Absolutely fantastic evening, August 2nd

[kev100]

Hi all.

Had an absolutely cracking evening last night. We recently bought our oldest son a fairly cheap pair of 8x40 binoculars for his 9th birthday, and he's been desperate to try them out. So, last night we let the kids stay up, and we all went out at about 10 (took the scope and my bins, too), and set about finding what we could ...

First off, the moon! Well, for a 20 quid pair of bins, they were brilliant, and our son was thrilled! Over the course of the next hour or so, we saw the moon, Andromeda, Saturn, the double cluster in Perseus, and even M13, through them, and the scope. We also looked at M81 & 82, Alberio, and just stared at the Milky Way! We were all amazed at how dark it was getting, and how much there was to see.

Anyway, my wife took the kids indoors to bed at about 11, and I stayed on till about 2! There was so much to see! M57, the Whirlpool and pinwheel galaxies, Ms 30, 32 & 110. The wild duck cluster, double cluster and Andromeda again, and even Neptune and Pluto! I was absolutely gob smacked by seeing the latter. To see such a small object, so far away absolutely bowled me over!

Finally, I got completely lost in the Milky Way in Sagittarius, scorpius, etc. started off trying to find my way round the Messier objects there but eventually gave up and just swept the sky, taking in globular and open clusters, nebulae, stars ... Honestly, how can anyone hope to find their way round in all of that!

I made a few sketches in the hope that I could identify some of it later, using a Star Walk or Stellarium, but to no avail. It didn't matter, though, putting names to some of what I saw can wait for another day. Suffice to say, last night was flipping amazing!

Cheers,

Kev.

[Scooot]

Yes, It was a brilliant night, I did the same, started with the bins as the moon was setting and ended up coming in at 1.30. Whilst scanning around the moon with the bins,before it was dark, I caught spica setting which was wonderful, twinkling all sorts of colours.

Thanks for writing it up, when you have such a great night it's such a good feeling.

[kev100]

Absolutely. Totally good feeling. The whole family was (and still is) buzzing about the evening. Has to be said, though, our youngest was most impressed by our green laser pointer ...

[SimonfromSussex]

Nice report Kev, great that the family joined you too!

It was a very good sky here last night as well, super clear.

I started on the moon about 9pm. I got a moon map for my birthday and that was really handy identifying what I was looking at and finding the Luna landing sites.

Crescent and veil nebula for me were the highlights last night once the dark came, plus I found my way around the American nebula which is massive in my fov.

The sagitarius star cloud (m24) was also amazing as well.

Let's hope for many more like that one in the coming summer nights!!

[kev100]

Hi Simon,

I had a look for the veil end, but couldn't see it. Thinking I need a filter. Incidentally, does anyone have any tips for finding your way around, particularly in dense areas like Sagittarius, set. I was using google sky maps on my phone, but there was just a mess of Messier objects, densely packed in there, and I couldn't navigate very well.

Kev.

[Scooot]

Hi Simon,

Incidentally, does anyone have any tips for finding your way around, particularly in dense areas like Sagittarius, set. I was using google sky maps on my phone, but there was just a mess of Messier objects, densely packed in there, and I couldn't navigate very well.

Kev.

I and a couple of other SGL members use Astro Devices Nexus, it's excellent. I use it with an iPad but others use their phone or android device.

http://www.astrodevices.com/products/Nexus/Nexus.html

[kev100]

Hmmm ... Looks interesting, but more than I can spend right now. I reckon ill get a pocket sky atlas, and make do.

Cheers,

Kev.

[SimonfromSussex]

I use an oiii filter for the veil Kev, you should be able to pick it out with your dob quite easily then.

It's an amazing sight, like billowing smoke. The crescent is much harder with 10" but not impossible if your sky is good.

I use a pocket atlas to navigate: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407078022&sr=8-1&keywords=sky+pocket+atlas

Best ten quid you can spend probably??

[kev100]

Hi Simon,

Yep, an O111 is on my wish list. I'll take a look at the pocket atlas, heard good things about it.

Cheers,

Kev.

[SteveB72]

I had a great session last night, saw the veil nebula for the first time. I was scanning around where it should be and could not find anything, then remembered that an OIII helps, fitted it to my 25mm X-Cel and when I looked it was right there in the FOV!

[AndyWB]

I had a look for the veil end, but couldn't see it. Thinking I need a filter. Incidentally, does anyone have any tips for finding your way around, particularly in dense areas like Sagittarius, set. I was using google sky maps on my phone, but there was just a mess of Messier objects, densely packed in there, and I couldn't navigate very well.

Hi Kev,

You probably need darker skies more than the filter, though a filter helps. I've seen it (well) unfiltered in my 5", so the 10" is more than capable.

The Pocket Sky Atlas is good, Sagittarius is about as dense as it gets - other areas, such as the Virgo galaxies, tend to get their own maps. I printed off my own map from Stellarium, but you get pretty used to it - mostly, things are up and down (though if you want M22/28/23/25 meaning changing azimuth)

[kev100]

Cheers Andy. 

I was holding off buying an O111 filter until I at least had the chance to try one. I seem to remember reading one of your posts somewhere on SGL on your experience with the O111 filter, and decided that it could wait. As for dark skies, yes, I'm sure proper dark skies would help a lot. I'm not doing too bad here, though. On Saturday I could clearly see the double cluster in Perseus with the naked eye, and I'm pretty sure I could make out Andromeda (a faint smudge). Perhaps sometime soon I'll see if I can give the sky above Cerne Abbas a Bortle rating.

Cheers,

Kev.

[AndyWB]

Well, I've only just got an OIII filter, and I am impressed (I went for an astronomik one). But for the Veil, under a dark sky, a filter helps, but I've had good views without a filter too.

If you could see the double cluster naked eye, you're doing much better than me!

[kev100]

"If you could see the double cluster naked eye, you're doing much better than me!"

I am pretty lucky. Only have to carry the scope across the road too!