A couple of classics from the 'burbs (and a C11)

[Dunkster]

Having watched the forecast for days, last night finally followed through with no clouds!

Tonight I pulled out the (under-utilised, feeling sorry for itself) big gun. Once we hit twilight I started setting up the NEQ6 and brought the C11 out to cool. I extended the tripod legs about 8 inches short of fully extended so I could try a standing viewing position. By the time I'd finished faffing, I could just about make out what I thought was Polaris, so I tweaked the mount so the scope was pointing more or less in the right place.

I gave the scope a good while to cool, as it had been in the house so I could look at it longingly during all those cloudy nights. Once I'd polished off dinner, I made myself some hot cocoa and donned layer after layer... boy was it cool out there between setting up and viewing time, the patio had developed a glistening slippery surface.

After a quick 2 star alignment with the 30mm (note to self: 82 degree EPs not good for alignment precision!), I headed off to my destined priority target.. Jupiter. A treat in any scope, previously my observing of the big planet had been limited to my smaller scopes until now. Wow. Even with the long FL EP in the diagonal (still 93x though) Jupiter was small but very detailed. As this was my first time viewing Jupiter with the C11, I wasn't sure what to expect or have a frame of reference on the conditions, but it did not disappoint. Then I switched the 30 for the 17mm Ethos and from there I believe I counted 11 bands (including the white or pale ones), including the North temperate belt, so thin that I had not discerned it before in my smaller scopes. Unfortunately, my session was poorly timed so as not see the red spot or any moon transits but the moons were faithfully lined up and while fiddling with the focus knob, I was getting a little frustrated that I could not bring them to points. It then occurred to me that with this aperture, I could be seeing them as discs rather than dots! I must have been looking for an hour and then noticed the view was starting to go a little fuzzy. Taking a look at the sharp end I could see a donut of dew forming on the corrector so I cranked up the dew controller and headed off to the Moon while I boiled the scope. The Moon became increasing crisp and provided some amazing detail being slightly off full. With its reflection washing out the sky so much, I didn't use my torch once until packing up. I wasn't expecting great things from DSOs, which was OK as I was dedicating my session to Jupiter being this close to opposition.

But as time passed by and Orion climbed the sky, I decided that M42 The Great Nebula in Orion had to be worth a shot! The Ethos was still in the diagonal and once the destination was in the glass the Trapezium jumped out at me, very sharp points nestled on a grey cushion. There was a pac-man shape with a eye in just the right place in the upper section and a distinct dark patch to the right of its mouth. Swapping the Ethos for the ES 30mm and pulling my hood over my head, I could slowly see more of the extended object, with a wispy arc running from the back of the "head" visible towards the bottom of the FOV with averted vision. I've been trying to look this up today and it appears to be the "sail" . I also added the NPB filter, darkening enough to make out more of the object, now filling slightly less than half of the FOV and the sail being slightly more pronounced. Considering how much the Moon was washing out the sky and my battle with the dreaded dew (Met Office app was saying 90% humidity!), I was really amazed at how much I could see and only makes me keener to try again under a darker sky.

While in that general area of sky, I took a peek at M45 The Pleiades. I'm a believer that The Pleiades look most stunning in binoculars, and it looked nice in the finder scope, but at barely 0.9 degrees FOV (ES 30 still in the diagonal) it's no big surprise that I had to pan around a bit. One thing that did surprise me is that I felt I could see fuzziness around some of the stars. I'm not certain that this was real as it could have been the dew making a comeback! However...

My next target was NGC869/884 The Double Cluster. I've looked at this beautiful pairing a couple of times with the C8 a few months back but when I tried the most recently the controller gave me the altitude warning... not so on the GEM... viewing objects around the zenith is not a problem, and I could even sit on my (damp) chair! The view simply amazed me. The Double Cluster looked really nice in the C8 but there were so many more stars with the C11, albeit with the clusters themselves sitting more towards (but still fitting within) the edges of the FOV with hundreds of fainter points littered everywhere. Not a sign of dew fuzziness, only stars from edge to edge. So what did I see in the Pleiades?

A couple of not so great results... M44 The Beehive cluster ... I think I was in the right place, and could see plenty of stars, some much brighter than others, but the FOV was too narrow to really take in the object. M37 in Auriga I couldn't see either and I think the Moon was washing the sky out too much for me to be able to nail it in the finder scope (after nudging the ota at one point, my gotos were a little off and I occasionally needed to assist!). M81/82 I've not had any luck with this pair at all from this location, and I think it's my neighbour's trees that were blocking the view tonight (I could see the branches in the finder), so it's one I want to try again when it's a little more easterly situated, or when I'm more distantly situated!

All in all I had a really good bit of overdue quality time (3 hours) with the big gun before the cold and dew were finally getting the better of us. I would have loved to have got up later for Saturn, but I was pretty tired and the patio was getting very slippery, the scope sporting a coating of frost too Today I'm feeling a bit hung over! Must be all exercise and lack of drinking but it was all worth it. It's tough to say which object I enjoyed the most, they were all outstanding for me, before considering I'm in an area where magnitude 4.0 is normally the limit, but the C11 may finally be starting to pay its way

[Marki]

Very nice report . I was out with both my nexstar 8se and tal125r last night - couldn't find any of the auriga clusters either, which I put down to the moon (plus I really ought to realign my finderscopes).

Mighty Jove was indeed a gorgeous sight though .

[cotterless45]

Nice, you'll be finding that higher mag and a big aperture will be blasting away the effects of light pollution and the Moon.

We managed a few clusters and doubles.

We struggled until 2am , when ice formed over everything. I spotted Venus, Saturn and Mercury lined up about 7 this morning.

It would have been a superb session if the Moon wasn't up overnight.

Nick.

[Dunkster]

Ahhhh glad it wasn't just me missing the Auriga clusters!

It would have been better with the Moon, without the humidity might have been nice too but I'll take the time I can get

Looking at Jupiter with the Ethos made the surrounding sky black and smooth, only added to the effect (contrast?) I think.

Venus/Saturn/Mercury must have been a sight, Nick

[Mike73]

Really good report.

Even though they are 'old faithful' objects they still offer so much!

Your M42 description was spot on. So much to see in there with different mags and filters.

I have one more week of work then have 4 weeks off and I really need a good session like yours!

[Astro Imp]

Great report, a really good read.

I've recently come in and was frustrated that I couldn't get the Auriga clusters, after reading the above I don't feel so bad.

[KevUU]

I've barely bothered with the Reports section lately, I'm so dethused by my lack of observation opportunities. But this report really gets the enthusiasm running again, thanks for a really good read.

Also makes me yearn for an upgrade, a little voice in my head keeps chirping on about a C8 and is tempting my restraint!!

Cheers Dunkster

[Dunkster]

Glad to share! It really had been a long time since I'd had a satisfying session, but it's really therapeutic Back is still a bit stiff mind

[Double Kick Drum]

I've barely bothered with the Reports section lately, I'm so dethused by my lack of observation opportunities. But this report really gets the enthusiasm running again, thanks for a really good read.

Also makes me yearn for an upgrade, a little voice in my head keeps chirping on about a C8 and is tempting my restraint!!

Cheers Dunkster

My sentiments exactly.

A great read. It's a long time since I have had any session outside but it's good to be reminded what's out there.

[SnakeyJ]

Thanks Dunkster - great post and observing report, well worth enduring the cold and all the effort.

Maybe I can find a similar hole in the cloud tonight and follow this example - have to see how it looks once the chidlets are settled down!

[Woking]

Nice report. Was the fuzziness within the Pleiades the gas that's passing through it? Given the right conditions it should be a blue tinted fuzz around the brighter stars.

[cotterless45]

Yep the Pleiades are passing through an area of nebulosity, looks really neat,

Nick.

[rory]

enjoyable read, thanks for the report dunkster.

[Dunkster]

OK then, so I might have not been imagining it after all must say its one of those things we see in photos but didn't expect to see with the naked scope! It was subtle... hence my self-doubt.

Hope everyone is getting some mileage out of these clear skies, I'm paying for it with the lurgi but it was worth it