Observing report 10/10/07

[GazOC]

Although the sky was clear there seemed to be a lot of moisture in the air in the early evening but when things started to dry out around midnight I decided to set up as I had no work in the morning (hence typing this report at half 4 in the morning!!).

I couldn't get much detail out of Mars, I tried a 14" Dob and a 10" SCT at all sorts of magnifications but I could barely make out the ice cap and a little darker colouration near the equator. With hindsight I probably spent too much time on this object but Mars is hard to resist...

After admitting defeat with Mars I packed the SCT away and using the Dob viewed the OCs in Auriga, M42 and M45 just to try and make up for lost time! The primary and secondary then got dewed up and I really didn't have the will power to drag out another scope out at 3am.

7 objects in 3 hours isn't the best return for my time but at least it wasn't cloudy!!

[Whippy]

Good one Gaz, at least you got some time in. It's fog central here .... Have we got a fog emoticon?

Tony..

[russ]

Glad you got out Gaz.

Mars is indeed a challenge this year. My views through the 12" have been along the same lines.

Those post midnight skies are a delight. I'm not surprised you only got in 7 objects. Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes it's more rewarding to study things rather than just go for the highest Messier body count. And i bet M42 was nice in the 14"?

Dew is a pain in the neck at the moment. Although it sounds like your scope lasted a lot longer than mine normally does. You get hours where i get minutes

Fog's bad down here too. Can't even see the garden shed 15ft away.

And great avatar....can't wait for December! should be a cracking fight.

Russ

[SteelRat]

Those open clusters in Auriga are always worth a look eh mate? Glad you got out to see em 8)

[GazOC]

can't wait for December! should be a cracking fight.

Russ

I hope so, I'm going over to watch it.

M42 is stunning in the 14" and with a UHC-S filter its just amazing!!

Matt, I always like those OCs in Auriga, very pretty. With the dew and the seeing it wasn't really the night for those faint fuzzies anyway.

[lunator]

Gaz

I'm glad you got out.

It turned from Cloud to Fog here last night

Cheers

Ian

[Rob]

Good report there Gaz.. I always feel that if managed to get out there thats half the battle this time of year. Secondly you did manage 7 targets... thats not bad!. UHC-S is very good I used it in the C8 with good success on M42. Auriga is my favorite widefield subject... just stunning

Nice one