M51 - thanks to Cloudwatcher and a sabotaged street light!

[legion48]

I got this M51 the same night as my M27 and M92. I had taken all my gear round to my Mums place for an all night imaging session, what with the skies being clear that night. My Mums place suffers the same as mine, from a nasty street light at the end of the garden but I could at least use the GOTO to find stuff as her place is more secluded than mine. I just can't used the CG5's goto at home after lights out.

Imagine my surprise while going backwards and forwards to the car to unload, I noticed that the offending streetlight had its access panel open. Hmmm...that's handy, I thought. I spent an hour or two imaging the moon, then at about midnight, I turned to the DSO's. I still couldn't see M51, even though the goto was putting everything else in he field of view. I eventually popped outside and pulled the fuse on the streetlight. :nono:

I popped back in the garden, put eye to eyepiece, and blow me down if I didn't have M51 in the field of view. Not impressive but definitely there using averted vision.

Oh yeah, I replace the streetlight fuse at 03:00.

If your wondering where Cloudwatcher comes into the story, well he managed to get this from my resulting avi's. Cheers mate. :salute:

[dogfish]

Hi Tony

Nice result - now if we could just get some keys cut for them panels :shock:

Martin

[beamish]

You naughty boy Tony

Nice result - now if we could just get some keys cut for them panels :shock: Martin

OH YEAH !!! imagine ! Queing up to buy 'em mate ! :shock:

[jgs001]

Superb shot Tony

[Starflyer]

Great image Tony, and well done for doing your bit for the environment :salute:

Ian

[LostNSpace]

Very nice Tony......

Mark

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

now if we could just get some keys cut for them panels :shock:

Martin

Why didn't I think of that? There's half a chance I can get hold of one.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[legion48]

Why didn't I think of that? There's half a chance I can get hold of one.

Kaptain Klevtsov

If you do get one KK, can I be first in the queue for a copy?

[ncjunk]

Disgraceful all this talk of key cutting, nice pics by the way, tampering

with civic property....plus not permanent enough in my view!

NC

[Sam]

It's to me like the council left the little panel open for you to turn the light off - how nice of them !

[George]

Nice image, I did hear expanding foam was a [removed word] to get out of confined spaces, not that I'm in anyway advocating you do this........

[greenkat]

great pic

[rawhead]

Everything coming together to produce an excellent pic

[algol]

lo, you guys are sorta like eco terrorists but only half worried about environment. lol skies yes, planet meh.