Amazing stargazing session

[SFlowers]

We just had a fantastic session and saw loads of amazing things - the highlight of my night has to be the whirlpool galaxy. We've never seen it through our scope before and it was absolutely fantastic. JFlower's highlight was M13 and M3 which we had a look at following people talking about it on here.

[richbyers]

yep- its turning out to be a good un- you can add the flares to your nights achivements too

[SFlowers]

Yep, shame it wasn't about 10 degrees hotter then it would have been perfect

[Orange Haze]

I have yet to pick off my first galaxy, but you have inspired me to make the whirlpool my target should we get some clear skies this weekend.

[Charlie_132]

What's the whirlpool ?

[jflowers]

M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy

[Charlie_132]

Where in the sky is it located ? I'm desperite to see a galaxy like that in the east/south east

[Orange Haze]

Hi Charlie. It's just off ursa major, at the end of the handle if you like. Your best bet is to do what I did and download Stellarium which is free. Then you'll be able to pinpoint anything you want to look at including the whirlpool.

I'm a total beginner as well and I'd be totally lost without Stellarium.

[SFlowers]

I have yet to pick off my first galaxy, but you have inspired me to make the whirlpool my target should we get some clear skies this weekend.

I love M82 as well have a try for that

[Charlie_132]

Would I be able to pick up m51 through a skywatcher 130p 25mm lens or. 10m with 2x eyepiece ?

[mdstuart]

Charlie

Yes M51 and its companion would be visible in you 130p. Try with the 25mm lens fist. Find the end (bottom) of the plough. To the right and up a bit from the end of the plough is another star. M51 is the same distance right again but down to the right..

Its behind a pair of fainter stars...Its tough but you will spot two fuzzy blobs next to each other eventually..

Mark

[estwing]

saw this tonight, terrible wind tho...

[jflowers]

saw this tonight, terrible wind tho...

We didn't get to see it tonight, wall to wall cloud. I do have terrible wind though, must have been the curry

[SFlowers]

We didn't get to see it tonight, wall to wall cloud. I do have terrible wind though, must have been the curry

Yes he may be sleeping on the sofa tonight muahahaa

[Matt Scunthorpe]

What scope are you using SFlowers? I had a good session tonight, at the end of night i was casually scanning the skies and i think i came across a nebula or galaxy, but stellarium didnt show any particular which is annoying, but intersted none the less

[estwing]

matt, turn up the galaxy filter on your stellarium...then it will show what you have seen

[Charlie_132]

I'm going to have a look tonight, possibly stay up all night and try to get neptune aswel ... Not sure how possible that would be at the moment though

[Lynxi]

I think my highlight last night was M81 and M82. Had cloud problems a lot though with wisps coming and going and my cat brushing up against my mount.

[SFlowers]

I think my highlight last night was M81 and M82. Had cloud problems a lot though with wisps coming and going and my cat brushing up against my mount.

M82 is one of my favourites. I am really looking forward to tonight as we are supposedly clear for a good few hours, I've got a nice long list of things to look at.

[Lynxi]

I'm hoping for M51 as a main goal for tonight were suppose to be clear tonight but we were supposed to be clear last night but had to cloud dodge

[Charlie_132]

is m51 visible through the skywatcher 130p ?

i was out for about 1hr tonight, had quick session but saw quite alot, i tried to find m51 for 25mins, but couldnt find it, i saw a blueish star then a tiny star ... but no m51, just darkness and very faint stars next to them.

i saw saturn clearly and its moon (with a 10mm lens and 2x barlow)

had a look at mars ... but tonight was very strange, it looked like 3 dots seperating away and then forming back together .. could this be a colcano erupting ?

[SFlowers]

M51 is magnitude 9.6 so might be beyond the limits of your scope Charlie.

[pel]

A lot will depend on how light polluted you are. I can't see it where I am.