When you fulfil your promise to yourself

[iPeace]

Nature had called, and its summons had awakened me in our cosy caravan, situated on the pitch we occupy during six months of each year. It was Tuesday morning and the time was 05:00. It had stopped raining, and the absence of birdsong told me that the first hint of daylight would still require a bit more rotation on our planet's part.

Rather than use the on-board facilities, such as they are, I always prefer to make the short walk to the central building on the camping ground; only extreme weather or extreme urgency - or both - will keep me from doing this. Stepping out into the simple but spacious tent we have attached to the side of our wheeled dwelling, I was greeted by the sight of the ED70 on my alt/az mount in the corner. This light and ultra-portable, carbon-fibre-tubed scope had not seen any use since the TV85 arrived, but I had opted to bring it along to the caravan instead, my thinking being that space would be at a premium, at least until we had everything squared away for the coming six months. I had also become interested in the possibility of taking it with me on a future overseas holiday, and wanted to renew my acquaintance. I had only used it twice so far at this site - once to surf around the starry sky rather aimlessly but enjoyably, and last night for a brief session with Luna and Jupiter before the clouds rolled in. Rather than pack it up and stow it, I had simply moved the mount inside the tent, scope and all, and gone to bed.

It's remarkable how your perception of objects in the sky changes so shortly after taking up astronomy. Before, they were all just stars, appearing more or less in random positions. Now, as I looked up over my shoulder back over the caravan, there appeared due South a most spectacular formation of coloured objects, two of which could not be stars. Already, I knew what I was seeing, without ever having observed these objects before. I also knew then I wouldn't be going back to bed this morning.

Business done and back at the caravan, I quickly moved the scope back out, knowing I wouldn't have much time before daylight broke. I used the Rigel to sight the first target, selected the Nagler Zoom and gave it the beans.

Mars was a small orange globe with little in the way of discernible features - perhaps a slightly darker smudge on the Southern hemisphere hinting at all the amazing geology. My expectations weren't high - widely varying results with Jupiter had taught me a bit - but I was happy to see and know without confirmation that Mars it must be.

Travelling along directly below was Antares, a fantastic sight through the scope, apparently flashing multi-coloured like a glitter ball in a cosmic disco. I resolved to re-visit, but did not linger, as it was time to fulfil the promise I had made to myself when I took this up: before this year was out, I would see the Moon as never before, Jupiter and its Galilean moons, and...

Saturn. There it was. Low in the sky, certainly not the best of viewing conditions, not my best scope, birdsong already announcing the pending daylight. Only a hint of the presence of the Cassini division, and a very faint gradient suggesting possible detail on the planet. For me, the best views of Saturn are undoubtedly yet to come, but it's the best moment I've had yet.

Promise kept. Onwards and upwards.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report. It reminds me a bit of when I was camping in the Perigord region, and on the way back from the toilet I couldn't resist getting out the Helios Apollo 15x70 HD (setting up the scope would mean making too much noise), and being treated to my first view of the Silver Coin Galaxy in Sculptor, glittering in the deeps of space like a coin tossed in a wishing well. Your seeing must have been pretty decent to be able to catch even a hint of the Cassini Division with a 70mm at the current altitude. Well done!

[g30rg313]

I was awake myself at 5.00 this morning banging headache dehydrated in need of coconut water and pain killers.....result of 2 glasses of house wine at theatre show last night (self inflicted).  Thirst quenched, pain relief taken, contemplated scope manhandling up the many concrete steps to back yard but then thought would probably miss my opportunity by the time the scope adjusted to temp so went back to bed.  When I checked stellarium upon getting up at 7am I was right they would have been disappearing behind the mountain which is behind my back garden.....oh well, another time.  Glad you got your opportunity.

[Davesellars]

Nice report and great read!  Thanks for posting!

[laudropb]

Very nice report. I love early morning sessions, especially now that I have retired.

[alan potts]

Nice report of your session, however are you sure you were looking at Rigel as this can never be in the sky at the same time as Antares, it sets hours before Scopious rises?

Alan

[iPeace]

26 minutes ago, alan potts said:

Nice report of your session, however are you sure you were looking at Rigel as this can never be in the sky at the same time as Antares, it sets hours before Scopious rises?

Alan

Sorry, I wrote "the Rigel", meaning that type of finder.

[alan potts]

It only goes to show though that I do read the reports, I enjoy them, at the moment we have a storm. Yes of course there is the Rigel finder which I have never seen and would not have thought of, does it have a much smaller one at the side of it like the star .

[iPeace]

8 minutes ago, alan potts said:

It only goes to show though that I do read the reports, I enjoy them, at the moment we have a storm. Yes of course there is the Rigel finder which I have never seen and would not have thought of, does it have a much smaller one at the side of it like the star .

It's the main alternative to the Telrad; hardly a thing of beauty but very functional