Get up early !

[cotterless45]

There's a deep blue sky just before dawn, even with the sinking super Moon in the west . What sights , with Jupiter high in the south east with Leo very high . Followed by Virgo and the Coma Berenices. Over to a huge high Ursa Major with Canes Venatici  and the sparkle of Coma Berenices. A bright Arcturus with Bootes hanging from UMa. 

What treasures and sights ! Just need to get up a few hours earlier and get the scope out ! It's galaxy fest with Jupiter thrown in. I had a look a few days ago at a low Jupiter. Seeing was bad, it looked small at x200, very hard to tease out details. What struck me was how dark the bands are.

Here's to early mornings and the New Moon !

old Nick.

[cloudsweeper]

Amen to that, Nick.  A most enticing description of celestial splendour!

Doug.

[Lorne]

It crossed my mind last night to try for an early session with Jupiter but waking up this morning to hailstones and sleet put those thoughts - and me - back to bed!

[Knighty2112]

Yeah, I was up at 5:30am to look at Jupiter. After setting up my two scopes on my Skytee (I wanted to align both up so one can beused  for a widefield view etc with some new scope rings I got) it was 6pm. Jupiter did not hold up great in the morning sky to high magnification, but was nice to see again. Three of its moons were spaced nicely around it. Tried to hunt for M51, but unable to find I think due to seeeing and lightening skies in the east. Would need to get up a little earlier to get the best of the morning I think. 

[Ant]

I get in the car at most mornings at 5:30 to go to work. I completely agree - the pre-dawn sky is amazing! 

But boy is it hard to get up early if I don't have to go to work! 

At

[James]

There's something special for me in those nights where I can do an allnighter - for some reason the hours before the dawn always seem nicest, maybe it's something to do with getting a glimpse of those constellations and objects that otherwise we'd have to wait a few months to see...

James

[Bart]

I agree James,it feels like your cheating. Not that I condone cheating.......

 Maybe I should say it feels like you've earned it, having stayed up that late. Mind you, it's been a while since I did an allnighter..

[StarryEyed]

I didn't even get up early. went to the garage for the bike to cycle to the station and saw the clear sky! looked for the moon as you would then saw Jupiter and grabbed the binos obviously shaky but could maybe make out some moons in the brightening morning sky. I thought to myself to hell with the train and picked up my FD80 on its EQ5 all set up and thirty seconds later I had a 7mm vixen in a 2.5 powermate in the scope and was observing undriven. Five mins of viewing one gas giant with five bands and four moons. Made the train only happy commuter on it!

[niallk]

Great post Nick - some of the most memorable observing sessions I've had have been from ~4am through dawn. I just love that transition of the sky to ultra deep blue as you describe, perhaps catching a glimpse of the phase of Mercury to round off a few hours hunting DSOs. I once saw Saturn in the still morning air and it was breathtaking Itching to get out early again when the weather improves!

[estwing]

don't mention the big J...Faulksy will want to see this in Skye...

[Scott]

59 minutes ago, estwing said:

don't mention the big J...Faulksy will want to see this in Skye...

Jack Daniels?
Jaeger?
Jim Beam?
:D

[alan potts]

Do you ever sleep Nick, I was out this morning in the pre-dawn sky, lovely but didn't bother with a scope.

Alan

[LukeSkywatcher]

Just before dawn is a brilliant time to go out observing. The land and skies are so still and peaceful. That deep blue colour is so beautiful.

[mikey2000]

Jupiter was looking marvellous this morning, next to the crescent moon.

 

Later, on the school walk, I pointed out the crescent moon to our youngest lad (6).  He loves the moon but on this occasion, he laughed and said, "it looks just like a toenail!".   First time I'd heard it described that way...