I couldn't feel my fingers but

[Hungrymark]

Tuesday 6th February - back garden South Cumbria ~8.30 - 10pm, Skywatcher 200p, cold cold cold 

Castor - I've been doing this star thing for a couple of months now and find splitting Castor a good warm-up. Living in the northwest where clear nights aren't the commonest, and being a novice, I like the easy start to get my eye in. No probs tonight at 120x.

M35 - I really like this cluster, it's great to wander around and lose yourself. Also, last couple of times I'd forgotten to keep an eye out for NGC2158, but I remembered this time. I don't know if it should be resolvable into stars at 8" and a 32mm Plossl but it wasn't. Still, nice to say hello to the fuzzy little thing.

M1 - I'd got this last time I had a proper session about three weeks ago so went back, and I don't know if it's me getting better at seeing or the sky but i felt I could see more tonight. Maybe a hint of some structure beyond a grey smudge at 37x. 

M31 - No probs, obviously. I managed to get M110 but not M32, which I thought was strange. M32 was very obvious last time. Maybe I was looking at the wrong bit. The north/south inversion through a telescope still tricks me sometimes! 

M51 - Feeling emboldened, and noticing that UMa was higher in the sky than the last time I tried, and failed, to get it, I had a pop at the this galaxy and its companion. Delighted to get it this time. Still relatively low, so structure wasn't obvious, but both partners unmistakeable. I feel like I got some arm action with averted vision and letting my eyes go slightly out of focus but wouldn't promise.

Double cluster - very nice, definite red stars in the one that's meant to have red stars (NGC884?), which again I'd forgotten to keep an eye out for previously. 

M103 - New to me, a nice view but not knowing too much about what I'm doing I had to double check it wasnt just part of the milky way!

Mu Cephei - Hello there, you massive orange thing. Tried showing my wife one of the biggest stars known, she wasn't interested. How could you NOT be?! 

M33 - I live in Ulverston, a small market town. LP is present but doesn't seem too obtrusive to my inexperienced eye, but I'd tried for this previously and got nowhere. Well it was there tonight. Not much, and no real detail, but I've no doubt. I was hugely pleased with this but double-checked I wasn't imagining it by aiming somewhere else and going back, and it was still there. Like somebody had left a fried egg on a damp surface, and then removed the egg. Sort of a featureless imprint, but the best moment of the night just for seeing it as I'd heard it was difficult.

Eskimo neb - a disappointment. I'd found it a few weeks back but couldn't tonight. I think planetaries might be a nemesis, I find them very difficult for some reason. Might buy a filter, hmmm. 

Orion - M42 and 43, lovely stuff. Had a pop at splitting some of the doubles but Orion was sitting right over the roof of my house and I think the warm air rising might have hampered my efforts, as I only got a hint of a split at 120x on Alnitak, and nothing really on Eta Orionis. I've split them before, so a slight disappointment. Trapezium, ABCD no worries, maybe a hint of E but nowhere near for F. Darned house giving off its warm air, is that likely to be the issue? I think I've got E before but never F.

M81/82 - fingers starting to lose all feeling by now, so a quick, confidence-boosting trip to these two. I know where they are and they are the first galaxies i ever found so I have a soft spot. I love being able to see both in the same fov at 37x. Blows my mind. 

Thanks for reading, if you got this far! 

Mark

 

 

 

[F15Rules]

Great report Mark, you had a busy and cold session!

You will definitely find that you see more as you get more practice in..once you have spotted an object (or just suspected you saw it), it's amazing how much easier that object becomes in future sessions.

You have a great first scope there, which will keep you busy for years if you want it to. 

Regarding M42, your scope definitely has the aperture to show E and F (I often see them in my 5" refractor), but it's important that the scope is finely collimated. Again, this comes with practice.

Lastly, your eyepieces..I don't know what you are using, but do gradually buy the best quality ones you can, this will help you to know that your (well collimated!) scope is giving you the best view it can.

Clear skies☺

Dave

[Knighty2112]

Nice report. Well worth some icy fingers to view!  

[laudropb]

A very nice report of a productive session Mark. Observing over roof tops really can be a problem and the use of a UHC or Olll filter can make quite a difference when it comes to planetary nebulae.

[Littleguy80]

Great report, Mark. There were some good skies last night. I got M1 from home which previously I’d only been able to see at dark sites. A sure sign of good transparency! E and F in the trapezium still elude me. 

[Hungrymark]

Thanks chaps (I'm assuming). I think the scope is collimated. I've read the usual suspects, astrobaby etc, and did it with a cheshire, but I'm not 100%. Would a laser one be worth it? I'd heard cheshires were more accurate but presumably only if you know what you're doing! 

[Hungrymark]

19 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

 

Lastly, your eyepieces..I don't know what you are using, but do gradually buy the best quality ones you can, this will help you to know that your (well collimated!) scope is giving you the best view it can.

Clear skies☺

Dave

I've upgraded from the ones that came with the scope to a 32mm and 20mm Plossls (I think skywatcher ones). The reviews seemed good. Think I could maybe do with a better high mag EP than the stock 10mm. An 8mm Plossl? I'm determined to get the full trapezium! 

[Saganite]

Hi Mark,

A fine report of an enjoyable session. I have very fond memories of the 200p, a terrific scope, and at the time I used BST Starguiders, particularly the 12mm and 8mm, both of which you could pick up for around £30 each, in used but excellent condition. They are 60 deg eyepieces, and exceptional value for the cost.

Good hunting 

[BiggarDigger]

A nice report Mark!  Sounds like a really good session.  I can sympathise with the numb fingers - try some thermal gloves: they work for me.

Richard

[domstar]

A great report. I usually start with a tightish double too. My eyes need more time for the faint stuff and I can see how the scope is performing under the conditions and if it's cool enough. I've just invested in running gloves that go inside my mittens. It means I can switch eyepieces without showing any skin. So far so good. 

[cotterless45]

Great report, try cupping your hands and blowing some warmth in. Fingerless mitts are good.

Unless you hit or drop the 200, it will hold collimation. Easiest way to check , just in and out of focus on a bright star,

Nick.

[wookie1965]

Great report really good objects there some of my favourites Mu Cephei for one. 

[Alan White]

I wear a pair of knitted silk gloves, are under layer for outdoors sports and thermal fingerless gloves.
Keep you mitts warm and good dexterity and grip for handling eyepieces and focus wheel etc.