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Virgo Fail


rockystar

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Some clear skies last just as it was getting dark, so I had a choice to make - early night, or get the scope out; as it hadn't run out for the last couple of clear nights (due to me not being very well), I thought it deserved a run out. So set it out to cool while I tucked everyone in and said good night.

A quick check with the laser showed the secondary was way out, so fixed that up, slight tweak required to the primary and a star check on Arcturus showed that collimation was good, but the seeing was shocking. The out of focus star was all over the place. Oh well, I've read in the past that if the seeing is bad, the transparency is normally pretty good, and with Virgo direct to the south at a reasonable height over the houses, it was worth a try.

Sky tools suggested that I should at least be able to detect some of the Messiers in Virgo, even if they were classified as "challenging". However one of the things I've been waiting for is the turtle nebulae in Hercules, but unfortunately it wasn't high enough over the garage and if I moved to the bottom of the garden the neighbours tree was in the way. Oh well, another time.

Starting with Jupiter (as you must) I could see Io was just on it's way behind the planet - I do like it when the moons are showing something interesting, like all on one side, or close together or near the planet - but it did confirm the mushiness of the sky.

Ok, time to try hopping to these galaxies and start tripping over them. Telrad lined up with Vindemiatrix, and followed the map towards M90 & 91, having spent a fair while convinced I was in the right place I had to come in and check where I was on Stellarium, it confirmed I was at the little triangle and stick asterism between the two (just off to the side) so back outside, at the eyepiece and everything had gone grey - a quick naked eye check confirmed that clouds had moved in at a rapid pace.

Eventually the clouds moved, daughter was back in bed and re-settled, so I settled back into the eyepiece and re-found my little asterism. Ok, let's go and sweep up these galaxies; HA HA! not a chance, nothing to been seen anywhere, I think the transparency was also pretty poor last night and was exacerbating the light pollution. I can see all of the main 9 stars in Leo, and can normally get down to about 4.4 NELM in that direction (about 4.8 overhead), but I couldn't see alpha com (at 4.3) even with averted vision. I'm going to have to try these again at a dark site.

Anyway, a quick check of SGL and some had mentioned that the GRS was now out, so a quick check of that (as I'd never seen it before) and as poor quality as it was, at I can now say I've seen it (thanks to Stu, for the heads up on that one).

So there are my ramblings, gone for far too long and actually nothing to report! Thanks for reading and hope you didn't get too bored. I'll try and report some success next time.

Lee

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Yeah, couldn't make out any galaxies either in Virgo at all either last night. However, I did get a great view of M13 when I realised (eventually) the Hercules was up and beckoning. Got a great view with my 4.5mm EP that showed nice blue stars surrounding the core. That made up for the lack of galaxies on view. 

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Ditto Lee. I was out imaging last night, and was aiming to get ANY of the Virgo cluster. After over an hour of scanning the area and failing to locate anything on the CCD chip I moved on. Like Knighy2112, I turned my attention to M13 and hopefully got a result. Will be looking at my files this afternoon. So, don't worry Lee. I think many of us were in the same boat :)

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Nice report Lee, fails are as good as successes to report, otherwise we all get unrealistic expectations!!

I'd not hear of the Turtle nebula before, NGC6210 I assume. Looks quite bright but tiny so will need high mag. Will give it a go sometime.

Transparency is everything for galaxies, it was great again here last night but I was too tired for a big session again!

What scope were you using? Also, do you have red film over your PC for Stellarium? That will kill your night vision if you don't.

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thanks all, I think it was a tough night for an at home session. I got M13 as well as M92 last time I was out, so happy with those.

Stu: I am using a Skyliner 200; my night vision was already shot from having to help change bed sheets, so I was starting again anyway, and also had to wait for the clouds for clear. And yes, NGC6210 - sky tools said it was an easy target.

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32 minutes ago, rockystar said:

thanks all, I think it was a tough night for an at home session. I got M13 as well as M92 last time I was out, so happy with those.

Stu: I am using a Skyliner 200; my night vision was already shot from having to help change bed sheets, so I was starting again anyway, and also had to wait for the clouds for clear. And yes, NGC6210 - sky tools said it was an easy target.

That's where you need a pirate patch for your observing eye ??

Yes, I reckon 6210 should be quite easy because I would think the surface brightness is high. It's small though so will need mag to bring out the shape I should think, otherwise it might look quite stellar.

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