Milky Way from Suffolk & my 1" scope

[nytecam]

Just returned from a Suffolk coastal village with wonderful clear skies over the last few nights. Especially enjoyed the naked-eye Milky Way from Cas to Scutum and the dark rift through Cygnus into Aquila from a deckchair. Haven't seen the MW from home for well over a decade!

I rated the [rare for me] LVM ~5.5. Luckily most folk on our cul-de-sac retired early and no security lights evident - the complete reversal from home. I turned in ~11.30pm most nights after the hint of glow on NW horizon faded.

Only optics were my pocket 10x25 binos but amazing for a tiny aperture what they brought out. Easily picked-out M13 in Her and suspected M27 in Vul but couldn't identify M57 in Lyra as probably too small for a 1" scope! M31 a clear oval patch of light and faint M32 'star' close-by. Some obvious faintly glowing Messiers in Sagittarius/Scorpius borders.

Started obs in late dusk each night looking for NLC on NW horizon but it remained completely clear. Think I got lucky before dawn one morning [July 23] and snapped NLC pics from the front lawn [below] but need to verify them. The sodium monster in pic completely hidden from rear garden for my obs above. Most enjoyable break and sky to match!