I thought I had looked at all of them.

[alan potts]

Now I have never been one for keeping records of night by night observations, it has never appealed to me but I fully understand those that do and feel it makes you look more professional, I only ever keep records when checking eyepieces, something I used to do longhand .

Now last night was never going to be a long session as I was not feeling my best and it was going to be an English cold night where the cold got right to the bone and then started to nibble them, I was not disappionted on this score. The sun had been out most of the day but once gone the temperture dropped like a stone which made me wonder if i was going to have problems with the M/N 190mm cooling, even though it is outside all the time. I fitted the Astrozap dew sheild which I can't say I was over impressed with, it just doesn't fit properly, too big for the Mak 180mm and too small for this scope, how hard can it be to make one of these.

I decided to use a star atlas to look in on a few NGC's and Messiers which was not easy with the Moon high, bright and just passed first quarter. Now one of the neighbours has given his walnut tree a hair cut I started over in Taurus, I could see that spending time to collimate the scope well was paying off as the star looked a lovely orange, so much so more than the week before. I then dropped in on two delicate clusters NGC 1647 and 1746 using the 31mm Nagler which delivered around X30, both offer plesant if not spectacular views.

The one thing about goto systems I like is the ability to jump around the sky after what would be fairly difficult things to find with the moon so bright and the fact that it was starting to feel cold even after 40 minutes, I can't say this was something that ever bothered me when I started back in the mid to early 70's but humidity was high and my bones are older now.

It was then I started on a  Messier hunt jumping over to M13 to more or less say goodbye as it is getting low shortly after dark and shortly after that the hill eats it. I had sort of said my goodbyes to the Veil a few nights before as that too is startig to get lower now and once the Moon is around it is a nonestarter.  Messier 13 is still looked lovely though at a mild X100 with the 10mm Ethos. As the goto to seemed to land things bang in the middle of field I slewed to M57, the ring, though still easy to see it is washed out somewhat by the Moon, I couldn't see the centre star by the way but that would be hoping for too much with this apperture a very stern test of a larger scope.

Looked in with a visit to M56, 92 and 15, all lovely globular clusters which could have done with a bit more power than the 10mm was giving as they are not as large as M13 or as bright. On to M77 which I was surprised I could see at all with the Moon being fairly close by but it was there just left of centre field even though it didn't jump out at you. The it was onward to M 76 and M 74 which I can't say I have visited that often but inbetween them sits M34.

Now as I said I do not keep records but I have a good memory for the things I look at, they are sort of old friends to me in many ways, but here I was looking at a new face, an open cluster that I must have over looked many time, even though I would have placed 20 pounds on having seen all the Messier objects. This looked new to me and really nice, sort like a spray of flowers with two cats eyes looking out at you from the central area, a nice object to view and one to revisit. I spent a while looking at it only with the efforts of a local cat trying to tell me it was hungry as a distraction. People around keep cats for rats and mice but all they really do is come over to me for a feed, though I did see this one with a big rat in my barn, so it got the cold skin off the chicken, seemed pleased.

Orion was now high enough to view so I finished off with a look at M42 and the trapizium, I didn't manage to see E and F stars as it really was not in the best position just about the quince tree but it is always a lovely sight no matter what the conditions, however no Moon is always going to show more of that delicate nebulosity. It was now minus 2 and my toes and ears were telling me it was lower, this means the temperture had dropped from plus 12 at 3.30 pm the minus 2 at 8.00PM, maybe not a world record but a pretty large swing, I can hear Gerry over in Canada laughing from here, a Country with some serious weather.

A fairly short seession but a couple of hours with a new target to mentally tick off the list, I wonder how many more of the Messier objects I think I have seen and in fact haven't.

Alan.

[Paul73]

Alan

You tell a lovely story. I enjoyed the read. You did well with the moon. I'm not a GoTo fan, but with limited time and LP, it does seem to come into its own.

I wonder how many "forgotten" Messier gems are up there. I really like M34, but I do seem to visit that part of the sky fairly regularly.

Paul

[mdstuart]

I enjoyed your post. I am going back to some objects I have seen before but they feel new as I now have a larger scope.

M34 is lovely..I use it as a signpost when star hoping to NGC 1023.

Mark

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report Alan. I started keeping records more seriously some years back, and it really helps me in shaping my observing sessions. It keeps me hunting for new objects, rather than only visiting old friends.

[estwing]

A jolly read Alan...the mind does play tricks from time to time!,but like you I'm not a big fan of keeping notes...unlike Nick,his notes are incredible!!.Perhaps Gerry could recommend some decent winter coats!...clear skies.

[Pig]

Very enjoyable read Alan, its a nice feeling when you find something new or even something that you had forgotten about.

I did keep track of my findings / conditions / seeing etc ....using MS outlook for about six months, but somehow I managed to loose it all during an upgrade and I never bothered again after that

[laudropb]

Very enjoyable read Alan. You tell a good story. I have always kept records, but then I worked in a laboratory for more than 40 years s it was just second nature to me.

[Piero]

Very nice reading. I am not a GoTo fan, but am happy that users can opt for this type of system, particularly if they do not have time or the sky is just too bright (e.g. light pollution, moon out, etc) for star hopping.

I do keep track of my observations as I consider this a way to learn how to observe, remember what I saw, share a session with other people. There is no interest in "looking professional" with this, at least for me, but just a hope that some people can find it useful and that there is an exchange in opinions. For instance, I was not aware of the stars E and F in trapezium until very recently, when Gerry (thanks!) commented on a report.

Coming back to old favourite targets is really nice and useful to capture new details and appreciate these objects even more. I find that keeping notes also allows for direct comparison between sessions and this is another reason why I enjoy doing this.

[alan potts]

Piero,

There are in fact a few more than E and F in the trapizium and this coming month or two I hope to see G amd H with my 18 inch. I am sure there are more than that but they are either purely photographic or require a bigger mirror than I have. It is all about conditions and I hope I can bag them but I am sure it is not a give me as both are 15th Magnitude. While we are on the subject John gave me sound advice with regards E and F and that was they are best seen at around X100, give or take and I for one have found that to be true.

[John]

Great report Alan

I've observed once in the past 30 days, which is a record I think but of the wrong sort

Things can only get better though

[alan potts]

John,

My October was like that i was tearing my hair out which is not a good idea based on how much I still have .

Alan

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

I think that my last observational note  in my  Dead Tree notebook  dates from around February with Comet Lovejoy!

I think that I've made notes of meteor showers,etc, since ,here on SGL.

To be honest,I'm just too lazy!

[estwing]

Piero,

There are in fact a few more than E and F in the trapizium and this coming month or two I hope to see G amd H with my 18 inch. I am sure there are more than that but they are either purely photographic or require a bigger mirror than I have. It is all about conditions and I hope I can bag them but I am sure it is not a give me as both are 15th Magnitude. While we are on the subject John gave me sound advice with regards E and F and that was they are best seen at around X100, give or take and I for one have found that to be true.

Alan have you seen M42 with the 18" yet?.....sorry I cant remember if you have...

[alan potts]

Alan have you seen M42 with the 18" yet?.....sorry I cant remember if you have...

Calvin

Yes i have and I still have not recoved, I want to make a push for these two faint G and H stars of the trapizium in the coming weeks. The sword area is not overhead here but it gets up nice and high when due south, as i write 1650hr UK the belt is just rising so I will have to wait a while or get out there much later, the trouble is I am up every morning at 06.00 and the two just don't go together that well, if only I was still 21.

There is no doubt either with the UHC filter of without it is a stunning sight, I feel I can see a bit of green blue colour in it as well but no reds I think another 10 inches should do that though. However as you know the Moon like it is tonight really ruins things.

Alan

[estwing]

when you do get time with this object.....and if you could ever get bored of using the 21ethos on 42 please just try the 8mm ethos,oh and be seated

[alan potts]

Calvin,

If I am honest and I really like the 8mm E it is a fantastic eyepiece but I tend to prefer the 10mm E, don't forget mine is F4.3 and with the Paracorr which is the same as yours it give me 2290mm Focal length, I think, so we are probably talking almost the same power as your scope is a bit shorter. The 8mm is a killer on Jupiter when the seeing allows, it's a bit damp at the moment with high humidity, when we get that cold air down from Russia and minus 12 and less the air is much more dry and if there is no wind does not feel cold, however with wind your arms drop off.

alan

[estwing]

I get 21=97x

13=157x

8=255x

[estwing]

Sorry Fl 2041mm

[faulksy]

lovely repot alan.

as calv the 8mm e is a killer 200x in mine you can see E + F plane as day with a massive seperation but when you look at the nebula you can see all the fine structure looks like its made of birds nest with rope and string intwinned.

you should be able to double that power on jupiter alan often go beyond 350x with ace detail. hope to use even more when i get my massive mirror

[faulksy]

lovely repot alan.

as calv the 8mm e is a killer 200x in mine you can see E + F plane as day with a massive seperation but when you look at the nebula you can see all the fine structure looks like its made of birds nest with rope and string intwinned.

you should be able to double that power on jupiter alan often go beyond 350x with ace detail. hope to use even more when i get my massive mirror

the 8mm gives me 230x never added the paracorr

[alan potts]

Mike,

I think yours is f 4.7 though I am not sure. I think I would like a PC at that speed in an ideal world but could live without it on the likes of Panoptic and maybe Naglers. On my scope I find Panoptics a little annoying without a PC and all the others no fun at all. I can only imagine Calvin would find the humble Plossl a bridge too far. His scope at F 3.9 is very fast.

I have yet to try E, F and the others with the 18 inch, even though I have seen Messier 42 a few times with it, it was late March and a time when Orion was passed it's best for me from here. I am sure there are many nights of De-lite to be had without the eyepiece of the same name.

Alan

[jetstream]

Great report Alan  

Re- visiting objects is a favorite pass time for me too, some of them just seem to capture ones attention.M13 is one, M42 another- these objects never cease to amaze, so much to see in them. M42 bursts with a swirling green, and now a hint of pink to my eyes and strong rumor has it that there is blue in there too...not sure if my scope will bring that one out or not- I sure hope so.

E and F are waiting for you, once your seeing comes on board- strange that an extended object has features that need good seeing and other parts of it require superb transparency- what a diverse object!

No, I'm not laughing about the cold! I've been cold from so many varied conditions to laugh about it- cold is cold. I do love my snowmobile jacket though

[Dave In Vermont]

Alan

You tell a lovely story. I enjoyed the read. You did well with the moon. I'm not a GoTo fan, but with limited time and LP, it does seem to come into its own.

I wonder how many "forgotten" Messier gems are up there. I really like M34, but I do seem to visit that part of the sky fairly regularly.

Paul

As you brought up more esoteric items up there, I figured a small software-program I found may well have found a new home and/or fan:

http://www.davidpaulgreen.com/oolog.html

The author has quite a few other interesting and useful programs too.

And very good write-up, Alan. David P. Green has good programs for Messier and Caldwell objects as well.

Have fun -

Dave

[alan potts]

Going back to the cold and jackets as well as general wear, I have a couple of duvets that I wear , not at the same time. I have a Rab one and a Mountain Equipment. I never get cold in this area as they are designed for minus 30 and lower. I also have all the gear anyone could ever need for every other part of the body as I used to climb and walk a great deal a few years back. Above all i liked to be out in the snow and cold.

Where my problem lies is in not putting them on, I just get settled outside when the window will fly open and Daniel shouts, Daddy can you find this or that on the computer, I want something to eat or the television has gone off. To keep taking boots off and then putting them back on is a bind. What I do is wear a thick pair of walking shocks and flip-flops, so I ask for everything I get really, saves time though.