Observing tonight, 18/2/06

[The Warthog]

The night started out cloudy, so I was surprised to go out at about 9:00 and find that the sky had cleared almost completely. I got dressed very carefully for the -11 degree cold, and got my scope out of the shed. This is a test for my new mount, and I wanted to see some new thing.

I pointed at Megreb, in Orion, first. I had heard recently (ahem!) that a foolproof way of getting to see M78 is to get Megreb in the FOV, and wait 15 minutes. To my mild surprise, it worked! Fifteen minutes later, I came back outside and there was a cluster in my FOV. Decided to go for NGC 2244 next, and found it, after a little wandering around the general area.

Buoyed by that success, I decided to have a go at some of the stuff near Sirius. Found M41 very quickly, and just gawked at it awhile. Next went for NGC2360, but didn't find it, and went after M46 and 47, but with inconclusive results - Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. My fingers were beginning to turn into digitsicles at this point. Just for fun, I looked up M42, and the Running Man, and then M44, and spent a while following Saturn along the sky. The wind had picked up at this point, and actually hurt, blowing in my face. I decided that this Canadian had had enough, and packed up.

All in all, a fun night, if short.

[Naz]

So I take it the new mount has done the trick WH?

Just be glad the ep's are not the old brass type, other wise you could have been in trouble.

nabban

[MartinB]

Sounds like a very enjoyable session WH despite the cold. You must be one tough old boot Was everything frosting over? How was the mount, sounds like it was a success?

Martin

[The Warthog]

Sounds like a very enjoyable session WH despite the cold. You must be one tough old boot Was everything frosting over? How was the mount, sounds like it was a success?

Martin

Thanks. Cold is a state of mind. Things don't frost over when the temps are that low, usually. That is more likely to happen when it's about -5 or so. I exhaled over my ep once last night, and had an onosecond, but the vapour didn't settle on the glass. The mount was amazing! I used the old mount for six years, so I hate to disrespect it, but my observing life has been spent watching things jiggle to a large extent.

[FLO]

I had heard recently (ahem!) that a foolproof way of getting to see M78 is to get Megreb in the FOV, and wait 15 minutes. To my mild surprise, it worked!

I am thinking Gaz ought to register the intellectual rights to that one ... hhmmm, we need a name :scratch: :study:

Gaz hopping?

PS: WH, it wasn't Megrez, it was Mintaka (the most western star in Orions belt)

[lunator]

I had heard recently (ahem!) that a foolproof way of getting to see M78 is to get Megreb in the FOV, and wait 15 minutes. To my mild surprise, it worked!

I am thinking Gaz ought to register the intellectual rights to that one ... hhmmm, we need a name :scratch: :study:

Gaz hopping?

PS: WH, it wasn't Megrez, it was Mintaka (the most western star in Orions belt)

Steve another possible name could be 'Gazwaiting' as you point your scope & wait

[The Warthog]

I had heard recently (ahem!) that a foolproof way of getting to see M78 is to get Megreb in the FOV, and wait 15 minutes. To my mild surprise, it worked!

I am thinking Gaz ought to register the intellectual rights to that one ... hhmmm, we need a name :scratch: :study:

Gaz hopping?

PS: WH, it wasn't Megrez, it was Mintaka (the most western star in Orions belt)

Thanks, Dave. I have trouble keeping names straight. I did know which star it was, though.

[FLO]

Thanks, Dave. I have trouble keeping names straight.

[Rob]

Wow, thats cold.

I know Russ & I have been out in -8 (poss -9) and I felt numb after an hour and a half.

[Albireo380]

Yeah - too cold for me. Been out in -7. The Meade was all sparkly and white, really pretty. Couldn't take a 'photo of it as the CF card packed in at -5 and the camera battery ran out after only 30 minutes.

Tom

[Rob]

Its amazing how the electrical stuff just gives in!!. Whats even worse is handling the OTA when packing up!, almost hurts its so cold