Fab evening in the Peak District

[rockystar]

With some clear skies forecast, I had a trip out to the peak district (about 1 hour's drive from me) to meet up with some of the guys from Wakefield Astro - they were mostly imagers there last night, but they're an alight bunch

The milky way was nicely visible when astro dark hit, but still some sky glow from Manchester and Huddersfield to contend with, and I don't think the transparency was the best. And it was a warm and pleasant evening without too many midges biting your face off.

First up was M11 (Wild Duck Cluster), looking good, but a bit low down.

M51 was very faint an barely detectable (no wonder I couldn't find it from home the other evening!), but it wasn't yet astro dark; I went back to it later, and it wasn't much better.

M31 was showing some nice extended features (still doesn't fill the EP though), M32 was bright and obvious and M110 was easily detectable - I can just get all 3 in my ES82 24 mm at the same time.

M13 looking lovely as ever.

M56 - a new one for me - a GC in lyra, smaller and tighter than M13, but I could still resolve some stars

M81/82 - first thing to say, is that the star hop to this is much easier when you can see the three stars of UMa to the right of the plough (all though they aren't _that_ dim, so I should be able to see these from home - must check this). Always a pleasant view.

Someone pointed out the double cluster was visible naked eye, so I swung the telescope over that way.

Through the finder I could see another fuzzy patch up in Cas, so I navigated up there, turned out to be M103 (another one I don't think i'd seen before) - really nice looking OC.

I then noticed that I was near the ET (or Owl) cluster - so I hopped over there, as I'd never seen this either - i love the 2 "eyes" sitting on top of this cluster; upon inspection, i prefer Own over ET.

From there I dropped down to M76 (little dumbbell)  - it does what it says on the tin: it's little ; popped the O-III filter in and I could just about make out the dumbbell shape.

During a break, and a back easing walk, someone suggested that, as I had the O-III filter in, i should give the veil a go.

Western Veil - I've heard people say that this "pops" out with the O-III; i'm not going to say that, but it certainly made it visible; I had to trace up and down it with the 14mm, but I'm happy to have bagged that one - can't wait to see it in a bigger scope, under darker skies

With the O-III still in I moved over to M57 (Ring Neb) and M27 (Dumbbell): both looking lovely - M27 is massive compared to it's little brother, but I was getting a bit tired by this time and confused as to which EP i had in so it could be that I was just applying more magnification.

I finished off with M71, GC in Saggita, as I know how to find this.

All in all, I'm very happy with my haul, it was a fun and successful three hours - helped by the fact i didn't have to put my coat on until after midnight and that my EPs weren't steaming up. 

Here's to more warm evenings when the nights get longer 

 

[David Levi]

That sounds like a nice session. I recently bought an OIII filter and can't say that looking at the Veil Nebula through it was a wow moment. As you say it made it just about visible. I was in my back garden though and I'll reserve my final judgment until I get a chance to view it under dark skies.