Possible clear skies for most in the UK tonight

[Hypernova]

Had a reasonable session on the front so far, I had no luck spotting the nebulae around the clusters of M8, M20 and M16 because of the low altitude, moon and street lights. I got a view of C/2009 P1 despite the latter two lowering the contrast.

I will try for some more targets when the 'scope is around the back of the house.

[RobH]

You're having a cracking session with that camera Peter

1st sub in of the WB, focus not quite right so second one on its way now.

Rob

[Superewza]

I don't know why but i actually can't stand images from CCTV cameras... they almost make me sick

[scottydog]

Clear skies in Frome this evening tried out my new EP's on the Moon & splitting Mizar & Alcor. Well pleased with all of them especially the 15mm BST. Being just past full the Moon wasn't as appealing as it could of been but hey ho, I'm happy for clear skies

[scottydog]

Also saw the ISS pass over AND a meteor whilst looking through the finderscope!!!

[Rob]

Super clear here. enjoying being out here

[JKB]

I hope not! Still clearing here. It looks good through Somerset, Wilts and Dorset. Dartmoor seems to be a cloud magnet.

http://www.sat24.com/en/gb

Dartmoor clear at the min! Scopes cooling down now

good luck all and clear skies

[RobH]

Great fun!!

Big 6 inch 'frac is pulling in 5 minute witches broom RGB subs for the starfield only, as the nebula is being washed out by the moon, but the TMB80 is shooting narrowband and so not too badly affected, so I'll combine the 2 data sets at some point....what a great feeling to be finally out

Rob

[IvanT]

Two out of three weather sites forecast it to be clear here in Lisburn, guess which one I didn't listen to :-)

Metcheck will be what I use from now on, 7timer was completely wrong as was astrocast. I've setup and tore down twice now due to rain from nowhere. Glad you guys are getting some viewing in, I'm now heading into week four waiting to PHD align.

I'm really considering a roll off roof obs now.

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- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hypernova]

Just stepped outside and the cloud has returned, I guess this is the night over for me then unless the cloud cover goes away soon!

[Axe]

popped out with the wife to show her the little meteor shower we are having and 6 went past!

one real bright went past about 12.10AM, right through taurus (if im correct lol)

[philhas]

Only seen one meteor tonight, NE to SW bright green about 11.45pm wasn't to bad out, managed to see M31, a little bit washed out but ok and of course Jupiter looking great already once it cleared next doors trees.

[ZEbbEDY]

Nice and clear up here tonight, first time out in months, had a moon sesh tonight, seeing was a bit hazy but was just good to be out, no midges either

[LongJohn54]

I went out from 11:30 to 01:00. Saw 5 meteors which was good. Lots of thick cloud to the north slowly moving west to east. Gave up when the moon appeared from behind the house and blotted out pretty much everything. It was quite relaxing to sit in the garden with no scope or binoculars and just look up and around.

[blackparticle]

I've been a bit brave tonight and tried to image M15 with the Mak 150.. even if it was so close to the moon. At least doing it at f/12 meant all the subs wern't washed out. I managed to get around 350 before it went behind the trees..

Estimated stack time.. 4 - 5 hrs !!

Switched over to the Equinox 66 now and running off a few on M33 while waiting for The Pleiades to get a bit higher but not expecting much.. It's almost like being out in daylight.

[RobH]

I've given up on anything other than Ha for tonight....the moon is just too bright....getting some nice subs in of a widefield bubble neb and M52 though....just nice to be out isn't it

[Beyond_Vision]

I had completely forgotten to look out earlier as I was busy loading apps onto an Android tablet. I just popped my head out the door and stood out in my shirt sleeves for a short while and was treated to a nice bright Persied streaking above the Plough.

At least I can go to bed now that I have seen something

Regards

Kevin

[JamesF]

Just got back in after three hours or so.

First target tonight was M40, which I've been waiting to pick off for ages. Dead easy to find by star-hopping. Hard to believe Messier didn't realise it was just a pair of stars.

Jupiter was just crawling over the horizon, so I occupied myself for a while looking at the moon. Seems daft not to when it's so obvious. The most dramatic bits at the moment are the craters near the limb. I'm getting better at picking out detail thought.

Finally I went to the back of the house, swapped the ST120 for the Mak and had a quick look at Jupiter. I'd only got about 60x magnification when I saw something bright shoot across my field of view. Immediately I looked up, but couldn't see anything in the sky, so I decided I was imagining things and went back to the eyepiece, just in time to see a second object flash across the ep.

I pushed the magnification up as far as I could on Jupiter, but I'm out of practice focusing the Mak and was limited just to seeing the north and south equatorial bands.

Having welcomed Jupiter back to the night sky I packed up and sat outside for fifteen minutes or so, looking for more meteors. I saw four or five more, but then decided I was starting to imagine them so called it a night.

James

[blackparticle]

I'm a good few months away from having a narrow-band setup.. But I agree.. It's a beautiful night and even under these adverse imaging conditions I reckon this is going to be my best glob yet by far.

I haven't spotted a single meteor yet either tonight but I do keep getting bats swooping in low.

[James]

....just nice to be out isn't it

Sums it up for me :-) Have done a little imaging, sorted out some flats, tested 4 eyepieces (all fine), one scope (fine), one flat panel (fine). Problem is, I have to give back all the fine stuff :roll eyes:

James

[Davie]

Cleared up not bad and I got a good look at Jupiter, took some AVIs but the focus isn't quite right but as mentioned above its nice to actually get out

*hopes the kids have a sleep in in the morning!!*

[Superewza]

Just got back too, was out with a pair of 8x40s, only bagged the Moon (was kind of screaming for attention) and Jupiter plus two of her moons, even if it was just a large white dot

Got Cygnus and the Plough without the bins, no meteors but overall i was rather happy for a first 'non-naked' session. Think i heard an owl out enjoying the sights too

[SlipperySquid]

Great to know people are having a good time Bagged 1.5 hours in each channel for the pelican and a couple of ten min subs Ha of the pacman now the clouds are here.

Time for bed as I have to be up for work in an hour and a half I'm going to be a mess today!

Matt.

[Nexus 6]

Just checked my post from earlier in this thread, I put my 925 out at 7.00 and brought it back in at 2.00am, not a bit of dew or condensation!

As for tonight's targets had some excellent stable views of a few double stars, most noticeably 61 Cygnus, 17 Cygnus, 95 Hercules and Albireo, majestic!. Double cluster incredible. pinpoint stars some very very faint, don't pick them out so well normally, a reflection of the superb conditions perhaps..12 deg C at 12.30am with a light breeze added to the occasion. Finished with a look at Jupiter, had been using my 24mm Panoptic all night, the view was incredible with 2 moons sitting either side of the giant making a distinctive line running through it plus HIP 11691 trying to get in on the action. At around 25 deg sitting in the Eastern skies I was not expecting such an impressive view, also tried some higher powers using my 13 and 9mm Naglers.

Hope some of you had some decent skies

[Hypernova]

I finally managed Vesta last night, the clouds cleared a while after I posted my last message so I went out on the front with the binoculars to look between the two houses to see if it was visible. Luckily it was smack bang where it had to be to be in my line of sight. It took quite a while to pick it out from the few faint stars that shone through the LP but I tracked it down, it was very tricky to see so low down and was on the edge of visibility in my 15x70s.

Also managed a quick view of Jupiter with dob as it had risen enough over the fence in my back garden to be seen. I managed to pick out the two main cloud bands and the four moons but not much else, mainly in part to the 'scope not being cooled down at all and the the low altitude of the planet at the time. I will leave it until it rises higher during the autumn before making a serious effort.

And I did spot a total of one Perseid last night, whilst I was out observing on the front. I only caught the end of it but it looked to be reasonably bright. I also spotted the ISS making a pass and one iridium flare.

Not bad me thinks