WOW!!! What a night.

[Ally8446]

Last Friday 27th 9pm packed the car up, including flask of tea and jaffas.

The sky didn't look to promising but I'd been looking forward to my 1st night out in months. Got up to my dark site and unpacked. Sorted out all my gear so it's close at hand, poured a brew, then looked up. The clouds were dispersing :-o.

Within 20 minutes my sky was cloudless.

I'm a happy bunny !!!

Started with M31, stayed with that for a good ten minutes, never get tired of looking at that. Had a little scan of M32 and M110, be rude not to.

Swung down to M33. Now I've never seen it before so I didn't know what to expect. ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL. Even if it is just a grey smudge.

Recently acquired a uhc so wanted to try it out so tried The Veil. OMG managed to find the bottom crescent and to be honest I did a little dance (in manner of Evan Almighty if anyone has seen it).

Also checked M15, M2. Two beautiful glob clusters in my opinion. Was really surprised how many stars I was resolving. Moved round to M27 (never found The Dumbbell before so time to dance :-D). Tried for The Blinking Planetary with no joy after 15 mins so moved on.

Had a real good study of Albireo for a little while, probably 20 mins while sipping another brew. Such a wondrous site and the colour contrast is awesome.

Next was a little look at M57. Been there several times before and will always go back. Finished off with M13, it really is 'A GREAT GLOB' simply mind blowing.

After all that, I blew my night vision to bits with the Moon. Considering how close it is and that it's nearly always easy to see I find it a staggering site through my WA 15mm every time I look at it.

The best 5 hours I've spent in months. I LOVE THIS HOBBY, THIS LOVE AFFAIR. Thankfully my Wife is very understanding. BRING ON THE WINTER.

Clear skies

Ally

Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk 2

[nerointegrale16v]

sounds great ally

ive never been out / brave enough lol, only in the back garden

martin

[WaveSoarer]

I'm a back garden observer too. It's nice and dark until the next door neighbours do their nightly bathroom routine. The backgarden then gets swamped with light.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report. You bagged some really nice objects there.

[robbie c]

Sounds like you had a great time Ally all I've had here is cloud, cloud, and more cloud    

[Special K]

You've got that autumn feeling too, eh?! Bravo, bring it on, and more of the same! I'm working on planets when I get the chance but plan to have a crack at ISON soon. Bet your skies are darker than Herts too! Clear skies.

[Astro Imp]

Great report Ally and some lovely targets, the first time I saw Albireo I was absolutely gob-smacked.

[Crebles]

HI Ally, cracking scope isn't it. 

Some of the most genuinely enjoyable hours of my adult life have been looking through one of those. Simple. Pleasure. Lovely to hear someone else is as madly enthusiastic about all this!

By the way, +1 for the Jaffa Cake. I'm quite convinced they help my Neuro-opthalmic Dark Adaptation.... something about all the Vitamin C I reckon...  I'm just waiting for someone to publish the paper in Nature proving it.... :-)

Clear skies,

Simon (aka Jaffa the Hutt), Norfolk

[floppygoose]

Nice one Ally,

Great when you get a chance to bag a few in one night, what a fantastic hobby this is

All the best

Phil