Feb 21 - Big Dob sees a sight that will never be forgotten !

[alanjgreen]

Date: Wed 21^st February 2230-0245am       Scope: 20” f3.6 Lukehurst Dob with Paracorr (fl = 2089mm)

As unbelievable as this may seem but Big Dob has been out under the stars for TWO NIGHTS RUNNING!

Last night was completely cloudless over these parts. I waited for the moon to move over to the west before heading out.

I managed a four hour session. It was colder than the previous night. I had the same wet atmosphere issues as the night before but it got properly dark around 2am and actually conditions had started improving (I could see the wet haze diminish and the sky was darkening)

Reading back through my notes, I can see 25 objects/observations described but (unusually for me) I intend to describe only ONE OF THEM here  

The view of this particular object literally BLEW ME AWAY!

 

It was about 0230am and “the target” was now about 45 degrees high in the EAST.

The scope was in good shape and the (heated) Ethos 8mm was in the focuser (with the Paracorr2) providing x250 magnification.

Using Nexus to help, I nudged over to centre “the target” on the Sky Safari display…

I adjusted the height of my stool and sat down to get comfy.

As I settled at the eyepiece, “the target” was outside the field of view and so I pushed the dob westward…

 

A bright patch appeared top-right so I nudged it to the centre...

“The target” was very bright and full of stars. The target was layered in an assortment of brightnesses of grey (from white hot through to dull grey).

The stars were everywhere and sharp right to the centre of “the target”.

As I looked on, the bright centre was bulging out towards me like looking down on a mountain from above. The 3D effect was mesmerizing and so bright.

My eye wandered around “ the target”, I could see black filamentary veins of hydrogen weaving through the layered grey shades of the nebulosity… (If I was American then I could truly use the word AWESOME!)

As I looked on, the Rosette nebula entered my thoughts, yes that was it, I was looking at THE ROSETTE ON STEROIDS. (Imagine the Rosette but then layered with layer upon layer of bright stars)

I kept returning to “the bulge”. I have seen 3D effects with binoviewers but this was WITH ONE EYE.

 

I tried the Ethos 6mm (x348) but could not get decent focus (Grrr)

Considering I saw M51 with its spiral arms and the full bridge 30 minutes before (which was GREAT) but this was SOMETHING ELSE entirely.

I will leave you to work out which Messier object “the target” refers to? 

 

(I am getting excited all over again just thinking about the memory!)

 

Clear skies,

Alan

[Stu]

Well at 2.30am, M13 was 44.7 degrees up in the EAST!

[Olli]

Great read, your quite lucky to have clear nights been cloudy all week  

[Paul73]

M13 or 92. 

@Stu you forgot your customary  SS screen shot!

Paul

[Stu]

3 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

M13 or 92. 

@Stu you forgot your customary  SS screen shot!

Paul

My apologies for the lapse in service

I imagine it looked a little like this?  

[alanjgreen]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

I imagine it looked a little like this?  

A "little" like that, yes. But it was so much more than that too

You think of a globular as a collection of stars but the stars were just the foreground distraction. It was all the varying shades of the nebulosity and the endless black lanes weaving around... And that bulging effect was just unforgettable.

Its not even well placed in the sky, I can only imaging what the ethos6 will be like when it's right overhead ???

I've viewed M3 and M92 in big dob. But, god this was on another level all together!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report. Reminds me of the views I had with Olly's 20" Dobson from southern France. Magnificent!

[bish]

Sounds great. M101?

[mapstar]

M13 is something else in a large Dob.

I've had the 3D effect many times, and the propeller seems to rotate and shimmer as you watch.

Even the lack of opportunity to view it has not dimminished the views in my memory though and it's up there with the best I've seen. 

Must get out next month and to that end maybe a couple of Star Parties.

[alan potts]

I assume it was M13 and yes I agree a stunning sight in a large Dob and mine is not that large but superb quality. I tend to use the 10mm or 8mm Ethos on this target which give me sort of top and bottom of the X200 range with the Paracorr in the mix. One nigh I looked at it for over an hour, M22 is also a stunner but low for you in the UK, not that high here in truth.

Alan

[estwing]

Big Dobs, big globs...lovely. My 8 ethos is my weapon of choice on globs...clear skies!