what is barnards loop and can you spot it with 20x80 binoculars

[scarp15]

I have got a good location for this winter, where I can wild camp and take a refractor.

 

 

[jetstream]

Perfect Iain! You have very consistent dark sites and your skill in wild camping makes these places accessible. I'm feeling that you are honing in on some of the darkest places in the UK...how much over 21.5 will it go?

[PeterW]

Probably not more than a few extra tenths... best to take more than SQM to be sure...

 

peter

[scarp15]

I will be taking a SQM-L and I will be looking forward to taking a frequency of readings. This is a remotely accessible location, many miles of almost empty single track to reach the parking area, situated close to the Scottish border, there is no light pollution, just hills as far as the eye can see. A step up from my allotment that's for sure  

 

[jetstream]

Awesome Iain, what kind of elevation do you expect? I'm at 1100 ft here and it looks like you could find at least that.

[scarp15]

The highest point for this range of hills, is the Cheviot 815m / 2674ft, I walked across a smaller cluster of hill tops 500m / 1640ft, the spot I considered to wild camp is at 1476ft. 

[jetstream]

2 minutes ago, scarp15 said:

The highest point for this range of hills, is the Cheviot 815m / 2674ft, I walked across a smaller cluster of hill tops 500m / 1640ft, the spot I considered to wild camp is at 1476ft. 

Perfect!

The ability to tuck down in a nook with this elevation is a big bonus, if you decide too.

[scarp15]

This gives an idea of the topography and if I fancy a dram before I turn in, then its lucky there are no longer any Excisemen around. A night of really good transparency spent here should make it feasible for attempting Barnard's Loop.

 

[jetstream]

18 hours ago, scarp15 said:

This gives an idea of the topography and if I fancy a dram before I turn in, then its lucky there are no longer any Excisemen around. A night of really good transparency spent here should make it feasible for attempting Barnard's Loop.

 

This is very interesting Iain, I never knew any of this history- we wern't taught any of it here. Slimefoot Pub- I love it!

[ollypenrice]

Congratulations to those who have taken this thread out into the wilderness  because that's where you need to be to see these faint targets. It's also good to see this come up in the beginner section.

Regarding images as aids or hinderances to visual observing, opinion varies. I'm somewhat in favour, though it's important not to let the remembered image bring a kind of hindsight with it, and I certainly wouldn't look at an image in the field, only prior to setting out. I have a personal obsession with a tiny but beautiful part of M42 which I think of as a hooked finger emerging from a hole.

Because I spent hours trying to get it as sweet as possible in images I know it very well and can just, just, get a hint of it in the 20 inch and 14 inch. It's really the hole I can see, the finger is just 'sensed.' Without seeing it in images I would never had latched onto it visually but I'm personally satisified that my brain isn't making up what I see.

Of course, the whole point of imaging is to show what can't be seen rather than what can, so I agree with earlier contributers' warning that Barnard's Loop is essentially photographic. I don't think it was named before the photographic era even if fragments had been recorded - as I believe they had.

Olly

[PeterW]

We’re having a discussion on CN about the use of deep images to confirm what faint fluffy stuff we’ve seen, the whole gamma Cygnus region being a particular problem. I agree it’s best to use the image after viewing. I’ll have to look out for your “finger” next time I get some longer focal length viewing on M42. Give me a reasonably dark and transparent evening and I’ll show you Mr Barnards Loop....

 

Peter

[jetstream]

8 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Because I spent hours trying to get it as sweet as possible in images I know it very well and can just, just, get a hint of it in the 20 inch and 14 inch.

This feature, as I described a long while ago in a thread is an easy direct vision feature in M42 with no filter. I guess it boils down to sky conditions, the observer and equipment or all 3?

[ollypenrice]

6 hours ago, jetstream said:

This feature, as I described a long while ago in a thread is an easy direct vision feature in M42 with no filter. I guess it boils down to sky conditions, the observer and equipment or all 3?

It isn't easy for me! I do use direct vision and no filter and my skies vary between SQM 21.1 and SQM22 on observing nights. Nothing wrong with the skies. It must be me! It's possible but difficult for me.

Olly

[clarkpm4242]

I observed the bright portion of the loop near M78 using Canon 15*50 IS binoculars.

This was from the Elan Valley in mid Wales on Monday.  Very dark and transparent.

Have observed it quite a few times using wide field combinations.

Good luck 

Paul 

[scarp15]

That's good to know Paul and excellent location, had you used a filter? Still an aspect I will endeavour to pursue, with a wide field combination. Weather and general circumstances had not created opportunities this time, though I still plan on backpacking up the 'whiskey trail' taking along a wide field frac.  

[clarkpm4242]

No filter used.

Wasn't looking for it.  Just became apparent as I swept about after looking for M78.

Cheers