Superb sky in Menorca

[Highburymark]

Been in Menorca for five days - half way through our holiday - and so far a bit disappointed about the haze and poor seeing. But tonight was just stunning - Milky Way as clear as I have seen it in a decade, so had 90 minutes to take advantage before the moon rose. Brought my Equinox 80mm on photo tripod, mini giro, Panoptic 24, Ethos 13mm, Leica ASPH zoom and VIP Barlow for viewing - all three EPs got equal billing tonight. Started out on Cassiopeia clusters and down to M31 which was putting on a fine show in the north east. M32 clearly discernible nearby. Over to M3 - an impressive sight - starting to resolve stars at edge around 30x, but struggled to see any galaxies around Ursa Major - was hoping dark Balearic skies might have given a glimpse of M81/82 but just too feint with only 3 inches of aperture. If that was a little disappointing, then guaranteed joy awaited 180 degrees away. 5 globs in and around Sagittarius. Fished out the Ethos and UHC for M8, M20, M17 and M16. Lagoon and Omega nebulae particularly dramatic tonight - though M8 almost as compelling without a filter. Moved on to endless star fields as chased the Milky Way up towards the Summer Triangle - and finished with lovely Alberio. A real treat to be able to bring three great eyepieces to try out on such wonderful skies.... Ethos in its element providing a cinematic backdrop to many of those dsos, but I was reminded tonight that I could - if forced to keep only two eyepieces for the rest of my days - quite happily survive with only the Panoptic  24 and Leica zoom. 

[RobertI]

Sounds like a dream night - Some lovely objects under a perfect sky observed with a quality grab and go setup.

[Highburymark]

Indeed a memorable night Robert - thanks for posting.

Forgot to say: failed to detect Neptune - despite assurances that it should be visible even though it's close to the moon. Will have a go at the planets later this week. 

[laudropb]

Lovely report of a very productive session. I hope to get some decent views when I I am in Mallorca in September.

[Davesellars]

Great report and glad you saw those southern gems and the MW!  Certainly a lovely setup to take with you on holiday. Those nebulae really come through great in with a dark, transparent sky!

M81/M82 should be visible with the 80ED, I've had no issue before with this aperture viewing them & picks up much fainter objects than these.  Perhaps though these were starting to get a little low on the northern horizon depending what time you observed?

[Highburymark]

Thanks for the comments chaps.

Dave - I think you are right - slightly too close to the northern horizon. Am going to try a couple of other sites this week - you have given me hope for M81/2.

[alan potts]

It's alright for some Mark. Nice report and good to see you are getting some decent seeing. I tend to have the same problem here, it is just too hot and hazy, as clear as it was last night you could bearly see the mountains which are only about 30klm away, no good for low down seeing. On the other hand if you get a bit of wind you can see things like M6 and M7 naked eye.

Alan

[Highburymark]

Thanks Alan.

Before this year we hadn't had a holiday since 2011 - I'm not one for sitting in the sun all day. But since I bought the grab and go scope at the end of 2015, jumping on a plane and heading towards clearer skies suddenly becomes much more attractive.

[Stu]

Very nice report Mark, you can't beat a high quality frac under dark skies. Lovely to be able to trawl around Sagitarius too, one of my favourites.

I agree with Dave, M81/82 should be do-able as long as they aren't too low. I guess it's a balance of darkness vs altitude for you down there currently.

Hope you get some more clear nights. Don't forget M11!

[Highburymark]

Thanks Stu - don't know how I missed m11 last night. Still it's nice to have it to look forward to tonight...

[Special K]

Exciting report which I read with interest!!!  Those are nice opportunities for southern objects. M7 is exotic as they come and the scorpions tail is a fun journey.  NGC6231 the Baby Scorpion cluster is a busy busy piece of sky if you get a spare moment to appreciate it. How are the huge M22 and M4 looking?  Mars must be stunning in amongst the strong stars of Scorpio. 

Out of curiosity which part of the island are you observing from?  I'm going to Punta Prima in August and likely to take the ED80.  Dark Sky Finder shows the island much darker than home so you should be cracking M81/82 very easily.  Depending how quickly it gets dark, 10pm looks like prime time for it as they descend toward the northern horizon up through 1am. Perhaps there is more LP depending upon your locale. I've heard the north shore of the island is darkest, but still hoping my SE corner will afford some nice views.  

Hope the haze clears off for your second half.  Clear Spanish skies!!

 

[Peter Drew]

Scorpio, where's that.     

[Highburymark]

2 hours ago, Special K said:

Exciting report which I read with interest!!!  Those are nice opportunities for southern objects. M7 is exotic as they come and the scorpions tail is a fun journey.  NGC6231 the Baby Scorpion cluster is a busy busy piece of sky if you get a spare moment to appreciate it. How are the huge M22 and M4 looking?  Mars must be stunning in amongst the strong stars of Scorpio. 

Out of curiosity which part of the island are you observing from?  I'm going to Punta Prima in August and likely to take the ED80.  Dark Sky Finder shows the island much darker than home so you should be cracking M81/82 very easily.  Depending how quickly it gets dark, 10pm looks like prime time for it as they descend toward the northern horizon up through 1am. Perhaps there is more LP depending upon your locale. I've heard the north shore of the island is darkest, but still hoping my SE corner will afford some nice views.  

Hope the haze clears off for your second half.  Clear Spanish skies!!

 

Bagged M81/82 easily tonight - and also very pleased to see the Ring Nebula directly overhead. My back not great at the best of times so have to be careful about zenith targets. M11 spectacular. Actually planets haven't been great over here - not sure why with so many dsos showing so well. Have had better views of Mars elsewhere this summer with the same scope, though Saturn was nice tonight. 

Special K - We're staying in a hotel/converted farmhouse called Biniarocca near Sant Lluis - so not on the coast. Area around the hotel has been developed in recent years - an industrial estate has sprung up, so some light pollution - but still near idyllic conditions. It's quite near punta prima. Agree that the unspoilt north shore is best place to go - but if you travel for just half a mile outside punta prima you will still get outstanding skies. Hope you are also treated to the sort of conditions I've enjoyed over the past couple of days.

[F15Rules]

On 25/07/2016 at 23:16, Peter Drew said:

Scorpio, where's that.     

Peter, its an old model executive car Ford used to make, harder to see in the UK these days than the constellation!:-)

Dave

[Peter Drew]

Granted. 

[F15Rules]

On 25/07/2016 at 17:36, Highburymark said:

Thanks Alan.

Before this year we hadn't had a holiday since 2011 - I'm not one for sitting in the sun all day. But since I bought the grab and go scope at the end of 2015, jumping on a plane and heading towards clearer skies suddenly becomes much more attractive.

Sounds like you're having a great time Mark:-). I haven't been abroad since Corfu 5 years ago and just took a pair of bins with me (8x42s, I think they were)..just standing behind our hotel;  had lovely views of the general area around Scorpius' tail, and M6 and M7 in particular.

If only the UK sat at about +35 or +40 degrees north...

Dave

[Highburymark]

If only Dave.....

Last few nights have been so clear and dark that it's almost overwhelming for someone who does most of my stargazing from London. Have seen around 40 Messiers - some of them for the first time (M33 and M51 for example), and endless other objects.