Rewards from a dark site

[YKSE]

It had been rainy all weekdays except a few hours clear sky on Friday, but the forecast for Saturday had promised very steay clear night, with temperature 7-8 degree (mild for the season). Even though I was a bit tired after umpiring a local competition, the attraction to the dark site is so strong that I packed up things right away after dinner and 40minutes later I was there at 8 o'clock. So was my first blunder in these trips, the counter weights were left at home (Check and re-check means check and re-check, your fool). The sky was clear with setting half moon, so it was none issue about what to do, just heading home to pick them up.

The half moon made it to difficult for finding M75, but M30,M73 and Caldwell 56 were bagged after the moon got behind trees

Revisiting the oldies, M110 showed much more structure than at home, M33 was an easy target, even in 8x40 binos.

While waiting for Jupiter to come up, I replaced C8 (with tendency of dewing) with 80ED, made 3-star alignments for easier sweeping around, and bagged M77, M78 and M109.

Tried to have a go on trapezium, the seeing was no good for identifying E and F.

Jupiter was facinating as ever, I managed to see the GRS in some brief moments for the first time.

Had a look at Sirius when it came up, is it always this colorful? It's blinking all colors in naked eyes too,  I've not noticed that at home.

The Seeing varied a lot during the the night, it was best when I revisited M81 and M82. never before could I see them so clearly, especially the "Cigar" showed lot of details, it was just so great!

All in all, 5 new messiers, a Caldwell and GRS, another worthwhile trip

[NGC 1502]

Sounds like you had a great night 

Most of us have left vital bits at home, so now I keep a list of what to take.  (Just have to remember where I put the list...................! )

I fully agree about the benefits of a dark site.  Travelling light on my recent trip to Kelling Heath (north Norfolk UK ), I was amazed at what my short focus 70mm refractor showed, compared to home.

Yes indeed, Sirius can look very colourful indeed in poor seeing !

Well worth the effort to get to a dark site, but makes me very dissatisfied  of skies back home.

Regards, Ed.

[Astro Imp]

Good to hear you managed a worthwhile trip after your early blunder.

Sirius being so low needs really good seeing for a steady view, it usually looks very colourful from my viewing site.

[Double Kick Drum]

Great report. You have to make the most of proper dark skies (especially when you live in Southeast England!) and it sounds like you did. Jealous you managed M30 and M75 from further North, they are two Messiers I have not yet found myself.

Thanks for sharing.

[Naemeth]

Great report. I've yet to take my scope to dark skies, the weather and work schedule haven't yet worked together... hopefully they will soon .

[YKSE]

Great report. I've yet to take my scope to dark skies, the weather and work schedule haven't yet worked together... hopefully they will soon .

I hesitated before I first trip to dark site even though I read about benifits. Some thinking after my own jouney leads following reasoning:

Comparing to magnitude 6 dark sky, our light-polluted skies are usually magnitude 3-4, a difference of 2-3 magnitude.

Each magnitude difference is about 2.5 times brightness, so 2 magnitude difference is 2.5*2.5 time difference in brightness, and 3 difference is 2.5*2.5*2.5.

The brightness is direct propotional to the area of a scope, which is propotional to the square of the diameter, this leads to:

2 mag difference=SQRT(2.5*2.5)=2.5 time diameter difference, and

3 mag difference=SQRT(2.5*2.5*2.5)=4 time diameter difference.

So a 4" scope under dark sky performs like 4*2.5=10" or even 4*4=16" under light polluted sky!

quite big numbers, but my 80ED does see more faint fuzzy in dark sky than my C8 at home.

[jetstream]

I hesitated before I first trip to dark site even though I read about benifits. Some thinking after my own jouney leads following reasoning:

Comparing to magnitude 6 dark sky, our light-polluted skies are usually magnitude 3-4, a difference of 2-3 magnitude.

Each magnitude difference is about 2.5 times brightness, so 2 magnitude difference is 2.5*2.5 time difference in brightness, and 3 difference is 2.5*2.5*2.5.

The brightness is direct propotional to the area of a scope, which is propotional to the square of the diameter, this leads to:

2 mag difference=SQRT(2.5*2.5)=2.5 time diameter difference, and

3 mag difference=SQRT(2.5*2.5*2.5)=4 time diameter difference.

So a 4" scope under dark sky performs like 4*2.5=10" or even 4*4=16" under light polluted sky!

quite big numbers, but my 80ED does see more faint fuzzy in dark sky than my C8 at home.

Great report Yong,the dark sky magnitude difference is overwhelming.Thinking of getting a SQM and tracking them,now back to the moon...

[Mike73]

Nice report.

All too often you read how 'aperture is king' and people spend £££'s on bigger and better scopes to see more when all they need to do is go for a short drive!

[cotterless45]

Great report, forget aperture, dark sky is king !

Nick.

[Special K]

Excellent rewards for your effort. Sounds great to get some definition out of M81 & 82. That's a pair I'd take advantage of at a dark locale!