M51

[Charic]

This has to be the first time for me spotting M51 with the 15x70 bins tonight? I was out a little before midnight, I have the street lighting at bay due to the foliage on the trees, the Milky way overhead, and after a short while, from averted vision to direct vision, there is M51, and its like a Motorway/Free-way up there looking around Ursa major, with the flow of satellites heading North and South ( as viewed from my seat!) and now, double checking with Stellarium, I did see M51 the Spiral galaxy. I believe this is the first proper observation using the Revelation Astro 15x70s seeing anything so remote except M31 which is easy to find!

No specific detailing, as the bins are not powerful enough for that, but just enough to notice its position in the sky. It would be better viewed with the 200P, but alas, there is no time to cool the scope and I'm off to work soon.

I have seen M51 from a darker site with the 200P, but not from this site! They say again and again, a little patience will reward you with delights such as this. Less than 20 mins outside, bagged M51. Result. Goodnight

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Good report.It's always a nice feeling when you manage to 'bag' something for the first time.

[chiltonstar]

Before starting a session with one of my scopes, I always have a look around with my 15x70s, starting with M51, M101, M81 and M82. It's a patience game really, isn't it? Despite Ursa Major for me being my worst direction wrt LP (NaD from the roundabout N of our village, street lights, mercury lights from another site etc etc), sometimes M51 is very clear indeed, not so on other nights. But when it's a really clear night......... WoW!

Chris

[laudropb]

Very nice report. Seeing has to be very good for me to spot M51 with bins from my back garden. It does not happen very often, but when it does .....WOW.

[Peter Drew]

You can observe M51 with a Dob straight out of the house, it is a light grasp requirement which will not alter significantly when cooled. 

[Charic]

Hi  Peter......

The main issue I have, is one specific visible street light, its just  in the way when I'm looking NNW towards Ursa Major,  my clearest view of the sky, avoiding trees and other  buildings,  so I have to contend with the light pollution, and the afterglow from the Sun on the horizon, when its not cloudy! so I really don't have  the best of  sites here, although I am right on the edge of my town.

As you state, low power observation is normally no problem,  but its not normal here, yet from my darker site,  I have no issues, apart from getting there and back.

Summer is fading  fast and my skies are starting to get dark up here again, plus I have some new  garden furniture/ sheds  that I can shield behind to reduce the pollution, but last night just worked well,  for so little time available, especially  on binoculars that I haven't rated too well in the past?

Soon my Skyliner will come out of its hibernation

[John]

It's all about light pollution, sky darkness and transparency. With those in your favour small apertures can go pretty deep. Oh, and you need to know where to look too !

I could see M33 with my 10x50's the other night but it was pretty faint. At the SGL star party in Herefordshire in March I was picking up M101 clearly in my 50mm finder. Can't quite do that from home though.

[Charic]

Haven't been through Hereford for Years and now they have meetings  for Astronomers!

I must visit someday, meet a few folk, and some  family who are not too distant from there.

My views to the Sky  here are mainly NNW  ( with street light) and Zenith ( no direct street light if I hide? )   and as you say John, It matters so much about the conditions. I just need a street power-cut, and it would be amazing here, and  less than 5 mins in the car, there is a  spot that shadows, illuminated  by  the  Milky-way on a good night?  And if I look South either down the side of my house or from the front door, street and lights again,  so my only real option is to drive, but when I do get out, the difference is just so dramatic, having  to realise that I'm using the same telescope! and that the conditions  alone make or break the observation. I bet 60% or higher would be a good measure of folk that cant get the best from their scopes, simply because of the surroundings/conditions ( just my assumption )

Last night was just a few minutes really, sat, back to front on the king dining chair, resting my arms on the seat back, just the perfect height/angle for me.

[damnut]

Congrats Charic, thats a great find with those giant binos.

[Walshie79]

M51 is good in large bins, it's easy to find (look for a triangle below Alkaid) and shows up well, I've even caught it in twilight.

When doing Ursa Major/CVn I always start at M51, because that needs to be clearly visible to have any chance of seeing any of the others round there. If it's showing up well I then go for M101, which needs a darker sky but is still easy enough in ideal conditions. If it is, I look for M97 (on the difficult side) and if I can see that directly I try M109 (which needs averted vision). I have never managed to see M108 from the garden with 25x70s, though I think it is possible from a really dark site, especially as it gets so close to the zenith (Some people conversely say that they can see 108 but not 109 in binoculars, it's a bit strange). Then finish off with M106 (shows up well, nearly as easy as M51.