Dalby Forest StarFest Friday 8th Aug

[cosmic_girl]

I just wanted to report on how stunning the sky was at the Dalby Forest StarFest for a few hours last night. It has been a long time since I have seen the sky looking so beautiful and there was just so much to see both naked eye and through the scopes. Highlights included:

The Milky Way (of course), with the dark rifts clearly visible.

Loads of meteors including some great Earth grazers (lots of oohs & aahs all round).

Jupiter and the Galilean Moons, still great even low down on the ecliptic.

Andromeda galaxy clearly visible naked eye.

Ditto the beautiful Double Cluster.

Pleiades rising up above the tree line.

M13, M33, M81, M82, M51, M57, M27, etc. etc. etc.

Alberio and the Double Double.

An iridium flare plus lots of other satellites.

Gordon G's stunning wide angled images of the North American Nebula and the Milky Way!

This was the first night that my Skyliner 8" Dob has been on an outing outside of my garden in Leeds and I have to say that it peformed very nicely indeed, great fun just swinging it round and finding fuzzies. Although I have to say I am now seriously thinking about getting a WO ZenithStar 66 SD APO as a little travel scope for the times when I haven't got my husband around to help me lug the Dob about.

Unfortunately the weather doesn't look so good today

I hope it clears up again for everyone there tonight!

[scotastro]

I always enjoyed the Starfest. We get too busy at this time of year to attend now. Glad you got some good weather and hope you get some more.

Don't f forget to look out for Uranus & Neptune (easy bins objects) and Comet C2007 W1 Boattini in Aries.

Mike

[mikedevaney]

One of the few great nights for observing in many a year. I stayed on through Sunday and it got very windy, wet and sticky (as dry as the Gobi For regulars to Kielder though). Some had come from as far off as Devon but well worth the trip. Great image Gordon G I'm well impressed.