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Stealing views

mapstar

By mapstar
in Observing - Reports

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mapstar

mapstar

Posted
Posted

I'd been keeping an eye on the weather over the weekend hoping to at least get out Saturday night, but the weather had other Ideas. Sunday looked better but work at 5am Monday morning wasn't good :eek:.I took the gamble and made the trip up to our usual dark site, joined by fellow society and SGL member Vicky050373. 

Arriving at around half 7 the sun had already dropped well below the horizon and there was a 50/50 split in the clear skies available. Should I set up or not:unsure: well with the scope rain cover in the car I put the 22" in it's usual spot. The clouds then started to roll in and by the time Vicky arrived I was stood looking up at the grey wool with a coffee and what I thought was another set up practice run under the belt.:clouds1:

Chatting away about my SWSP trip the week previous and her trip to Kelling we passed the time till at about 9pm the clouds gave tantalising glimpses of the heavens then eventually opened up holes long enough to swing the dob around and pinch a few views, some new some old.

NGC891 just off Almach looked o.k. but in comparison to the views the previous weekend was poor. One of the finest edge on galaxies up there I was struggling to see the large central dust lane but did manage to pick it up. Vicky never set up her scope as it was pointless when aperture was available to enjoy the views and she managed to pick out the dust lane once her eye was in. It never fails to impress anyone the image scale you get using a bit of aperture and the 13E.

Picking the clear bit's we took in Mirachs ghost (NGC404) which looked bright next to it's Orange companion.

Old favourite M57 was the next jump. Just a test of seeing for me but looking half decent.

M51 was lost over the god forsaken Manchester light pollution with just a tiny hint of spiral arms which Vicky never saw as the wispy stuff put paid to the views quickly. Dropping east and M56 glob was a nice sight and we both agreed a lovely object to compare to M13 which was next on the little list we compiled. The propeller was clear to see. Clouds were always ever present but we managed later on to revisit and pick out the galaxy just above NGC6207 which Vic thought was bright and a great little find. 

Andromeda was clear and the clouds gave us a 5min window which to get some views in, the gap between it and the satellites really shocked Vicky as I pointed out that she wasn't looking at M110 but  M32. This Isn't a 4" frac I think I may have said :wink:

I hopped up to NGC7331 one of my favourites and with that under our belts I intended to drop down and go for Stephans Quintet but a cloud bank wiped away any such view. Hey ho

:hello2:just an addition at around 11pm there was a very bright draconid that travelled straight through Pegasus approx twice the distance of the square. Spectacular although Vicky was looking at NGC7331 at the time

With the woolley stuff getting worse a hop from the Andromeda galaxy to the blue snow ball (NGC7662) took 5mins. A little detail was there and we both agreed that given time and slightly better seeing more would've revealed itself. A darker core was visible with a little outer detail.

Formalhaut (Piscis) and Diphda (Cetus) were on the southern horizon so we tried for NGC246 PN and NGC247 but both targets were just lost in too much atmosphere and haze. 

Finishing the night was a view of M33 which was clearly visible in the 9x50 finder. Through the scope the NGC's in the spiral arms were easy to pick out.

Coffee stop and then dismantled the scope, we both headed home where I did a record time unload of the car ready for my shift in 4 hours!:cry: Worth it though

 

 

 

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Vicky050373

Vicky050373

Posted
Posted

Lovely report Damian, and perfectly sums up a thoroughly enjoyable evening despite a bit of cloud dodging and a bright moon! The views through your 22" blew me away, and it feels like you are seeing objects anew. Just to see the propeller in M13 was something I have never experienced other than from the results of my imaging. You truly cannot beat getting your eye to the eyepiece and enjoying first hand the views that such a scope offers. Indeed, it certainly isn't a 4" refractor lol. It was the first time I had seen some of the objects, such as NGC891, and the scale in the EP was something else! As Damian said, I honestly could not believe I was looking at M32 when I was convinced I was viewing M110. Seeing the spiral arms in M33 was something I've never seen visually either, and I even picked out NGC604 within M33 - brilliant. It's left me with aperture fever and I can't wait until the next time :)

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astrotyke

astrotyke

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Well ive learnt something new about astronomy tonight. Was watching university challenge and they had to guess the missing star from ursa minor that was missed out, it was Polaris, so an eay one, they didnt know it. They guesses Sirius, and Mr Paxmen informed them that it definitely wasnt Sirius as that was in Ursa Major!

Can someone please go outside and check that Sirius hasnt moved please. Cheers :)

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Timebandit

Timebandit

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Vicky050373 said:

Lovely report Damian, and perfectly sums up a thoroughly enjoyable evening despite a bit of cloud dodging and a bright moon! The views through your 22" blew me away, and it feels like you are seeing objects anew. Just to see the propeller in M13 was something I have never experienced other than from the results of my imaging. You truly cannot beat getting your eye to the eyepiece and enjoying first hand the views that such a scope offers. Indeed, it certainly isn't a 4" refractor lol. It was the first time I had seen some of the objects, such as NGC891, and the scale in the EP was something else! As Damian said, I honestly could not believe I was looking at M32 when I was convinced I was viewing M110. Seeing the spiral arms in M33 was something I've never seen visually either, and I even picked out NGC604 within M33 - brilliant. It's left me with aperture fever and I can't wait until the next time :)

 

Sounds like you had a good time Vicky. Its always nice to have a look through someone else's scope to see a difference perspective on views, especially a 22" ?(not many of those about in this part of the country). It sounds if you have seen DSO that you have never seen before, this is a great experience and opens up more of the universe to you.            I get the feeling you could be in the market for a big Dobby in the near future and the Dob mob certainly have a new fan. If you do get a big Dob Vicky you can always put your 4" frac on it and use it as a spotting scope also?

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mapstar

mapstar

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Posted
24 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

 

Sounds like you had a good time Vicky. Its always nice to have a look through someone else's scope to see a difference perspective on views, especially a 22" ?(not many of those about in this part of the country). It sounds if you have seen DSO that you have never seen before, this is a great experience and opens up more of the universe to you.            I get the feeling you could be in the market for a big Dobby in the near future and the Dob mob certainly have a new fan. If you do get a big Dob Vicky you can always put your 4" frac on it and use it as a spotting scope also?

Vicky has shared the views through my scope many times already since I completed it, and was there all the way through construction with encouragement so you could say they are deserved views.

Recording the views is something she has seen me do and developed her own way. 

All good stuff and great to see the excitement when anyone sees the views.

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2STAR

2STAR

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, mapstar said:

I'd been keeping an eye on the weather over the weekend hoping to at least get out Saturday night, but the weather had other Ideas. Sunday looked better but work at 5am Monday morning wasn't good :eek:.I took the gamble and made the trip up to our usual dark site, joined by fellow society and SGL member Vicky050373. 

Arriving at around half 7 the sun had already dropped well below the horizon and there was a 50/50 split in the clear skies available. Should I set up or not:unsure: well with the scope rain cover in the car I put the 22" in it's usual spot. The clouds then started to roll in and by the time Vicky arrived I was stood looking up at the grey wool with a coffee and what I thought was another set up practice run under the belt.:clouds1:

Chatting away about my SWSP trip the week previous and her trip to Kelling we passed the time till at about 9pm the clouds gave tantalising glimpses of the heavens then eventually opened up holes long enough to swing the dob around and pinch a few views, some new some old.

NGC891 just off Almach looked o.k. but in comparison to the views the previous weekend was poor. One of the finest edge on galaxies up there I was struggling to see the large central dust lane but did manage to pick it up. Vicky never set up her scope as it was pointless when aperture was available to enjoy the views and she managed to pick out the dust lane once her eye was in. It never fails to impress anyone the image scale you get using a bit of aperture and the 13E.

Picking the clear bit's we took in Mirachs ghost (NGC404) which looked bright next to it's Orange companion.

Old favourite M57 was the next jump. Just a test of seeing for me but looking half decent.

M51 was lost over the god forsaken Manchester light pollution with just a tiny hint of spiral arms which Vicky never saw as the wispy stuff put paid to the views quickly. Dropping east and M56 glob was a nice sight and we both agreed a lovely object to compare to M13 which was next on the little list we compiled. The propeller was clear to see. Clouds were always ever present but we managed later on to revisit and pick out the galaxy just above NGC6207 which Vic thought was bright and a great little find. 

Andromeda was clear and the clouds gave us a 5min window which to get some views in, the gap between it and the satellites really shocked Vicky as I pointed out that she wasn't looking at M110 but  M32. This Isn't a 4" frac I think I may have said :wink:

I hopped up to NGC7331 one of my favourites and with that under our belts I intended to drop down and go for Stephans Quintet but a cloud bank wiped away any such view. Hey ho

:hello2:just an addition at around 11pm there was a very bright draconid that travelled straight through Pegasus approx twice the distance of the square. Spectacular although Vicky was looking at NGC7331 at the time

With the woolley stuff getting worse a hop from the Andromeda galaxy to the blue snow ball (NGC7662) took 5mins. A little detail was there and we both agreed that given time and slightly better seeing more would've revealed itself. A darker core was visible with a little outer detail.

Formalhaut (Piscis) and Diphda (Cetus) were on the southern horizon so we tried for NGC246 PN and NGC247 but both targets were just lost in too much atmosphere and haze. 

Finishing the night was a view of M33 which was clearly visible in the 9x50 finder. Through the scope the NGC's in the spiral arms were easy to pick out.

Coffee stop and then dismantled the scope, we both headed home where I did a record time unload of the car ready for my shift in 4 hours!:cry: Worth it though

 

 

 

Great detailed report Damian, good reading.

eric

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PeterW

PeterW

Posted
Posted

Globs in a monster are always a blast! I've seen the m13 propellor in a measly TMB refractor before. Aperture (nearly) always rules! Good report,  you seem skilled in "sucker hole" starhopping... 

 

cheers

peterW

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Vicky050373

Vicky050373

Posted
Posted
43 minutes ago, mapstar said:

Looks like that'll be me then with you having a glass back :icon_mrgreen:

Don't know what people will think of me if they read these comments. I am perfectly capable of carrying my own gear, although Chris is correct that I'd need a bigger car :) ???

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