Hoping For First DSO Tonight

[Polstar_UK]

Well the BBC weather app says clear skies most of the night, so I'm hoping to bag my first DSO.  Going after M81 near Ursa Major, Skysafari says its +6.9mag so it should be within range of my scope. To be honest its at the top of the list for tonights best!

Not had much luck so far with DSOs... lets see if I can lift 'the curse'

My scope is an Orion Starblaster 4.5 EQ and I will be using 20mm & 15mm Expanse EPs to see if I can find it. 

I know 4.5 is a bit on the small size but I'm testing the waters so to speak.

[xtreemchaos]

best of luck mate, clear skys.  charl.

[davefrance]

Good luck

[ultranova]

hope you get your clear skies

Paul

[Polstar_UK]

The forecast is now clear till midnight then partly cloudy, still hopeful

[laudropb]

Good luck. It may all depend how dark your skies are. While you are there you should be able to get M82 , the Cigar Galaxy as well

[Polstar_UK]

There is some light pollution, I'll be in the back garden so there are street lights in the village. Sheffield is about 12 miles to the north - roughly the direction I'll be pointing. Failing that I've a backup plan of M13 in the opposite direction. Seeing another galaxy is my primary goal tonight though! 

Later in the year I should see the Orion nebula and seven sisters (think thats the name - several stars grouped together high in the winter sky), I can't wait to see them through the scope. 

[faulksy]

There is some light pollution, I'll be in the back garden so there are street lights in the village. Sheffield is about 12 miles to the north - roughly the direction I'll be pointing. Failing that I've a backup plan of M13 in the opposite direction. Seeing another galaxy is my primary goal tonight though! 

Later in the year I should see the Orion nebula and seven sisters (think thats the name - several stars grouped together high in the winter sky), I can't wait to see them through the scope. 

m42 is lovely and so are the plaidies/seven sisters, m45 

[Polstar_UK]

Well it was a no go last night. The BBC weather app definition of clear skies is different to mine. I'd hate to see what they call cloudy!

Managed to get polar aligned then thick cloud came in so gave up at midnight as it didn't look like it was about to break.

[laudropb]

Bad luck, but this happens often. You have just got to grin and bare it. Keep trying. You will get there in the end.

[Polstar_UK]

After two further unsuccessful viewing sessions I finally saw my first DSO. Still not managed to see M81, think the summer skies and light pollution are against me on this one.

I was about to pack up for the night and I noticed the 'W' formation of Cassiopia was quite high, followed it down to Mirach (used Sky Safari as a guide) positioned up from the faint star above it and in the eye piece was a large smudge in the sky. M32 Andromeda! Spent a good 30mins looking at it, I was surprised just how large the smudge was. I wasnt able to see the arms but it was a low power 20mm EP (22.5x).

Don't know if this counts as a DSO but also saw my first double star tonight, I was generally looking along the plough, got to the middle star of the handle, Mizar I think, when I saw two bright stars and a faint one that made a small triangle in the EP. Looked up at the sky, one star, in EP three. The top star and brightest seemed to have something "extra" there so I upped the EP from 20mm to 9mm and saw the double really clearly.

Funny how you can spend weeks looking for something and then get two in one night without trying!

[Wordy]

I was hoping to see Andromeda last night, but the cloud covered it. just before I packed up I noticed that Ursa Major became visible so decided to have a quick try on M101, but couldn't find it. Oh well BBC weather says it's going to be a clear night so fingers crossed for tonight..