Nice little session - surprising what you can see

[Stu]

I was too tired to get the scope out tonight so just found a dark corner on the patio and sat with the binos for 45mins or so. The sky was about as good as it gets here, mag 19 ish. I was using my Canon 15x50is binos, part of the time fitted with one Lumicon UHC and one Lumicon OIII filter.

Without the filters I just picked off a few old favourites, M31 looked surprisingly extensive, beyond just the core and perhaps a hint of an edge where the dust lane is. No hope of 32 or 110 though.

Kemble's Cascade was lovely, best I've seen from home against a reasonably dark sky. Hint of a split of the double star in NGC1502.

The Double Cluster looked a little disappointing by comparison, better in a scope I think.

A couple of doubles, Alberio of course very nice but a new one for me was Omicron 1 and 2 Cygni. I've no idea why I've never looked at it before. The wide pairing is a nice naked eye double but Omicron 2 is a triple in the binos with 30 Cyg and HD192579. The latter is listed as blue white, but to my eyes had an almost greenish tint to it. Very nice grouping.

Fitting the filters I was able to clearly see the tiny M57 which is hard to pick out without them.

M27 was also easily found, clear and looking quite large despite the low mag.

I was able, surprisingly easily, to pick up the North America Nebula, a first from home. The shape was not as clearly defined as in a widefield scope from a dark site, but it was clearly there, no mistaking it. Without the filters it was completely invisible.

Lastly I tried for the Veil. My dark adaptation wasn't as good as it could have been, but after a little while I picked up the arc of the Eastern Veil which I always find easier. There was just the vaguest hint of the Witch's Broom, more through averted imagination than anything else. If I hadn't known it was there I would have said there was nothing there! Again, without the filters there was no sign of even the Eastern Veil.

So, a nice little session, surprising what you can see only about 6 miles from Heathrow. I do think the new lighting around here has made a difference as the skies are definitely darker than they used to be, great news!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice report of nice little session. I should try getting filters I can use with my bins. It should be possible.

[laudropb]

Nice report. Sometimes it is refreshing just to sit back with a pair of bins and surf the sky.

[MarsG76]

good report, sounds like you had a good night.

[seo]

Nice report under nice clear skies.

Right now the skies here are clear and If it wasn't for that 99% humidity after reading your report I'd do the same with my binos. Unfortunately I can't 

Sometimes to just look at the universe trough a simple pair of binos it's very refreshing.

[Stu]

Nice report of nice little session. I should try getting filters I can use with my bins. It should be possible.

Give it a go Michael. I have some 58 to 48mm step down rings which screw straight into the Canons and some standard filters fit very nicely. Not sure what would be required on others though.