21.8 sky/21.5 Milky Way

[jetstream]

What a night, I just can't believe it all over again.

So much to say and so few words can describe this evening but one comes to mind- humbling. Excellent transparency with 21.8 mag skies and the SQM-L gave a .3 mag difference between the MW and the darkest portion of the sky. Sometimes you get such an immersive naked eye view that it eclipses any views through a telescope and tonight was such an evening...

Using the 200mm f3.8 the NAN was easily visible no filter as was the Veil and Crescent and using the OIII,NPB (excellent) and UHC the views never ceased to stun me,literally. So much more seen again near the Crescent and then there is IC1318...blending in..  I love Aquila and frequent the area quite a bit- just above Tarazed and over to the right is a stunning dark nebulae, actually 2 of them B143 and B142. B143 was exquisite! this is a must see!

Really though, the view of the Milky Way reflecting off the glass calm lake was the pinnacle of the evening and a prize for me was seeing the spur off the Teapot and above Saturn sliding down to the horizon.Bright billowing clouds of detached nebulosity abound and I put the scope away and just sat there in amazement. For hours.

                                 

                                     If you can make it to truly dark skies,do it and you may be like me, putting the scope away and using your eyes.

                                                                                                                

[scarp15]

Who needs TV, awesome encounter Gerry. Barnard's E 143, 142 in the vicinity of Altair are firmly on my list for late summer, so to is IC1318A. Great performance with the fast scope - as though it was needed, Milky Way reflection on the lake must have been incredible. 

[Piero]

What a wonderful description Gerry!  

While reading your thread, the words that Rob (Qualia) wrote on his SGL profile came into my mind: 

"The lesson of humility is so often brought home to us in astronomy..."

[Stargazer McCabe]

That transports me back to where we spent the last few years in various locations in East & Central Africa...

While there are sound reasons for us moving back to Blighty, the skies (day and night) weren't on that list. 

Sigh...

[estwing]

wonderful Gerry...!..clear skies!

[niallk]

Sounds amazing!  Can't wait for the dark skies of west Kerry in late August here.