1st / 2nd March Observing session

[daz]

1st / 2nd March 2005

19:30 – 21:30

Temp: 0 degrees

Down to the A.S. Tonight, but was lots of patchy cloud up until 8:45pm. Typically I had not set the scope up, but looked through the 16” LX200 and 8” dob. The glimpses of Saturn were fairly good. Some times of stillness gave a nice crisp image in the LX, using the 2” 22mm EP (184x). As the clouds cleared, looked at M67 King Cobra, M41 in Canis Major and the Eskimo nebula. All very nice!

M67 was impressive, although the snake eluded me, the cluster looked very nice and filled the FOV in the 26mm on the 8” dob. M41 was also a treat, with a very nice red giant just off-centre. The Eskimo looked very similar to the picture on Starry Night, which surprised me – I was expected a fuzzy blob, but got some sense of the structure instead.

At about 9:15, we were about to call it a night when we noticed the sky over the town. Usually the glow just kills everything off and you can't see anything. Tonight though, the glow was still there, but we could clearly see the remaining stars of CMa!! Most unusual!

A frustrating session dogged by cloud only to have the skies clear when it was going home time!

04:45 – 06:00

Temp: -5 degrees

An early start for the morning then! Up at 4:15, ready to go at 4:45am. One target in mind this morning, Jupiter! Started at the 26mm (38x) and went through the 20mm (50x), 10mm Elite (100x) and then to the 5mm Ortho (200x). Because of the low altitude and the amount of LP, there was not much more to be had. I was very pleased with the 10mm Elite, could clearly see banding and 5 moons and the 5mm Ortho showed lots of detail. No GRS as I think I was a little early. Took some footage and tried RGB, will be interesting to see how this comes out!

Wouldn't say it was cold, but my tea froze in the cup!!!

Also managed a look a Venus as she rose in the dawn sky. A nice crescent shape and very bright!

Update: GRS Visible on image processing!!!

[FLO]

Thanks for sharing Daz

[lunator]

Daz

Great report. I noticed that the lack of moisture in the aor last night made the transparency very good.

I was looking at the 'paws' of the Ursa Major and I spent a little time trying to spot faint stars with averted vision. When I cam back inside and checked in Cartes di Ciel the faintest Star I saw was Mag 5.7.

It sounds like you had very similar conditions.

Tonight I can't see anything fainter than 1st mag with the naked eye.

[GazOC]

Good report Daz, hurry up with the images mate.

I don't know about a Cobra it looks like a vague "S" shape of bright stars to me. But the "Vague S cluster" doesn't have much of a ring to it I don't suppose.

[Ant]

Nice to read a report like that! The 16" sounds very impressive!

If you looked at Venus, was there any sign of the comet or did you not look for it?

According to "The planets" from www.cpac.org.uk the GRS was visible for most of the 19:30 - 21:30 session... although the later you got the closer to the edge it became...

An4t

[OXO]

Eskimo nebula Mmmmm not observed that for ages maybe worth another look?

Great Report it was a pleasure reading it Daz.

James

[daz]

Ant

No, it was really only a fleeting look at Venus, just before I packed away. I nearly got the laptop out again, but I was piggin' freezing!

That's a useful link Ant!

[GazOC]

Daz,

I think the fifth "moon" is Nu Libra..?