Report M2 and M71 (but not M56)

[Mr niall]

Wasn’t expecting to get out tonight but poked my head outside about 4pm and saw a beautiful evening so put the Mak out to graze on the lawn. Decided on some messier hunting tonight so went out about 7pm to get started. Had my usual cursory look for M51 incase it’s decided it actually exists after all but found nothing. Tonight was a good opportunity to try out my new dewshield too - an inexperienced observer may think it looks like two pieces of sugar paper sellotaped round the tube but us experts know better (ahem...) Anyway seemed to do the trick. I bit the bullet yesterday and cleaned my objective lens - the lack of dew shield meant my scope was getting damp and repeated abuse had left that horrible film of splotchy raindrops. I wasn’t going to do anything but things have been getting progressively smudgier over the last few sessions so had to bite the bullet and get it sorted. It has made a massive difference so was worth the risk!

Decided to have a go at M56 but didn’t find it sadly - the moon was incredibly bright and think it may have played its part. Luckily though as I was searching in grids I kept drifting through albireo which was a real pleasure. I did stop at a potential target for a while but was undecided.

Moved on to M71 - found almost instantly but, ironically, was all but invisible. Just the faintest grey wisp with almost no shape. I was only sure due to the very distinctive set of stars along side that I knew to look for. Gave it about 15 mins and it almost became something with some shape but not really! Definitely one to revisit.

Using turn left at Orion it looked like M2 would be an easy find - halfway between the great square of Pegasus and Altair, using two pointer stars in between as a guide. But I made two mistakes - I incorrectly identified what stars made up the square and then I couldn’t find the pointer stars, they were all in the direction of the moon and it’s just totally washed everything out. So decided to have a go at the moon instead. Really glad I did - incredible stuff. Lovely sharp views, spent a while on Copernicus as it was near the terminator but didn’t draw (I’m not brave enough for that yet). 

Was just about to pack up and was looking around when I realised I’d got my bearings wrong - the great square (the actual great square!) appeared and then the pointers to M2 appeared! Had another go and found it almost straightaway. A lovely target, very small but lovely contrast with a nice bright centre and a hint of granularity with A.V. 

A great night - two more messiers bagged!

 

[N3ptune]

Looks like it was a very nice observation you had, I can't wait to go on another observation myself.  I saw Sagitta M71 for the first time this year and it struck my memory, this place is packed with stars and a wonder to look at with my new 34mm eyepiece  this place is a wide field spot. You have the very orange star close to M71 too, Y Sagitta.

 M2 I don't have any memories of it but it looks like a nice cluster too. You did a great sketch of it, very nice sketch, it has the brighter stars in the middle too.

Thanks for sharing.

[domstar]

Very nice. M71- my first Messier object that can't be seen naked eye and M2- my most recent. This is a lot like how I've spent the last twelve months- trying to find, not finding, finding, feeling brilliant about it. I'm a big fan of your sketches too.