WHAT IS THE BEST OBJECT YOU HAVE OBTAINED UNDER YOUR BELT

[MorgonGreen]

Hi guys,

I'm a level 1 observer, but i was just wondering what each of your's best achievement is when looking through those beautiful inventions ( A telescope of course).

[estwing]

Finding Saturn by accident on my first night with my Telementor!!

[StarSapling]

Observing the close pass of asteroid Toutatis a few years back.

[Luke]

Early things that floored me were craters on the moon, the rings of Saturn, Jupiter and the Orion nebula. Come to think of it, they still floor me several years on :laugh:  The virgo cluster of galaxies the first time really sticks in the mind, seeing so many galaxies packed close together when panning the view, really quite something! Seeing spiral structure for the first time in a galaxy (M51) was a huge thrill, it took a while to crack that one as well as dark skies and a large dob. These days I find it easier to see structure in galaxies but it was tough early on, I would say keep at it to anyone struggling to see much in galaxies!

I really enjoyed hunting down the Horsehead nebula, from the UK I think a very tough cookie unless you have very dark skies and a hydrogen-beta filter, which is a bit of a tricky one to buy as it's not the most generally useful filter!

I most of all enjoy looking at the sun with special solar safety filters (of course, follow all the safety procedures for solar and make sure the correct filters are used as per the instructions!) The sun just blows my mind completely but that is just me, the beauty of this hobby is there are various aspects you can dabble with and see which one works for you!

So what is your top object so far?

[John]

A few that spring to mind at the moment are:

- Spotting the toolbag that an ISS astronaut let go back in 2008. It was the smallest object that I've ever observed in space, aside from meteors, being around the size of a briefcase. I spotted it with binoculars as a tiny speck of light following the ISS. The toolbag burned up in the atmosphere sometime in 2009.

- Splitting Sirius A & B for the 1st time last year was very pleasing.

- Spotting the thin rille that runs up the floor of the lunar Alpine Valley.

- Spotting 10 craterlets on the floor of the crater Plato on once great night last year.

- I've observed 7 supernovae with my scopes now and those are very exciting when you think about the event you are witnessing, how long ago and how far away it has happened.

[Stu]

Must be viewing the transit of Venus for me. Only for around 6 minutes but I won't ever forget it

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nightfisher]

I have always had a rather "Patrick Moore" love of the moon and still remember my first detailed study of crater schiller, always best viewed at the terminator, plus the Plato area is a rather rich hunting ground.

My first view of Saturn in my TAL100rs was a jaw dropping moment, i was lurking on an equestrian site that i "sort of" had permission for above Meltham and it was a really good, clear night

Another object that pulls me back is the trapezium in M42, i adore seeing how well i can split this little dot, one day i will be at a dark site with my TAL or Mak and really get it right

[Astro Imp]

The first time I saw a shadow transit of Io on Jupiter, I didn't realise with my humble equipment I would be able to see this from my own back garden. Looking forward to the moon's dancing around in the next few weeks.

[paul mc c]

Thee are a couple that really thrilled me...seeing the Enke division on Saturn..seeing Jupiters moons as discs....the Alpine Valley rille...all with the 12" to name a few.....still cant split Sirius though 

[John]

Thee are a couple that really thrilled me...seeing the Enke division on Saturn..seeing Jupiters moons as discs....the Alpine Valley rille...all with the 12" to name a few.....still cant split Sirius though 

You have all the right gear for the split Paul - just keep at it

I've yet to see the Enke division though

[ollypenrice]

Massive rocket fuel dump naked eye. Also a phenomenal bolide which fragmented and flashed bright blue and red as it burned up. Both were insanely exciting to see.

In the big scope, the 'finger' in the Orion nebula. Very difficult. This bit;

I've 'seen' the Horse three times but, quite honestly, it's a bit academic since it doesn't amount to much visually!

Olly

[cotterless45]

A few very special crystal nights on north Skye. Away from light pollution, the sea lochs reflecting the stars and Jupiter. So dark, so magical and so memorable.

Nick.

[skfboiler]

I have to say that the 2012 Venus Transit was the highlight for me since I have been in this hobby.

[swamp thing]

I guess my best visual achievement is the dwarf galaxy Leo1. A pretty tough visual customer and one I'm quite proud of observing.

[Dannae]

I think it would have to be albedo detail on Ganymede with my OMC 200 at x700 on an exceptional night in the Peak District a few years ago. Nowadays people capture it all the time on camera which is a testament to their skill, and the better equipment that we enjoy today.

Furthest was Quasar PG1634 @ 9 Billion ly with my Obsession near Cape Wrath after being challenged by a 22" UC owner who claimed first 'grab'.

Oldest was the Methusalah Star @ around 13.6 Billion years in Libra but this is an easy Mag 7

Regards

Dannae

[LukeSkywatcher]

For me it has to be finding the ring nebula without actually trying to find it. Next would be seeing the Rosette nebula for the 1st time.

[happy-kat]

The fuzzy patch that was comet Jacques and realising it wont be seen again for 22,000 years.

[beatlejuice]

Finally got the California Nebula this year.   Many attempts in the past but this time I had a dark sky and an H-Beta filter.

Eric

[Ibbo!]

Good question

and I cannot decide

I have 3 (4 really)that keep swapping arround

shoemaker/levy impacts on Jupiter

the night of the Perseid fireballs in 93

total solar eclipse of 99 or 06

I could add more that are not far behind

its the hobby that keeps giving   (and taking my money)

[cuivenion]

Finding Comet Jacques by accident without knowing what it was at the time. I was pleased with finding M1 from my location with my 130p.

[greglloyd]

I think that for a lot of people it's eventually being able to see objects that you thought you would be able to see as a kid with your 40mm refractor but had no hope of! 

For me, that would be :-

1. Finally seeing the North American Nebula (with bins no less!). This was two years ago with Cygnus at the zenith from my home location on a night of excellent transparency. Haven't seen it since. But bins is the way to go as it's huge!

2. The Veil Nebula (both east and west with nebulosity in between). Was blew away by the size and detail of this object in the 12" with a UHC. The witches broom looked like a delicate finger of smoke. Was delighted at just how obvious it appeared in the eyepiece as well.

3. Full spiral structure in M51 with direct vision in a 16" scope last June (from the Canaries). Also, took my first look at it in the 12" from home on Xmas Day morning and saw the spiral form. Look forward to examining that more over the next few months.

4. Omega Centauri in a 16" scope from the Canaries. Just amazing. Massive, very dense, totally resolved. You can see why it is theorised that it may in fact be a ex galactic core rather than a normal glob. It's in a class of it's own.

5. Resolving Jupiter's moons as discs (and noting the size differences).

6. Everyone loves Saturn the first time. It's a shame we don't get it higher in the sky from our part of the world. My first view was through the 40mm scope when I was about 12 years old. Had to go to a local field near by and point the scope right down toward the horizon, but there she was... a small orangey, oval shaped planet with the rings just about resolved :-)

7. Lagoon Nebula through 16" scope and OIII in the Canaries. Very bright with a copious amount of detail.

8. I still remember Comet Hale Bopp very well. The best comet I've seen to date.

Next on my bucket list is B33 "Horsey"... I've bagged the Flame, but I'm still looking for that beasty... Just cannot decide whether to invest in an HB filter or not.

[Paul M]

The winters of '78 to '80 and the planets are my defining era in astronomy. 

Particularly spring 1980, Mars and Jupiter forming an ever changing triangle with Regulus and Saturn not too far away in Virgo. I just replayed it in Stellarium and the memories and a few tears came flooding back.

What I saw in my 60mm refractor over those winters will never be beaten.  (No wonder I flopped at school. How could they trump  that?!)

Fond memories too of standing in the shadow of the Moon in 1999 in Bulgaria. Perfect conditions for a total eclipse. The whole sky "clicked" into 3D.

Seeing the 2006 total solar eclipse from Turkey was another great experience.

I'm giving the Arctic a miss this spring!

[Stu]

Nice post Paul [emoji3]

You go back quite a way before my interest in astro started, but I too remember fondly seeing Jupiter and Saturn blazing away close together back in 2000. Here's a nice SkySafari shot showing them in Taurus

[ScottS]

Finding Saturn by accident on my first night with my Telementor!!

Exactly this. Just casually swung the scope round to a bright "star" and BANG! There it was. Unmistakable with rings on full view.

My biggest WOW moment to date.

First time on M42 was pretty good also, but I was looking for it.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I think it must have been this

in 1999

An odd second is OJ287: the most distant object I have observed to date, at an estimated 3.5 billion lightyears from earth. No more than a tiny stellar flicker in the scope, but seeing light that travelled 3/4 of the age of the earth to reach me is somehow spine-tingling.