That'll do.

[Cjg]

A great, if short night at Seething. Finally a dark Friday night with no moon. 

Was about half ten when we started, a quick look at Jupiter, with Callisto very close to the 'top' almost grazing the upper edge. Main belts visible, but not the best of views.  Moved onto Epsilon Lyra, the double double, easily split the lower pair, but not the upper. 

Spent ages 'faffing' with the slow mo controls East of Izar until I found Comet C2015 Johnson, thrilled to do so in my 3"Tak, best view was with a 15mm Panoptic; was too dark in the 9mm.

It wasn't a night for Galaxies, I had planned (hoped) to spend time in Virgo looking at Markarian's chain, but struggled to see M65/M66 in Leo, even the view of M81/M82 wasn't great. 

Newbie error was that I didn't put the dew heaters on until too late, despite all the sunshine and heat of the day, by 1am was so damp. The new DewZapper tape was put to use on the eyepieces for the first time and can confirm it's a super, well made product.

After a coffee moved onto M3, an easy find, about a third of the way along from Arcturus to Cor Caroli, and then to the globulars of Ophiuchus. I managed 10, 12 and 14 and even 107. It was then that I realised that twinkling low down star was Antares, so a quick look at Saturn; always a beautiful sight, but again not the clearest of views before finding the compact Globular Cluster M80, small but one I rarely get the opportunity to observe. By contrast M4 is mahoosive! Just West of Antares, low down, easier to find, it's I think one of the closest to us(?)

i moved up to Aquilla and followed a line of faint stars to Scutum for M11, the Wild Duck Cluster a favourite - it's an Open Cluster that looks like it could be a Globular, anyway a lovely view,  I couldn't find M26, lost I think in the clouds of the Milky Way...but moved across to the Eagle, not the greatest of views, even with a UHC filter, but underneath, almost in the same field of view in the Panoptic, was the Swan and did it look like a swan, albeit upside down, but there it was! #Stoked. Having seen the Swan and Eagle and spent time just enjoying seeing them, I realised that there was a chance of the 'elusive' Lagoon. We rarely get the chance to see this from Seething, it's just too low, but found it and spent ages enjoying the view, with and without a filter.  I'd been joined by another NAS member, who'd come let me know that he was leaving and that I'd be the last one on site, he'd stayed to 'just have a quick look' at the Wild Duck Cluster, but hadn't seen any of the objects we'd been looking at afterwards, so he was as delighted to see the Lagoon as I was. We then moved onto look for M22, the "Star Cloud" and saw M28 on the way, but couldn't find M22; it was only when I looked up to the Plough to get my bearings that I realised that the stars were fading, but not through cloud, by about 02:30 it was too light. Sunrise was coming.

So not the night that I'd planned and hoped for, no Galaxies in Virgo and too light to see any of the objects in Sagittarius as that rose, but I live for nights like this and the opportunity to see the more Southerly objects, all the better to share the views too, with an equally enthusiastic observer. Let's hope we get more of the same this Summer.

Chris

[laudropb]

Very nice report Chris. Seeing was not too bad here and views of Jupiter were reasonable. M 13 resolved well and the Ring was quite nice. Session was cut short not by the usual clouds but by the midges. They were quite ferocious. Worst I have experienced in my back garden. I woke up this morning covered in small red blotches from their bites. My wife says it looks like I have the measles. It seems I just can't win.

[Cjg]

Good morning, 

A few mozzies buzzing, but nothing so bad in Norfolk. Who'd be an Astronomer in the U.K.? 

Think we just have to make the most of these opportunities as they come, think that will be the best night for a while now.

i have mozzie repellent, but have read that midges are immune to the stuff. How long till they go?

Chris

[elliot]

Enjoyed that report Chris, thanks. @laudropbI can't recommend Avon "Skin So Soft" spray enough to deal with the midges. Avon don't market it as anti-insect stuff as it would need to go through a load of medical trials but if it's good enough for the Royal Marines it's good enough for me. Smells nice too. You can get it from Amazon.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/avon-s-spray-finds-calling-as-midge-repellent-for-royal-marines-1-1403152

 

[Charic]

Cheapest I bought was from an Avon rep who left her magazine at the door?

I still  have several bottles, but remember its greasy, so avoid getting it finger print / palm side, when handling your precious eyepieces!

 

[laudropb]

51 minutes ago, elliot said:

Enjoyed that report Chris, thanks. @laudropbI can't recommend Avon "Skin So Soft" spray enough to deal with the midges. Avon don't market it as anti-insect stuff as it would need to go through a load of medical trials but if it's good enough for the Royal Marines it's good enough for me. Smells nice too. You can get it from Amazon.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/avon-s-spray-finds-calling-as-midge-repellent-for-royal-marines-1-1403152

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I have used this for a number of years. It is also used by forestry workers up here. Unfortunately I have found it is not as effective as it once once. Don't know if the little blighters have developed a resistance to it or if the formula has changed. I did have anti mosquito spray on last night, but to little or no effect.

[mikeDnight]

That's an excellent report Chris and one that will inspire others to try for those objects. Superb!!! 

Mike

[estwing]

agreed...great read and report...wonderful Chris, thank you for sharing...

[Cjg]

Thank you, they really are worth hunting down, but tough from the UK.

Stu's report from Samos well worth a read for those and the smaller objects that we miss from the UK, it will make you want to head South

Chris