Wonderful Wales.

[Moonshane]

Yes, you are reading right, this is in the binocular section and it's me writing it! We went on a family camping trip (curtailed unfortunately due to very wet weather for two solid days and a worsening forecast) and camped at http://www.gwyliaucefncribholidays.co.uk/default.html. Really lovely little camping site and very welcoming, quiet and friendly owners. The showers were superb.

It was just down the road from Aberdovey in mid coastal Wales and I hoped the skies would be good. They exceeded all expectations. I took only my good quality 7x36 roof prism bins and didn't expect much to be honest but I was rewarded with some of the best sky I have ever seen.

Despite the usual in tent lights and a single sodium street lamp on the site neat the emergency point, the darkness of the sky was stunning. The Milky Way was a wide intense streak across the sky from Cassiopeia, through Cygnus where it split into two bands separated by a dark rift and then a large bulge through Scutum and into Sagittarius; truly spectacular. I was hoping to see a few Perseids and saw many but as it happened a large cloud covered much of that area for a portion of the night and I saw as many through to the south as I did in the north.

M31, M13 and the double clutser were all naked eye objects and things were looking good. I spent the first half and hour just gawping at the Milky Way, shaking my head and smiling. It is surely one of the most lovely things you can see. I often read that people are put off garden observing, bathed in light pollution, after such a treat. I came away feeling completely refreshed and excited about my next session wherever it is and totally enthused for astronomy.

I decided to see what I could detect with the bins in Sagittarius and Serpens and was delighted that all of the things I can just see at home were very obvious, possibly more so, than in my 16" in the LP back garden. I also picked up two new Messier objects, M75 and M28, both globular clusters in Sagittarius.

Working from M11, I tracked down to the target area and easily located M16, M17, M18, M23, M25, M20, and M8 extremely easily. M24, the star cloud was the stand out object in the bins, really showing it's true extent and shape to me for the first time. Messier 22 was also very obvious tonight so LP clearly makes a difference to this object; it was somewhat brighter than M13 in the bins. From here O managed to locate the new object, M28 and then M75 by carefully following the map, and using my green torch which I have to say made reading my maps much easier than a red torch has in the past and affected my night vision not a jot. On this point I tested the sky quality at the site by walking down to the toilets to get myself in the glare of the 500w or so security lamp. Amazingly, even after looking at the lamp I turned around and within seconds, the Milky Way could be seen with direct vision.

Whilst watching for meteors, I was surprised to see a section of sky in Perseus which really sparkled like gems. I quickly realised it was the group of stars around Mirphak. It never looks this good at home so a lack of LP can even enhance the most common and 'well known' areas of the sky.

I'd recommend this site and location for those wanting a family holiday and some dark skies.

[RikM]

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip Shane

I took the Pronto on a holiday to Anglesey last year and that was the same. It is incredible what a difference dark skies make. Like you, rather than put off observing from home, I was recharged and ready to get back out there.

[avtaram]

I'm going to a place near Aberdovey in September for a weeks holiday. Now really looking forward to it after reading your report.

I will be taking my bins and the 76az.

Avtar

[damnut]

Great report above, dark skies to be found through wales.

I am originally from Holyhead, the best perseids I have seen was when I was 15 (35 odd years ago!!!!) sitting in the stern of the boat, becalmed in the middle of the Irish sea. Stopped counting at 200 ...

Regularly go back to North & south Wales, used to travel with an ST120.

[Damo636]

Nice report Shane, sounds like you had a great time. I love that region of sky, & like you, also had some of my best ever views of the Messiers you've mentioned with my 15x70 Apollo this season, M24 in particular being a stand out object.

[Moonshane]

I have just been reminded on another thread from the same night about another highlight. around midnight (I think) I saw the second pass of the night of the ISS and this time it went straight through Cygnus. It just looked fabulous against the background peppering of stars in the bins.

[estwing]

fantastic report mate and all with those bins we were using on sunday? well done..

[Moonshane]

yes indeed mate. this trip restored my faith in them. all I needed were decent skies.

[laser_jock99]

Glad you had a good great time- no too far from where I am!