First time with guests

[stevend]

With good clear skies the last two evenings have provided some great viewing, at the moment I am seeking out coloured doubles. Yesterday, for the first time, I had unexpected guests when my teenage son arrived home from a party with a couple of mates in his car. They surprised me by saying how they like the night sky and wanted to know what I was looking at.

I gave them a quick tour of the basics of the sky pointing out a few constellations and the summer triangle, at the same time getting their eyes adjusted from inside this house, before giving them a very quick tour, with a little bit of everything.

I was already at Alpha Cas (I really like that little red 'partner'), and then showed them; Albireo, Garnet, M57, M13 and Andromeda. I finished by moving over to Neptune but LP in that part of the sky always makes low South viewing challenging, so they did see it but not as well as I would have liked.

It felt good sending away a couple of 'starstruck' teenagers.

[cotterless45]

Get the useful and friendly Sky and Telescope's " double stars for small telescopes" by Sissy Haas. It is crammed full of stars and observing information,

Nick.