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Just been out for an hour

Scooot

By Scooot
in Observing - Reports

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Scooot

Scooot

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It's a while since I've used my scope. But tonight it was clear and I was up and about.

had a quick look at Saturn, it was very sharp albeit small in my 17.3 mm and larger of course at 120 mag but I didn't think the seeing was that good so didn't bother with the Barlow.

went onto the ring nebula and that was quite mesmerising. Like an old fashioned smoke ring, but stable . Looked at the double double but couldnt resolve them, wasnt that bothered though. Then Alberio which is one of my favourite doubles, this was very good, two pin [removed word] stars of different hues. Moved around to m13 and m92 which were very high, usual smudges, can't say they were that great, due to the light, but It was great to see them. Had a look at the cat nebula as well which was also very small.

thouroughly enjoyed myself though.but some of the high objects I wouldn't have seen if I didn't have the nexus. Bending down to try and look through the finder at some of the things at the zeneth was nigh on impossible (for me anyway).

so I've had a quick enjoyable hour scanning the skies before the clouds came in and now I'm off to bed.

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Stu

Stu

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Always good to get out for a quick session whenever there is a chance. Sounds like you had an enjoyable and successful time.

I struggle with things at the zenith too! Always just feels really awkward which is a shame because its the best place to view them!

Stu

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Scooot

Scooot

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I struggle with things at the zenith too! Always just feels really awkward which is a shame because its the best place to view them!

Stu

its not a problem when I'm using the nexus because I just stand upright and follow the curser on the iPad, which is what I was doing last night. I wasn't using the Eq platform last night so the scope was lower on the ground so I was really just thinking out loud how difficult it would have been if I'd been using the finder.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

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Scooot

Scooot

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The moon was quite a sight last night rising through the cloud.

I only managed about 45 mins this time dodging the cloud by switching between Saturn and the double double. Used the platform so was trying to resolve the latter at 240. Just about managed it but they had some slight flare. I wasn't sure if my scope hadn't quite cooled enough, my collimation was slightly out ( although I'd checked it before hand) or the seeing wasn't good enough.

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Scooot

Scooot

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Just got in. it was the best 1.5 hours for as long as I can remember.

A few of the highlights:

Albireo. This was stunning in my 10 mm, the golden yellow and silver double just jumped out at me against a pitch black sky that was dotted by what seemed to be thousands of stars.

Vega. Again stunning, I'd never seen it like this. It looked like a bright flash light centred in a big X .

M92 was really good as well, was able to Barlow it resolving many stars against a dark back ground. Unfortunately m13 wasn't so good. It took me a minute or two to realise I was trying to view it through the top of the only birch on my western horizon. I thought I'd wait for it to move clear rather than move but the clouds beat it.

i could resolve the double double easily tonight in the 10 mm and it was a bit clearer with the Barlow.

the best highlight was the veil nebula, I'd never seen it from my garden before, but it was unmistakable with the use of my uhc filter.what sticks in my mind was how large it is. I got the best view of the eastern veil, but saw part of the western one as well.

By this time I'd already had the best view I'd ever had of the dumbbell using the 10mm, so I swung back to it with the filter in but I thought it was better without.

The whirlpool wasn't quite as good as in the winter but that's probably because it was a bit lower. Bodes was just as clear though and I could frame both of them together with my 17.3mm.

fortunately I've got a couple of weeks off from work so I don't have to get up early.

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Scooot

Scooot

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You did amazingly well to spot the veil in this level of darkness. Well done. You must have dark skies where you are

Nice one

Barry

Not normally this dark, usually quite light polluted, but last night it was very good, especially for this time of year. It was around 2am so probably about as dark as it would get. Wouldn't have seen it without the astronomic uhc though. I was lucky, went to bed early but woke about half midnight to see it was clear, so got up.

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Scooot

Scooot

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Ive not seen M27 for a long while. Must have a look for it next time im out. I do remember it wasnt the best sight when i last looked at it, but i had only just bought the telescope back then :)

That was excellent last night, stood out as well as orion, even at 120 mag. It was quite large, probably covered a third of the view through the eyepiece . It wasn't quite so sharp with the filter though.

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John

John

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One thing that puzzled me a bit about the veil was that I could see all the western veil below 52 Cygnus but none of it above, guess it just fainter above?

I always find the the Eastern Veil (NGC 6992) the brightest segment. The western part (Witches Broom or NGC 6960) which runs past 52 Cygni is a little dimmer but more tightly defined.

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Scooot

Scooot

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Thanks for that John. I've been looking at my star charts again. I saw the eastern veil quite clearly, was scanning the scope up and down to follow it. But only saw the top half of the western veil, above 52 cygni, ngc 6960. Didn't see the central veil ngc 6974 or ngc 6979. I'm pleased to have seen any of it though, the only other time was through a 20" in Devon last September.

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