Morning delights

[russ]

Got up early this morning for two reasons: checkout the planets (Mars and Venus) and checkout the coming winter constellations early!

I also had another reason. At the weekend I visited the Herstmonceux Astronomy Festival and was a naughty boy. Just couldn't resist a pair of Revelation 15x70 binos for £49. Seemed a steal with Bak4 prisms, FMC, LER and case etc.

Number 1 target for the binos was Auriga and it's multitude of glorious open clusters. And boy they didn't disappoint. Such a joy to cruise down through that constellation into Gemini. M37 especially was stunning.

Also nipped across to Taurus with the 12" Newt. Found M1 easily enough, crikey is that easy in the 12". Last time i checked it out was in the C6 and it was a struggle to see it. M45 were breathtaking in both the binos and 12". Although I suspect the 12" will come alive once i get a decent widefield eyepiece. The 20mm Skywatcher plossl does not like working at f4!!!!

By now M42 had crept above the house and begged to be observed.....had to oblige off course! Need i say how good it looked? Roll on the winter when it gets a bit higher.

Also checked out with the binos.....M31 (WOW), M33 (easy) and the Double Cluster (another WOW).

Back in bed for 5.30, grab another 2 hours kip before work!

Finally would just like to say how impressed i was with the Revelation 15x70. One of the best ever views of Auriga i've ever had. They are worth every penny of that £49.

Regards

Russ

[Ant]

Hi Russ,

I was up at 5:20am yesterday morning. I have to agree just how good the skies were at that time - I really wish that I was a morning person.

By the time that I got out to look it was closer to 5:40 - the sky was quite bright in the east, but Orion etc looked lovely. I didn't have time to look around as I was starting work at 6am.

Venus was a glorious sight - amazingly bright against quite a dark blue sky. It is my favorite time of the day, it's a shame that I cannot get up at that easily.

Sounds like the bino's are good.

Ant

[jonifive]

Really looking forward to seeing Orion again, but I don't want to see anything but the inside of my eyelids at 5.00am!!!

JV

[russ]

A lot of people don't like early mornings. Which is a shame as it's the best time to observe.

My main problem is not waking up myself but waking up the rest of the house. It certainly annoys my wife if i disturb her. And then there's the kids to sneak past. It's not easy! But worth the trouble.

Russ

[barkis]

I think to say you are over the moon with both your toys would be an understatement Rus.

A good pair of bins are wonderful on starfields, and the 12" is just going to crack you up come winter skies. We just got a sense of what it is doing to your emotions during your brief morning session. I was up early this morning, before dawn, but just to visit the loo, and on my way back to bed, I looked out the window to the southeast, and saw our old friend Orion leaning over on his right side, but straightening up nicely.

Thanks for the preview of what lies ahead.

Ron.

[Johnny Jupiter]

Hi Rus, I'm not a morning person at all but as my wife gets up for work at 5 am, I am usually up just after 6, BUT, if the skies are clear then I will get up first - which isn't easy - make her a cuppa and then get about 11/2 hours of observing in or till it gets light! It certainly wakes me up though! John