All the gear...

[Littleguy80]

As I arrived home from work last night, I received an email saying my local dark site would be opening up for observing. I gained the necessary approvals from Mrs Littleguy and headed out around 9pm. After setting up and getting everything aligned, I had a quick look through some of the recent observing reports for inspiration for the evening's observing. Some time was spent with Jupiter as I waited for the sky to darken. The seeing wasn't great but I still enjoyed watching Jupiter and it's moons drift across the eyepiece. That was to be last successful observation for the next two hours! 

I've posted lots of reports documenting nights were I've spent hours successfully finding DSOs. On this occasion, I'm sharing a night where things just didn't go well. I tried for the Draco trio of galaxies (NGC 5981, 5982 and 5985) that John observed earlier in the week. The Antennae galaxies (NGC 4039) which I'd forgotten to look for in previous sessions were nowhere to be found. I really wanted to try and get M83 to tick it off my Messier list. I was able to get it into the eyepiece but I couldn't actually see it despite all the usual tricks of scope wobbling and refocusing. 

I did manage to see NGC 6210, the turtle planetary nebula. I saw it at 133x, 200x but then at 300x I couldn't find it. I went back to 133x and couldn't see anything! Looked up and the cloud had arrived. I managed one more brief glimpse of Jupiter and then the night was over.

Despite all this... I really enjoyed myself! The hunt is a big part of the pleasure of this hobby for me. I took a great deal of satisfaction from getting to the right area for M83 despite it being so low. I found NGC 6210 by navigating from Kornephoros using my 9mm eyepiece (133x mag) and SkySafari as my guide. My 20mm eyepiece has dewed up and was therefore out of action at that point. Using the 9mm was quite challenging and I was really happy when I found the turtle. 

I left in reflective mood, thinking about what could have made for a more successful session. I hadn't felt the need for a 13mm eyepiece recently but last night I missed it. Something between the 20mm and 9mm could have been the difference in seeing M83. I could have chosen my targets more wisely, there were enough signs that the transparency wasn't good enough for what I was trying to observe. It was a good reminder that I'm still relatively new at this hobby and having nice equipment is not a substitute for experience. A night like last night will make me a better a observer though!

Thanks for reading my slightly unconventional observing report!

[iPeace]

2 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

My 20mm eyepiece has dewed up and was therefore out of action at that point.

I have one of those rubber blowers in my kit bag, usually for blowing dust off of optics; I've used it to blow the fog off of eyepieces as well, not the ideal solution but works up to a point. Keeping eyepieces (the ones not currently in use) in the pockets of my vest during a session also tends to help. Don't know whether any of this makes any sort of sense, but it just seems to work...your mileage may vary.

Otherwise, it's anti-dew heating straps, etc.

[Littleguy80]

Just now, iPeace said:

I have one of those rubber blowers in my kit bag, usually for blowing dust off of optics; I've used it to blow the fog off of eyepieces as well, not the ideal solution but works up to a point. Keeping eyepieces (the ones not currently in use) in the pockets of my vest during a session also tends to help. Don't know whether any of this makes any sort of sense, but it just seems to work...your mileage may vary.

Otherwise, it's anti-dew heating straps, etc.

Thank you! I'll get one of the blowers to try. I was being quite diligent about putting end caps back on etc but it wasn't enough. I've looked into dew heaters but I don't have the money at the moment. Might have to be the next purchase

[iPeace]

7 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

I could have chosen my targets more wisely

Well, that depends. I always make sure to get some instant gratification by ogling a couple of nice, easy clusters; that tends to make the session worthwhile regardless of what else I do or don't bag.

9 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

A night like last night will make me a better a observer though!

This is the other side of the coin; if you've not failed a single target, either you're observing site is way too dark or you're not being ambitious enough.

But hey, what do I know?

[Littleguy80]

4 minutes ago, iPeace said:

Well, that depends. I always make sure to get some instant gratification by ogling a couple of nice, easy clusters; that tends to make the session worthwhile regardless of what else I do or don't bag.

This is the other side of the coin; if you've not failed a single target, either you're observing site is way too dark or you're not being ambitious enough.

But hey, what do I know?

So many of my sessions are year ago where 50/50 success rate at best. However, it felt amazing when I finally got an observation of something that I'd failed on the last couple of sessions. Even the beehive cluster took me 3 sessions from home! As you say, if you never fail then you're not pushing yourself  

[David Levi]

Yes, it can be a slog if it's only hard targets all night. I too throw in the odd classic, like M5, to reduce any stress. I also failed completely to find the Antennae Galaxies from the Brecon Brecons last week. Not even a hint of them.

[cloudsweeper]

Well Neil, I have most difficulty with nebs and galaxies from my site, which is why I spend time revisiting lovely clusters and trying for ever tighter doubles.  But it is very unusual to go out and fail to get some pleasure from the heavens!

Doug.

[scarp15]

Credit to you for getting out Neil and yes there are nights like these, which end up being a bit of a struggle and its good to include in a report, as a reality check. But heck yes its part of the experience and as you say learning curve, as I was reading I was thinking employ a 13mm, which you duly mentioned. Also good to have a mid power eyepiece in reserve for if and when others dew up. I particularly enjoy reading the reports at this time of year, its really getting too light here to get motivated into doing too much. 

[John]

While the results did not come along it was still a great report Neil and well worth posting

Somtimes the conditions, location and even our state of mind just don't play ball. I think we probably learn quite a bit from these occasions even if it feels like an uphill struggle at the time !

I'm sure there were evenings where William Herschel had a "bad one", chucked his note book on the flloor and ordered Caroline to open the brandy

 

 

[Littleguy80]

44 minutes ago, scarp15 said:

Credit to you for getting out Neil and yes there are nights like these, which end up being a bit of a struggle and its good to include in a report, as a reality check. But heck yes its part of the experience and as you say learning curve, as I was reading I was thinking employ a 13mm, which you duly mentioned. Also good to have a mid power eyepiece in reserve for if and when others dew up. I particularly enjoy reading the reports at this time of year, its really getting too light here to get motivated into doing too much. 

Thank you, Iain. It’s funny how the universe likes to teach you a lesson. Post a thread on not needing a 13mm. Next session out... wish you had a 13mm eyepiece! 

[Littleguy80]

17 minutes ago, John said:

While the results did not come along it was still a great report Neil and well worth posting

Somtimes the conditions, location and even our state of mind just don't play ball. I think we probably learn quite a bit from these occasions even if it feels like an uphill struggle at the time !

I'm sure there were evenings where William Herschel had a "bad one", chucked his note book on the flloor and ordered Caroline to open the brandy

 

 

Thank you, John! I had a good chuckle at the thought of Herschel throwing his note book down is disgust. Should have had a brandy myself when I got home