First time with bins.

[cantab]

So, fortune favours me, for my new bins arrived today and the skies are clear tonight. I was out from 10 til 1.

First step is to get the bins set up. Swiftly discover a foible; the extremely stiff dioptre control also affects the collimation. No idea why, but I was able to find a sweet spot. Then had to find it again half way through after I tinkered with it. Note to self: Leave. It. Alone. Focus gets knocked out pretty often, but that's 2 seconds to fix.

Over the course of the evening got aching arms from holding the bins, and a crick in my neck from looking up all the time. Found myself regularly wanted a steadier view; sometimes I used the top of the fence to help. Twice spoilt my dark adaptation by getting an eyeful of fridge light when making tea!

First target was nice and easy, Jupiter. The planet was clearly not starlike, but didn't present a neat disk, it looked like the main image was flanked on the left by a distorted one. Not due to poor collimation. Three moons were clearly visible; checking on Stellarium just now it's Ganymede and Callisto on the left and Europa on the right. Io would be where the artefact was.

Then I went after M 31. And my first problem was to find the square of Pegasus. That took a while, as I started out looking for something larger, but eventually there was that A-HA! moment when I spotted it. No naked-eye stars within the square. I took the chance to get a feel for the FOV of my bins; the top side of the square is about 2 3/4 fields across.

My second problem was thinking Almaak was Mirach.

After I sorted that out, I found it in the end. Elliptical smudge, clearly brighter in the middle. I saw nothing like its full extent (based on comparison to the moon); that's Birmingham skies I guess. Didn't spot its companions.

Looked for, and didn't see, M 33.

Checking my chart for some more objects near the few constellations I'd recognised, I noted the Double Cluster pointed to by Casseopia, which was an easy find. It was a starfield filling the view, and did look like it had two centres to it.

Found the Pleaides by dumb luck, as I swung the binoculars towards a plane that crossed right in front of them! Pretty nice, but I think the Double Cluster was nicer. Couldn't see any nebulosity.

Saw one meteor while looking around.

Split both the doubles near Vega, epsilon and zeta lyrae. (Actually I identified Vega by the presence of said doubles!) epsilon was dead obvious (no chance of splitting the components with 10x50s of course!). Zeta lyrae was much closer, but I still split it without knowing it was a double, the fainter component having a small but clear separation, of about a star's width or two, from the brighter.

Had a quick look for a couple of other DSOs, the North America nebula and the ring Nebula, but no result there.

Finish up with the Moon. It's bright, dazzling the dark adapted eye. The main maria, tycho, and copernicus all really obvious, and there's decent terrain on the terminator though I didn't identify any specific features except Mare Crisium. Some chromatic aberration is visible on the edges, but nothing too bad.

I tried a couple of afocal shots with my digital camera, but they just came out as blurs. Will need a tripod for that kind of stuff really.

Hopefully there'll be clear skies again tomorrow. If so, I might try looking more to the north, it was mostly straight up and south(ish) today.

[yeti monster]

Welcome to the world of 2 eyes!

A tripod or mono pod would held ease the load, or a reclining lounger to view high up.

[Astro Imp]

Well done looks like you had a good night.

As to not finding M33 and M31 being a faint smudge, wait until the moon is less full and not washing out the sky and you will see much more.

Good luck.

[Space Beagle]

Good report / review with your new bins cantab, thanks!

Some people have been known to use an upturned broomstick to support thier bins /arms on to steady the view, might work for a while before you can get a tripod!?

Doc

[swamp thing]

Nice report.

As Astro imp said good dark skies are the best for M33, and really ink black ones for the NA neb.

Try NGC752 Caldwell 28 it's a fine open cluster that looks real Good in bins.

Regards Steve

[cantab]

Had a decent time of it tonight. I tried the upturned broom trick, with this one with a pivoting head. Worked pretty well actually, at least for stuff at moderate altitude. (Really need a lounger, or at least a mat or something, for zenith work.)

Having used Stellarium to plan my way I identified Uranus, took several goes though. Also saw the orangeness of TX Psc.

Not quite sure if I got NGC752, I might have. Should it fill the field?

Got a better feel for the Hyades.

Got all four of Jupiter's moons, Ganymede and Callisto are real close to each other.

Saw a few clear big craters on the Moon. I need a moon map.

I have been wondering if I would have been better with 7x50s, for the wide FOV for easier star hopping. But I have what I have now.

[Astro Imp]

For a moon map have a look Here.

HTH.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice report. What type of bins do you have? I got the North America Nebula several times with 15x70s but only from dark sites without a moon. The ring is a bit small for bins, and likewise difficult.

[cantab]

Bresser 10x50s.

I just looked on the chart for some DSOs, had no idea whether or not I'd be able to see them.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have spotted the North America nebula with my Bresser 10x50s, but again, it needs a dark site, transparent skies, and no moonlight. I can see very many DSOs with them (M13 was my first). Ido not use my 10x50s on a tripod, as my hands are stable enough. Leaning against an object or sitting in a reclining chair is generally best.