M3 and the joy of serendipity

[JulianFR]

What a thrill last night... I was just about to pack up around 12.30 after a good (if moon-bleached) observing session when I decided to do a last random scan using the 24mm.

I wasn't looking for anything in particular when a distinct globular cluster came into view. The detail was super and the object quite tightly defined so I switched to my 15mm EP. Then the detail became marked and as I continued to look the individual stars were quite obvious through a kind of graininess outwards from the denser core.

I had no idea what it was (left my star atlas indoors) but I noted it was around half way on an arc between the Plough and Arcturus. Only later, when looking it up, did I see it must have been M3. And the pics matched what I saw.

Earlier I at last found M81 and M82 again and (just) the supernova... Definitely dimmer than when I last found it a month ago.

l had less good fortune with Jupiter and Mars... The latter still a small, orangey blob-disc and with Jupiter I struggled to see much detail beyond the two bands (maybe the moon's glare affected seeing).

Anyway, a good night at last.

Julian

[JulianFR]

BTW I was using the 300 Dob last night ... It certainly reveals more detail than I have been used to.

[Orange Haze]

What a lucky find, nice one. I packed up around the same time last night waiting for Mars and it didn't occur to me to look for M3, having heard so many good reports on it. Doh.

Also I had same experience with Jupiter and Mars. Two bands and a small orange blob. Moon was lovely tho.

Happy days!

[dick_dangerous]

I had a look at Saturn last night about 12.30 - terrible, terrible view. It had only just risen! Give it a couple of months and some clear skies and it'll be spectacular though.

I too observed M3, but did so deliberately. What a lovely cluster? Nearby M53 is also worth seeking out.

DD

[swamp thing]

I forgot my star atlas last time I went out so was having to make do with a few favourites of mine. M3 was one of the globulars I visited. At 333x it's a pretty impressive sight.

A bit more power wouldn't go amiss though.

[cotterless45]

Neat, M3 is quite easy to find, just go half way between Arcturus and Cor Corioli, hurrah !

Nick.

[rory]

Globulars are my favourite objects . M3 is a sublime example , bet it's superb in a large aperture scope like yours.

[JulianFR]

I'll know where to look next time... And as was mentioned by Steve I think it could certainly go more magnification. So far in my short observing career M3 is the most spectacular DSO I have seen (though M81 and M82 - esp with the SN - are super). I still don't manage to find DSOs that easily :-(

Glad it wasn't just me with Jupiter and Mars! I'm looking forward to a clear AND moon-less night. Tonight seems very similar so I don't think I'll take the big scope out... Will aim to go out with the 120mm frac later.

[JulianFR]

Rory I'm converted to globulars too. And yes I notice the difference in the 300 over my previous 200 ... I'm no expert but the detail is much finer and I can even sense some colour sometimes I think, for instance in the Orion nebula. Or maybe not! I checked for coma last night as well (it was my longest session with this new scope) and I'm relieved to say I didn't really notice any with the EPs I have.

[faulksy]

I forgot my star atlas last time I went out so was having to make do with a few favourites of mine. M3 was one of the globulars I visited. At 333x it's a pretty impressive sight.

A bit more power wouldn't go amiss though.

thats a lot of resolving power steve, must of looked cool

[Daniel-K]

Neat, M3 is quite easy to find, just go half way between Arcturus and Cor Corioli, hurrah !

Nick.

easier said than done, this can be a pain to find sometimes

[AlexB67]

easier said than done, this can be a pain to find sometimes

Perfect sniper practice territory with a RDF or telrad/rigel  . It is right on that line between them as Nick says. it is just above halfway point, but you can also use coma Berenices as a helping hand. My notes say to use gamma Com and beta com, extend an imaginary line through those, the lower of the 4 degree telrad rings will hit that line and put the cluster bang in the middle of the 0.5 degree ring pretty much. Coma berenices, depending on conditions from home is not always easily visible for me, they are close to the limit often times hat I can see naked eye and sometimes not at all. A few days ago I was able to see them quite comfortably though even from my backyard.  They are mag 4.x stars or thereabouts, so on a dark site they will be like Xmas trees.  Usually though I just scan downwards a bit between arcturus and Cor corioli and shoot a few bullets to get here from my home yard 

[Paul73]

I'd like to thank you guys. I read this thread late last night. Got inspired, got the scope out and headed for M3. A lovely sight indeed. Then headed for M5 which is another great one.

I should have gone inside at that point. But, the moon had disappeared by then and the light haze had cleared. Took in the Leo Triplet. Then had a quick canter across the Galaxies at the pan handle end of Ursa Major. M51 was particularly fine, two bright cores clearly visible with a faint joining swathe and some real texture in the rest of the disc (nearly enough to use the word "spiral", but I'm pretty sure that imagination was lending a hand there).

Finished up with a nicely detailed Saturn and a Mars that actually showed some stable(ish) darker markings. Before this morning I've never seen Mars as anything other than a bright disappointing blob ( need a new eyepiece now ).

As with trips to the pub, the impromptu ones are always the best.

Paul