Some new challenge

[Piero]

Tonight I decided to go for some new challenging targets. The most difficult was M75 largely due to the close location of the Moon. I had to search for a specific place in the field where the trees could cover the Moon. Unfortunately M55 and Ceres were too low and I couldn't spot them. Another big surprise was the Cat's eye nebula. I surely did not expect it was so bright. It certainly deserve a look more often I would say! 

Anyway, clouds were a bit naughty tonight! Despite these, a nice evening with new spotted fainting objects! 

Date 21/09/2015

Time 20:30-22:30

Temperature 10C (5 km/h)

Seeing 3 - Moderate seeing

Transparency 4 - Partly clear

Mel186 Oph Opn CL 15x

Extended open cluster next to Beta Oph (Cebalrai). It is about 3 degrees large.

Alpha Cap Dbl Star 28x

Algedi. Nice and easy double star. A pair of doubles. The former were orange, the dimmer once looked grey.

Beta Cap Dbl Star 28x

Dabih. Another lovely double. The former is yellow, the other white-ish. 

Omicron Cap Dbl Star 28x

If I remember they are both white.

M75 Sgr Glob CL 28x, 51x, 69x

A tedious star hopping from Omi Cap and hidden by a Moon at first quarter. This globular cluster was faint and 51x helped make it more visible by reducing the exit pupil. Not easy to find as there are no bright stars in the neighbourhood.  

M31 And Galaxy 15x, 28x

Andromeda Galaxy. Core visible at 15x. Just a little bit of disc was detectable near the core at 28x.

M32 And Galaxy 15x, 28x

Visible at both 15x and 28x.

M110 And Galaxy 15x, 28x

I think I spotted it at 28x, but it was very faint.

NGC6543 Dra Pln Neb 28x, 51x, 69x +/- OIII

Cat's eye nebula. Star hopping from Zeta Dra (Aldhibah). This planetary nebula is quite bright. It was visible at 28x without filter and at 51x it appeared like a ball. An OIII filter help isolated it from the background stars although it was not necessary. I was a bit in a hurry due to clouds coming, but I think its colour was blue-ish. 

IC348 Per Cl+Neb 28x

I tried to spot the associated cluster as this target is still too low for attempting the nebula. Unfortunately, I could not see the cluster either. It seemed a feasible target, but eventually something when wrong. I will try it again in Autumn.

NGC6229 Her Glob CL 28x, 51x

Star hopping from Phi and Tau Her. This globular cluster is relatively easy to find. It is quite dim, but still detectable particularly with averted vision. A soft faint grey patch. At 51x, it was more distinguishable from the background sky. 

Alpha UMi Dbl Star 28x

Polaris. Companion visible at 28x. Very dim though and quite close to Polaris. Nice double. I like doubles with different brightness.

[laudropb]

Very good session report. Too many clouds here to make it worthwhile taking the scope out, so just had a quick scan with the bins.

[RobertI]

A very enjoyable report. Its good to know that you can still have a good session even when the moon is out. Interesting to hear your experiences of the Cats Eye - I've never seen it visually but I did some 'live imaging' of it recently and anything over 1 second exposures were burnt out, so i guessed it must be pretty bright.

Rob

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice report. The Cat's Eye is a very nice nebula. Should look it up again when the weather clears

[Special K]

That's another Neb added to my list! Can't say I've had the pleasure yet. Thanks for sharing and good luck dodging those clouds

[greglloyd]

That's a nice list of targets Piero! I'm sure they looked fab in your Televue.

[Piero]

That's a nice list of targets Piero! I'm sure they looked fab in your Televue.

They do! .. and I bet they look even more fabulous in your 300!