Comets and pony hunting

[YKSE]

A first longer (4 hours) forecast of clear night since early September!

Scope was coolling in the car hours before the trip, (-2° C, about the same temperature later in dark site). The sun set at 15:26! C8 was ready at 17:40, Not very dark sky, SQM showed 20.5 in the beginning, later to 20.8 near midnight.

Comet 10P/Tempel didn't go much higher, was already treed out. Panstarrs W2 in Draco was quite high in the sky, but 12.2 mag and 1.2' size made it difficult, it took quite some minutes and around 120-150x to make it out, zooming in made fainter & larger smudge. Panstarr X1 in Andromeda was high too, 10.2 mag and 3' size was easily seen in 68x.

Cocoon was high in Western sky too, UHC showed better nebulosity than H-beta, while some weeks ago it was not visible with any filters.

A pause with a cup of coffe after the initial intensive hours.

In waiting for Orion, I tried to AGC262 galaxy cluster. It was then the worst eyepiece frosting I've ever experienced, most of my eyepieces frosted up in less than half minutes, with huge scatters around brighter stars, the water-proof or moisture resistence ones hold up to some 3-4 minuters before needing warmth in the case. This was the only time that I felt the needs of a heater band for eyepiece.

The frosting lightened up substantially when the Dog showed up on horizon. I compared this chart of 1° FOV diagonal view of the Alnitak area with NCG 2023 in the center.

The brighter stars from Alnitak down and across in middle were easy to identity. Flame nebula and NGC 2023 were just barely visible without filter, much easier with UHC though. Inserting H-beta filter, moving Alnitak outside FOV, scanning the estimated area back and forth, nebulosity from IC434 showed up intermittently, just barely. The new acquired 50mm EP showed it a little more often than 40mm Aero. Still, there was never a hint of Pony. Half an hour later, the clouds took over.

Over 6 hours out in the cold, 2 new comets and 2 new DSO are much better than last December(0).

Thanks for reading.

[John]

Great report despite the lack of a horse

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report! Better luck with the horse next time. The only time I managed it I only spotted a dark notch in IC434, nothing true horse-head shaped

[alan potts]

Great report and I am cold after reading it but come on Yong, minus 2 is nothing for you you lot up there, that's a summer evening.

It is strange my Dad used to say it can be minus 20 and you can wear a T shirt, he was many times in your area and northern Norway. I have had similar here when there is no humidity, put plenty of that in the mix though and plus 5 can feel cold.

I hope you don't have to wait so long for another clear night.

Alan.

[baggywrinkle]

Very nice report, love the image.....how come you lot have clear skies  ......forgotten what a star looks like.

[YKSE]

Thanks for encouraging words.

Alan,

Wearing T-shirt in this weather is out of my capacity, I was fully dressed up  , just need to remember extra socks next time, despite the snow boots. There was an incident too, my car broke down on the way back, had to waited in the cold for nearly an hour before tow truck showed up. This trip has costed me a 2" Lumicon filter so far, a little more expensive than I hade expected.

Baggy,

I hade to waited for four(4) months last winter to make a trip worthwhile  But then a longer period of clear sky, so you'll get your share too

Here's another picture of the same 1° FOV for Newt, hopefully someone find it useful.

[laudropb]

Very nice report and well done in bagging 4 new objects.

[Astro Imp]

Well done getting some new objects and for sharing with us all.

[estwing]

nice little session if you ask me!...clear skies!

[jetstream]

Great report Yong! You will get the HH, its just a matter of staring it down now Too bad about the car, seems like these things always happen in the worst places.