A temporary obsy, 1st Light for an EP and a borrowed filter!

[mountainmadman]

For the first time in a while managed to get out yesterday for a bit of back yard observing. The forecast had been looking good for Saturday and given that there's no work Sunday it was game on!

Knowing that this was a back yard session, I needed to break out the fold away obsy which comprises of a temporary greenhouse frame, 2 groundsheets, a green tarp and a dog blanket. Not the most aesthetic of contraptions, but keeps out the light from the neighbours kitchen and bedrooms.

I set up the mount and left the scope outside to cool while the sun was setting before retiring in for a bit of a read up on targets.

So, the order of the night was first light on the new BST Starguider 5mm EP. I used it to have a bit of a tour of the moon. I love these eyepieces. Everything was so clear with it when looking at the lunar surface. Especially where the light turns into shade.

I have on loan a Skywatcher UHC filter from a friend in work. While the moon was too bright to see much in the way of nebulosity last night, it was still really interesting to see the difference it made. I'd never used a filter before and wanted to try before I buy, but think it'll be a worth while investment, especially when I get dark enough skies to go proper DSO hunting!

In terms of things which I saw, well to be perfectly honest, I spent so much time faffing around with the filter in different EPs to experience the difference, I only saw two things of note. The first was a double star called Cor Caroli. I was really pleased with this, even though its a comparatively easy target I did manage to get good definition between the two stars, but not too much colour difference. Nevertheless a pleasing observation. And then, my last target was the one which I have been waiting patiently for, finally I managed to get Panstarrs. Not in it's best light I must admit, but I was determined to get it. In the end it did look quite washed out with the amount of light coming from the moon and saw not a lot more than a grey smudge. Using averted vision, I could make out a bit more detail in the 20 minutes or so I had my eye to the piece, but just being able to say that I saw it is important to me.

So, a bit of a cobbled together observation report but there you go. So, here's to dark and clear skies for all!

Cheers!

Tony

[todd8137]

My first obsy was a green house covered in black pond liner i hd that for nerly 3 years till i brought a roll of shed,the green house worked great but one year we had bad winds , i awaoke to find it 3 gardens down the street

Pat