smaller aperture , as seen with Y CnV the spectacular glowing "La Superba" . Some resolution with M3 and M53. Bootes First up , that favourite Alkalurops. Concentrate on the secondary , it's splits to give this most lovely wide triple. Some remarkable small aperture fun views, Delta and ΟΣ 298 gave plenty of orange. Some ghostly views of for example , Σ 1825. Hammered down to some very tight binaries. Seeing as Virgo was high , I even had a view of the very bright M86. It's +8.8 and higher than Arcturus. Felt a bit chill , so packed in , delighted with the views , Stay safe, Nick.

Yep, lovely scope giving plenty colour, from my list,

Lovely looking sky , first stars appeared and had single diffraction rings , but as the evening marched on towards midnight , seeing improved. Little chance of galaxies in the 102. Just made out the cores of M51 , slight smudges to M100 and M64. Sqm read 19.4. Turned to binaries, Coma Berenices. 2 Comae B. delightfully bright and clean pair. Σ 1639 (SAO 82293) split easily at 1.7". 24 CB at 20" (SAO 100160) a wonderfully colourful "summer Albireo". Σ 1685 ( SAO 100307) , lovely triple at x125. 32-33 (SAO 100311) stunning grapefruit and White combo. 35, triple , but just a pnut on the close primary. ΟΣ 266, 2" and a lovely 2.0" split. Leo Minor. Σ 1492 gave five doubles in a widefield. Leo. Caught both Σ 1472 and ΣΣ 1477 in a widefield view. ο Leonis ( Subra) gave a lovely wide split. ΟΣ 215 (SAO 990033) a fine clear 1.5" split . Σ 1431 (SAO 118292) , a faint companion here. Σ 1447 (SAO 81415) wanting to revisit this as it's just a smokeball of a companion. 54 Leonis ( SAO 81583) , just filled with colour ! 90 Leonis (SAO 99673) always drawn to this special triple. A fine view of M53 and M3. There's method to preparing , setting up , observing , enjoying and packing away . Brings a sense of normality in these times. Clear skies ! Keep safe , Nick.

Those awkward targets that seem dull certainly have opened up and come to light recently. Whether due to limited flight , commerce or traffic, just have another look around. Last night soon cleared from murkiness to give some pre moon time. M37 had always appeared dusty , now at x90 it sparkled. Moving over to theta Aurigae and an easy split on a sometimes difficult target. Similarly M35 , then M3 filled the view the goodness ! Σ1500 (SAO 137933) even at x90 opened out into a lovely 1.4" split. Such a lovely warm night , buffed up against the mozzies. 2 hedgehogs came for their drink and treats, so a sitting quietly session. Then catching up on the carbon star observing list by the Astronomical League. Make the most of these skies, some small consellation to keep safe , Nick.

Nice , if you go to the SAO listed on the handset (object button) ,there are several thousand brilliant binary stars above +7 mag. SAO numbers are 6 numbers. If 5 numbers , put a zero in front .Enter the first four numbers , then select (enter) . You can scroll down to the numbers in the handset. If not available , then it's back to coordinates. Either way soon becomes intuitive with use . Ideal for light polluted skies and super moon observing ! Stay safe , Nick.