Some recent Dobbings...

[ollypenrice]

I had the luxury of a sky guide in the form of Rod, a guest and very experienced DS observer last week. Once I'd got the imaging rigs rolling I wandered over to SIr Isaac (our 20 inch F4.1) and let Rod show me a few beauties. He'd brought his 13 Ethos and I already knew from previous visitors that this is THE big Dob eyepiece. I really need to shell out and buy one!

The first surprise was M5. I must confess that I have never observed this before. What an oversight; it is almost as dazzling as M13 but has a more interesting structure, with a strangely assymmetrical scattering of outer stars. It was, like M13, easily resolved to the core.

Both the Whale and, to my surprise, the Hockeystick, were highly resolved and the tidal extension of the Hockeystick flickered into and out of visibility for me. The Pup was easy. I was surprised that we could observe at this power and still have enough light to show structure, as was certainly the case.

In the 13 Ethos M51 was the best I've ever seen it in the ten years since Sir Isaac arrived. All the features you have to try for most of the time really popped out. The spiral structure was very obvious and the bridge of light (which isn't a bridge) was as bright as you like. At this power the galaxy was both huge and bright.

Yes, thinking back over the evening a 13 Ethos is becoming inevitable...

Thanks to Rod for a great show.

Olly

[Daniel-K]

nice report olly,your not doing my  aperture fever any good though

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report of some real jewels in the night sky. I am sometimes tempted by the Ethos, but I find 15mm eye relief too short. I will have to make do with the Nagler T4 line, and the 31T5 "Panzerfaust"

[swamp thing]

Nicely written Olly. It highlights the real advantage of aperture......image scale

[cotterless45]

Neat, M5 is overlooked, but just sparkles with stars. The "Hockey Stick and whale " are lovely targets in CNv.

I remember a night 3 years ago picking up in the 10",

NGC 4631 (Whale), NGC 4656/57 (Hockey stick),NGC 4244 (C26), NGC 4111, NGC 4490, NGC 5005 (C29) and NGC 5033. These are quite easy to find using the line of Chara to Cor Corioli.

Still sitting on the fence, one side is the Dark Side and the other side is aperture,

Nick.

[Moonshane]

great report Olly. I'd love a 20" scope but it's just too big for my circumstances. I just about managed the 'bridge' between M51 and companion at PSP in the 16" and 13mm Ethos (at least I did when I removed my aperture mask).