More horse musings.

[ollypenrice]

Last night was particularly clear and the dire seeing of recent times had also improved muchly. WIth Yves' 14 inch imaging the Horse we had a look in the 20 inch as well. Dean, an Australian observer, is very good and got it without a filter. I could 'sense' it which probably means imagine it! However, earlier in the night I'd accidentally put an old photographic braodband skyglow filter in the EP instead of the 0111 and found it worked for me, so I tried it again on the Horse. And, blow me, I've never had it so well. For the first time I got the head shape rather than just a dark oblong.

The Flame was also excellent unfiltered, with the dust laes bordering on what you'd call sharp.

Rather exciting.

Olly

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great catch. The Horse-head is definitely on my todo list, but my scope is probably too small. I hear H-beta is the optimal filter for that, so I might get one of those shortly. I will try with the UHC from the alps in February. I should visit your patch in winter at some time, I would love to have a go at several goodies with sir Isaac under really dark skies (not with a gibbous moon lurking low in the sky).

[ollypenrice]

Yes, I think the H Beta is optimal. Also getting just the right magnification for the contrast. I saw it with a visiting (Dutch!) H Beta earlier in the year when it was too low to be at its best. Last night I think it would have been ideal.

Olly