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Happy observing birthday to me

KevUU

By KevUU
in Observing - Discussion

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KevUU

KevUU

Posted
Posted

I just realised it's ticked over a year from when I started observing.

21st of March last year I first put binos up to the sky, and looked at a few things including Pleiades, M44 and I was sure a glimpse of M67, and a vague hint of the Rosette cluster.

So the clear window on Saturday night at SGL8 was my last observe of the year. Pretty happy to end it on M81/M82 in the fov :)

I have a few days until my ST80s first birthday, I got it at the start of April just as the deluges started... I'm quite happy that I got through a full cycle before I upgraded, I got to see the main highlights of most parts of the sky with it and I still feel there's more I could do with it, much more. I think it was good to keep it properly basic while finding my way around, before galloping off into more kit. But, I know the 8" dob I just got will better suit my tendency towards "and while I'm here, I wonder if I can also see..."

Given the weather we've had, and a 3" scope, I'm pretty chuffed with 67 DSOs in the year. The inevitable question of highlights occurs, and I suspect my answers will be equally inevitable:

1. Pleiades. Just the nicely framed view of all of it at x13, with that electric blue colour of the stars. A nice simple one, but one of my first sightings and always a pleasing one to revisit.

2. Jupiter with its moons. Such an amazing sight the first time.

3. Andromeda Galaxy, framed with M32 and M110 in the same fov. Some people are underwhelmed by this but I just find it spectacular.

4. Saturn. Even though it was small and fuzzy in my ST80, still a real thrill moment.

5. M81/M82. Not a huge amount of detail visible in the ST80, but that view of both in the eyepiece was very pleasing.

Those are my big hitters. There are definitely some honourable mentions, too.

Nebulae, M57 (ring nebula) and M27 (dumbbell nebula) were good.

Clusters, for tight ones M11 (wild duck) and M35 + M37 were good; for wider field Delta Lyrae (Stephenson 1) and the Alpha Persei Moving Group (Melotte 20) were very interesting fields to explore. And I can't fail to mention the double cluster C14, although I know there is much more to come with more aperture on this one. Globs have always underwhelmed in the ST80.

For the more esoteric (and optimistic), NGC 6800 was interesting just for the shape and the surprise of being able to make it out in my scope.

I've also taken my scope abroad for a good clear sky holiday, and been to my first star party :)

And so, a new era starts. I've had a wee teaser with my new dob on the moon tonight, can't wait for a proper first light on some DSOs. Hopefully the weather will realise it's been sulking for a year and will snap out of it too? ;)

Thank you all for your support and encouragement and advice :)

I can't wait to see what the next year will bring :D :D :D

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nephilim

nephilim

Posted
Posted

Happy... Birthday :D... ? M13 through a big dob is awesome, I was a planet bod until I saw it!

broadened my horizons :D

Totally agree with you there, planets 'were' my favorites until I saw M13 & the double cluster for the first time (Through a 12" dob & thhen with my own 200p) only a few weeks ago, then the clusters in Auriga & now i'm hooked on them!!

Steve

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KevUU

KevUU

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A belated happy 1st Birthday!

Always nice to take stock of your year's highlights.

Here's to another (and hopefully clearer) year.

Thanks DKD. It was nice to look back through my reports and whatnot. Hopefully that will be a rather more time consuming task next year, with all the hundreds of viewing opportunities we must be due this year :D

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