1st Feb 2013 with a great little scope

[webboid]

Yesterday I went off to my local astro club's dark site for the first use of my ST102 under a dark sky. I left my bigger one at home because I wasn't sure if the weather was going to behave. So I arrived about 7.30 to clouds, but was expecting it to clear by 9. By 8 the clouds began to disperse a little & the stars & milkyway began to reveal themselves. Awesome compared to my back garden! I quickly set up & had a look at Jupiter. Very pleased that very little CA was apparent at 77x magnification. Soon I was joined by some prospective new members who were keen to have a look. It is a very satisfying feeling when people who have never observed before comment on their first sight of the cosmos. Like wow & amazing, I can see the bands & moons etc. Next I moved to M42 & again was thrilled with the peoples comment. Sadly shortly after the clouds rolled in again.

Stopped for a tea break & chat in the clubhouse but by 8.40 sky was clearing much better. So off we went again. There was now around 6 people looking through my & another members scope. One chap wanted to see Andromeda. Easy target I thought but with so many stars I struggled at first to locate it. Once found at just 15x it was a most pleasant view. I upped the mag a bit & the chap was very thrilled. Every one has a good look. One or too were a little underwhelmed, but I explained that it was only a small scope & did look a lot better with more aperture. Next a view of M45 15x gave nearly 4.5 deg fov & looked spectacular. Maybe even a bit of nebulosity & so many stars, lovely. The guests wanted more galaxies so on to M81 & 82. These were delightful little smudges & one of the guests noted one was rounder & one was a thin line. I was impressed by her observation. Upping the mag on M82 provided a still pleasant view. People were thinning out as they were not suitable dressed as it got cooler. So I showed the remaining folks a few doubles Almaak, which one young lady said was the best thing she had seen all night. Mizar/ Alkor & finally Sigma Orionus where I was just able to see a third tight star in the group.

All the visitors had departed so I continued my own observing with a couple of regular members in tow. We looked at M44 & melot 20. Then M36 & M38 at low power jumping out of the mass of stars in the same fov as well as revealing them selves as clumps of stars. Really spectacular as at home they look just as grey patches. Tried for M1 & got it first time with the RDF bang in the middle. Surprisingly nice view at 35x, still only a fuzzy patch. I have tried many times to view the close by cluster (NGC 2158) to M35 from home in both scopes & always been disappointed because I guess it is small & faint (Mag 10 stars I believe). But I was rewarded with a glimpse last night. Averted vision helped too. As I had success on this target I thought I would try for M78, which I thought I had previously viewed at home. Once again I landed smack on it with the RDF & a most pleasant view was had confirming my previous observation was correct. My fellow astronomers confirmed the target too. With the help of one of my experienced colleagues we lined up M51, which was a new sight for me. This was a surprising observation as I could see two cores & with averted vision a few wisps. Very nice & will have to look at this again with more aperture. Finished off back on Orion nebula just as the clouds returned about 10.40. An enjoyable & rewarding evening. Guess I should have taken both scopes. But I must say the little scope performed very well under dark skies, glad I have it.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

Very good night. Its always a great feeling when other people take an interest in what your doing as well i find. Very rewarding

I was going to set up around 2230, alot of cloud to the north so i held off for about 15mins, went back out and it was raining! Then about 15mins later when my uncle left, it was perfectly clear to the south again. Didnt set up in the end as it seemed a tad unpredictable.

[Double Kick Drum]

You managed to make the most of a small window of opportunity there.

Great report!

[cotterless45]

Brilliant, it's good to see these with a refractor,

Nick.

[KevUU]

Sounds like a really good evening. Nice to show others some new things, then be shown some new things yourself. Nice one