super rich skys

[faulksy]

beautiful clear skys today, finished my last shift so off for 12 days. so i thought what the hell lets get the dob out and try my new toys 

first use my new cateye sight tube combo and my new howie glatter colimation tools. these are very special to use and deffo made a difference to my viewing tonight.

mirror was cooled skysafari was aligned lets play.

first object not quite dark but near as damm it, m13 lovely and bright and the prop showing well. then on to m27 this was incredably bright and looked so much like a apple core, then onto m57 this looked equaly as bright but strangely not much colour. then i had a looked at m101 quite disapointed you could see the arms but very faint m51 wasn't much better either.

then i thought lets go low in the south m17,16 m14 lovely glob don't remember that one. m10 wow very very nice then onto m75 m22 which is always nice then m23 best open cluster i have ever seen the stars were just so bright and big, new one for me. then i rememberd that i had 2 new astronomic filters from dan k, lets give them a go m27 and 57 in the oiii was amazing so bright and the detail was image like. then onto the veil what a incredible sight realy realy was. i am fizzing all over now and can,t wait for astro darkness to return and meet up with the dobmob. roll on elan valley

[John]

Lovely stuff Mike

I had my 12" dob out tonight as well. Some of the same targets that you were looking at, some different.

Very good dark skies for the 1st time for weeks

Fell back in love with the Ethos 21 tonight - what a great eyepiece

[jetstream]

Great report Mike!

Its funny how fussy M51 and M101 can be, I notice the same thing too. Those collimation tools are top notch as is the rest of your equipment!

[faulksy]

40 minutes ago, John said:

Lovely stuff Mike

I had my 12" dob out tonight as well. Some of the same targets that you were looking at, some different.

Very good dark skies for the 1st time for weeks

Fell back in love with the Ethos 21 tonight - what a great eyepiece

hi john. always use my 13e then i tried my 21 and loved it all over again. well happy

27 minutes ago, jetstream said:

Great report Mike!

Its funny how fussy M51 and M101 can be, I notice the same thing too. Those collimation tools are top notch as is the rest of your equipment!

those collimation tools are brilliant and so easy to use with great results. made up gerry. thank you howie (R.I.P.)

[mapstar]

Good you got out Mike. Still a bit too light by the sounds of it.

I'm amazed you looked at M27 

[estwing]

Glad you got out Mike and sounds like the tools are working well

[wookie1965]

Great report I have only seen M51 once and never from my backyard

[swamp thing]

The Dumbbell and Ring Nebulae. Well there's a surprise  

 

[niallk]

Nice one - looking fwd to darkness returning and getting the dob out

[jetstream]

2 hours ago, swamp thing said:

The Dumbbell and Ring Nebulae.

Me an' him we're discussing central star strategies...