Quick 20 mins

[Marki]

Got home from a week on holiday (cloudy pretty much all the time - the one time I got set up it clouded out just as I completed my alignment). I was fairly knackered after a 10 hour drive. Sky looked lovely so felt obliged to set up in my back garden anyway. Too tired to fight my mount, and alignment out due to noddy mistakes. Generally annoyed. Went in got my 10x50s and used the mount to rest my arms on instead, and had a really productive and fun 20 mins! Transparency seemed good and I was able to see m33 (pretty much forst time I;ve seen it from my garden). Also the dumbell nebula, m13, nice split on Albireo, a gorgeous m31. Lots of nice open clusters in and around Cassoiopeia. Double cluster was stunning, and its nice to see m45 making a return - can't wait til Orion rises in my backyard!

I love my 10x50s - best £80 I ever spent. Went to bed tired but happy!

[Qualia]

Great report, Marki and glad to hear you got a session in

[Wyvern]

Absolutely nothing wrong with grabbing the good old pair of bins and sitting back to "soak up" the sights on offer.  On many an occasion, I've done exactly like you, spending a relaxing half hour or so meandering along the Milky Way and hopping from constellation to constellation picking up the brightest targets.

Quite therapeutic I feel! 

Les

[WaveSoarer]

Thanks for the report. Binoculars are great for quick between the clouds sessions. It can turn a frustrating evening in to a highly rewarding one.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice report, Marki. Bins are great for these quick session when the sky beckons but you are too tired to set up the scope.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I usually always end a scope observing session with a 30 min session using bins. If not my 20x90 bins.........then always 10x50. I have to say that i am still blown away with the quality of my Bresser 10x50 bins that i bought from Lidl a few yrs ago.They offer up such bright and sharp images.