Golden morning.

[cotterless45]

Just a very rare and special morning. Came in frozen with a huge grin .

Up and out at 3.30 and what a sky ! Ursa Major overhead, Leo in the south with Virgo, Coma Berenices and Canes Venatici. Just a tester onto M65 and there was the Leo Triplet. I'd seen this once from here, an easy target under dark skies. An 8" Newt is very useful on an eq mount for picking up overhead targets. To some old favourites in Canes Venatici. The glow of M94, then off from Chara onto NGC 4490 and NGC 4485.

Up to the two bright cores of M51 and NGC 5195. Dust lanes to M63 ("sunflower ") , little detail in M109 and M106. Revisited some real favourites, showing shape and granulation,
NGC 4449, resolved  into stars at x150.
NGC 4631, the curved shape of the "whale galaxy"
NGC 4656/57, "hockey stick galaxy".
NGC 4490, the bright "cocoon galaxy".
NGC 5005, bright spiral galaxy.
So many in Ursa Major, best and brightest here,
NGC 2841, bright with core and spirals at x120.
NGC 3077.
Even NGC 4236 and NGC 4125 showed in Draco.

Onto Coma Berenices and the stunning resolvable M53, the faint adjacent NGC 5053 by averted vision. Onto NGC 4725, NGC 4565, M85, M100,M98, M99,M88. M86 and M84 both wide apart in the fov at x50, as are M59 and M60 straying into the Virgo bowl where groups of galaxies fill the view.
Turned to Jupiter and a lovely "L" shaped arrangement of the moons on one side. Some band details, but difficult wobbly seeing here. Just couldn't  believe how good the sky was . It was a great treat to find the galaxies, some firm favourites usually do easy from those dark and 

Clear skies ! Old Nick.

 

[mikeDnight]

Are hate and envy still considered a sin, or is it permissible just this once?

Excellent report!

 I looked out and it was clear, but the flesh is pathetically weak at times! ?

Mike

[triton1]

Nice report as ever I looked out about the same time saw the white stuff and bottled it.

[Paul73]

Great session Nick.

I managed 2am to 4am. Narrowly avoided frostbite. Mrs 73 made an excellent foot warmer to aid recovery!

The sky started well but got slowly milkier at time wore on. Still managed some satisfying new fuzzies as well as the clusters & nebulae of Aurega. I even spent some time with a wobbly Jupiter.

Paul

[mapstar]

Super stuff Nick some nice galaxies in there and the hockey stick has moved up to one of my favourites. Just unloaded the car after my disastrous Yorkshire dales trip last night  

[Size9Hex]

Too early (or late?) for me, but looking forwards to seeing these sights when they swing round a bit earlier in the evening. 

[Paz]

Great report - so many targets in one go!

[alan potts]

Very nice report as ever from you Nick. I don't see much hope of me getting out for a good while, we have about 2 and half feet of snow down at the moment and it is thicker than that in places. I have dug the cars out twice but I can't see me going anywhere soon as minus 18 is on the cards for morning, sledge maybe.

alan

[johnfosteruk]

Great report Nick, nice to see you doing something other than doubles!!

 

[wookie1965]

Great report I hope I can get some of them in my 8 inch.

[Owmuchonomy]

Excellent session Nick. I was out too 4am to 7am today under a cracking sky. Not nearly as comprehensive a list as yours but I did collimate the SCT on Denebola and was in awe at the Io shadow transit. The 'Super' globs also put on a good show. Some good skies forecast later this week here.