Italy - night four

[Piero]

2am-4am

transparency: average

seeing: very good, 22C

 

M31. Only the core and M32 were visible, and no detail of course. 

M33. Invisible. This was more an attempt really. 

Alpha Persei Moving Cluster. Lovely open cluster in the centre of Perseus.

Hyades (Tau). Another large cluster surrounding the eye of the Taurus, Aldebaran. 

M45 (Tau). One of the most beautiful clusters visible in the late Autumn season. I could not see the reflection nebula. The white blue stars were just stunning with the 35 Pan.

M36, M37, M38 (Aur). A nice and well known trio of aligned open clusters in Auriga. 

Uranus (Pys). After observing Neptune the other night, I decided it was worth spending some time on Uranus too. Thankfully I did! Uranus appeared like a white, pale green perfect circle at 96x. This circle was magnificed up to 275x (Docter + ZAB 2.86x) and ~330x (zoom + VIP). After spotting the 13mag star next to M57, I tried my best to spot Oberon at 13.9mag, but no success. Now I'm curious to try to spot Triton (mag 13.45) on Neptune again. Maybe it is at the very limit at ~300x with averted vision..  

[Littleguy80]

Great selection of targets, Piero. All of the open clusters on my list for some visits over the coming months. I've really been enjoying your series of Italy reports  

[Piero]

4 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Great selection of targets, Piero. All of the open clusters on my list for some visits over the coming months. I've really been enjoying your series of Italy reports  

Thank you Neil.  

They are all very easy targets, but beautiful. The sky over here is light polluted and I'm not much familiar with this dobson. Therefore, the preference for maximising the time on easy and nice targets!  

You will certainly enjoy those open clusters. M33 is more difficult but if you can access to dark skies (e.g. at least mag 20.5), you could give it a go using a low power eyepiece.  

[Littleguy80]

41 minutes ago, Piero said:

They are all very easy targets, but beautiful. The sky over here is light polluted and I'm not much familiar with this dobson. Therefore, the preference for maximising the time on easy and nice targets!  

You will certainly enjoy those open clusters. M33 is more difficult but if you can access to dark skies (e.g. at least mag 20.5), you could give it a go using a low power eyepiece.  

Good plan. I've had a few sessions where I've tried for lots of challenging targets and come in feeling like I've not really seen anything. 

I managed a look at M33 a couple of weeks back. I didn't see any detail as light pollution is also a challenge here. @John shared a great article on M33 recently 

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/triple-treasure-in-triangulums-pinwheel110320150311/

 

[Pondus]

Reports like this really makes me look forward to the dark Autumn Nights Piero .

Most of the Objects you observed on Your night 4 is probably the ones I`ve spend most time observing,

It is a part of the sky With lots of interesting, and quite easy to find, targets.

As for Neptune and Uranus, I Guess I`m one of the few who yet havent detected any color on these planets.

 

Rune

[Piero]

45 minutes ago, Pondus said:

As for Neptune and Uranus, I Guess I`m one of the few who yet havent detected any color on these planets.

Thanks, Rune!

I haven't observed these planets with my tak yet but I did with my TV60 and colours were deeper in that telescope. Uranus was green, whereas Neptune was blue. I'm not sure but I suspect that light pollution can make a difference as far as colours concern. Here there is more LP than in Cambridge and colours for these planets are paler.

[alan potts]

Nice report Piero, yes they are all easy targets but ones we all look at time after time. I spent time last night on the Antares area before I lose it to the walnut tree, Jupiter has already been eaten by another one from where the observatory is.

Alan

[Piero]

@alan potts

Thank Alan!  I didn't know you had an observatory. Is it for your dobson or other telescopes? 

[alan potts]

6 hours ago, Piero said:

@alan potts

Thank Alan!  I didn't know you had an observatory. Is it for your dobson or other telescopes? 

Piero,

No I built it some time ago for the 12 inch Meade SC which has a 70mm ED piggybacked on top. I always had in mind to put a EQ8 in there and use it for all the scopes apart from the Dob. However there is some building going on down the road and it is going to take out a little of my southern sky,until I blow it up that is. I can cut a tree down and gain some so not the end of the world.

Alan

[Paz]

I've just caught up on these reports from Italy, great stuff! I was in Italy in late August but could only take a 10x50 monocular with me. going an  extra 10 degrees south was promising but light pollution in rome and also around lake maggiore where we stayed was more than I have at home which was a shame.

But I had a few good nights of observing without having to worry about getting up for work!

 

[Piero]

58 minutes ago, Paz said:

I've just caught up on these reports from Italy, great stuff! I was in Italy in late August but could only take a 10x50 monocular with me. going an  extra 10 degrees south was promising but light pollution in rome and also around lake maggiore where we stayed was more than I have at home which was a shame.

But I had a few good nights of observing without having to worry about getting up for work!

Thank you!

LP is pretty bad near cities in Italy unfortunately. If you get a chance to go to the Alps or Apennines, the sky is generally much better though!