Usual suspects

[anthony]

Chance would have it that a clear night coincided with being off work and just one kiddie to look after the next day and so I got to do a little observing.

I set the 8" SCT oTA up on the eq6 pro. Before it got dark I did a bit of collimation with an artificial star and the iterative method with a hartmann mask described here http://www.ags.dk/as/ccdfocus.htm

Quite an easy process with a toucam and laptop. Redid it with a 2xbarlow.

Just plonked down on the grass, had a gander through the polar scope and saw polaris there or thereabouts and did not bother with a proper polar align. 1 star align went a bit wonky after a couple of gotos so did a two star align and everything went well.

I had hoped for the moon but it stayed behind a tree and so I did a little tour of the popular astrophotography targets.

I stuck with the Baader Hyperion Zoom. A very versatile eyepiece giving a really useful range of magnifications.

M51 was first - I saw two mistly patches. Quite a bit more than my garden has revealed before. That was quite pleasing.

Then through the north to the double cluster - didn't quite fit it all in. Quite nice but not as pleasing as a widefiled refractor view for me.

M57 - looking good getting more contrast as I zoomed in. No great detail other than a differentiation between the darker centre and ring body, but as an object stood out really well. Almost went hunting for my deep sky filter or OIII to see what happened. Decided in the end just to look and not to faff.

M27 - almost making out the apple core shape here.

(Although I am on the edge of a nice dark area there is quite a bit of local light that can makes these objects near invisible on a bad night)

Lastly - M13. With my nicely collimated scope I got to see never before seen detail. Great resolution and sparkling just as people describe. A lovely object and kept coming back to it.

For me quite a nice night. Visual astronomy has always given me just as big a "wow" as imaging and so a lovely time on a nice "bright" mild summers night - Success. Shame the moon stayed hidden!

Anthony

[jgs001]

Nice report Anthony. Sounds like you had a good night.

[barkis]

Thanks for sharing your observing session with us Anthony, it's just as theraputic reading about the experience of others, as sky surfing ones self. You had a good night.

Ron.

[lunator]

Anthony

Sounds an enjoyable session

I amaned to get out a couple of nights ago and it was good not to havew to wear a coat

Cheers

Ian

[Sam]

Nice one Anthony - it very rewarding seeing those objects visually and it sounds like you had a nice night of it. M57 and M27 are brilliant objects to bag.