Best night in Essex in six months

[noah4x4]

Drove out seeking darker skies in horribly light polluted Essex. To the delight of my long suffering wife, we saw a badger, a fox, an owl, multiple rabbits and a rat cross the remote road; only to find all three of my favourite park up  sites occupied by couples in strangely rocking cars. So we headed home. Then Wow!

Couldn't believe my eyes. I could identify the Andromeda Galaxy using the naked eye and then numerous other DSO'S via my 8inch Evo with rare clarity. Admittedly all were still only a smokey smudge, but I could at least see their broadly defined outlines. The Cat's Eye Nebula even offered a little colour and M11 (Wild Duck Cluster) was awesome. What a shame over published Hubble images raise aspirations of even better. Then the internal battery started to flash. I reckon that's about eleven hours across five sessions since its last charge. But time to quit. Welcome Autumn and it's starry treasures.

[FenlandPaul]

Glad you found some dark skies - it certainly seemed very transparent across the East last night.

Paul

[rockystar]

It's been said before that dark remote  spots are not only sought by astronomers.

nice catch ok some good skies in the end though

 

[Astro Imp]

Nice to get some dark clear skies at last, M11 really is a cracker.

Good luck for future observing.