couldn't sleep.

[DazC]

As the title says really, I couldn't sleep so looked out of the window to see if it was still clear. Brilliantly clear skies. So got wrapped up and got the dob out.

My plan was to look at a few globular clusters but as I turned from getting the dob out of the shed I saw Jupiter. I couldn't resist a quick look as i love the views of Jupiter through my new scope.

As soon as I looked through the ep (32mm), I could see what looked like a bright point of light on the south east limb. My first thought was maybe it was an impact, (wow, now that would be a good start to a session)! But then I counted the moons that I could see. After referring to an app I now know that it was Io just reappearing from behind it's parent planet.

The atmosphere seemed fairly steady and I could make out four, maybe five belts at a push, no chance of the GRS though, missed it by a couple of hours. That would have been nice. Clear belts, GRS and Io reappearing! Oh well, can't have it all.

So on to the globular clusters.

First off was M53, very fuzzy, clearer with the 9mm ep than with the 7mm and did not like the Barlow.

As I looked up to see where my next target was, a nice bright yellow shooting star streaked across the sky from Arcturus into Virgo. (4.18am)

Next was M3.

Wow! I actually said that out loud. Again, better without the Barlow. Really grainy texture to it.

This session is getting better and better, even if my finder was dewed up.

As I looked across to see where hercules was, I noticed a bank of cloud coming from the north soi had to be quick.

I had to use my 32mm ep as my finder and then up the mag.

The cluster was very grainy from the start and looked best in the 7mm ep. Even though I had to view over a carpark light (hidden by my 6' fence, but still not ideal conditions), I stayed with it for a few minutes and could really start to see layers of stars especially with averted vision.

Next I wanted to look at M92 quickly before the cloud came.

This must be the easiest target I have found. I put my 32mm ep in and literally turned the scope left and there it was! Smack in the middle of view.

Again through the 7mm ep this was a lovely target. So grainy, but the main thing that struck me was how bright the core was . It looked so dense.

With the threat of cloud coming and the temperature being a not so nice 1 degree above freezing, I called the end of the session and packed my gear away.

I really must get this scope to my dark site in the peak district.

Those globular clusters must look amazing through this thing up there.

D.C

[cotterless45]

Nice report. Had a couple of hours last night before I felt rough with a bug. It was however startlingly clear. Had a look at M34 , an overlooked cluster in Perseus.

M3 always gives me a wow ! It's an easy one to find halfway between Arcturus and Cor Corioli.

Struggled from the pit at 5.30 and had a view of Lovejoy beneath Hercules. Lovely and bright in x15 bins.

Nick.

[mdstuart]

Five belts on Jupiter. Your optics must be good. I can count four if the polar darkening counts as one!

Love those Globulars...

Try a few of the rich clusters NGC 7789 in Cassiopeia and M67 in Cancer for comparison as I also think they are pretty spectacular in terms of stars in the FOV.

Mark

[dick_dangerous]

Virgo, M3, M53? It's Spring!

DD