Last Night (Sunday) and Conditions

[johnd]

So lovely day yesterday i.e. Sunday and was looking forward to having some time with the scope in the back garden. I knew that the moon would be high and very bright so apart from a brief look at Jupiter I was looking mainly at U. Major and seeing if it was possible to track M81/82. I know I'm in a LP area but I thought I'd get some practice in and have a look anyway. I used a few charts but after an hour and half I decided that it just wasn't my lack of skill, my SW London LP sky but mostl;y the glare of the moon that was the main issue? So I was wondering if a person who is in a dark sky location and was out lastnight could confirm that when the moon is thus then it makes even their seeing very difficult or almost impossible for these DSO's? Or is my location just impossible? Thanks

[cotterless45]

Yep, just a wisp in darker skies with a glaring Moon. Even worse with light pollution. Wait until the new Moon, then have another shot. X50 should get both M81 and the brighter M82 in the fov.

Ensure that your eyes are dark adapted, which is difficult with the Moon up,

Nick.

[johnd]

Yep, just a wisp in darker skies with a glaring Moon. Even worse with light pollution. Wait until the new Moon, then have another shot. X50 should get both M81 and the brighter M82 in the fov.

Ensure that your eyes are dark adapted, which is difficult with the Moon up,

Nick.

Thanks, I feel a bit better and still hopeful that DSO's are still in my LP grasp (I did see M66 as a smudge last week). Yes, I hope for clear skies as the moon diminishes over the next couple of weeks.

[rwilkey]

So lovely day yesterday i.e. Sunday and was looking forward to having some time with the scope in the back garden. I knew that the moon would be high and very bright so apart from a brief look at Jupiter I was looking mainly at U. Major and seeing if it was possible to track M81/82. I know I'm in a LP area but I thought I'd get some practice in and have a look anyway. I used a few charts but after an hour and half I decided that it just wasn't my lack of skill, my SW London LP sky but mostl;y the glare of the moon that was the main issue? So I was wondering if a person who is in a dark sky location and was out lastnight could confirm that when the moon is thus then it makes even their seeing very difficult or almost impossible for these DSO's? Or is my location just impossible? Thanks

It's no good looking for M81/M82 on a moonlit night, the Moon just washes them out. 

[Pete Presland]

the moon will still be very bright tonight, but at least the atmospheric conditions better for tonight!