Cepheus !

[cotterless45]

Breeze and a touch of chill, we're getting there with extra darkness on the horizon.

The seeing was just sublime, Saturn taking up to x300, more a tennis ball than a tangerine. Dark polar region and surface with shading outside Cassini.

Note the square of Pegasus in the north east , view of M31 and a spectacular x200 view of the colourful fuzzy "blue snowball" NGC 7662 in Andromeda. Nicely placed for seated observing , here is Cepheus,

with light skies and the moon coming up, time to grab some binaries, I picked these out as interesting ,

delta Cephei, nicely wide pulsating yellow with blue companion, SAO 34508.

Kurhah (XI), brilliant warming view , SAO 19827.

Omicron (34 Cephei), tighter at 3.4", SAO 20554, an orange giant and blue companion.

Σ 2923  , a full field here ,SAO 10418.

Noting how still the seeing was I tried some challenges which I had struggled with. The other struggle I had was with the bramble at the eyepiece ! Luckily . It's thornless and will be handy for autumn snack and go !

Now hold onto your socks ! Sub 1.0" separation ! This is the pair of Σ 2872 (SAO 34101), I'd noted the B split , but to see it at .9" was just stunning . Every time that I looked , the tiny clear gap was there . Chinese achromats can be performing acrobats of the sky .

A superb challenge if you like to squeeze the last drop of observing from larger aperture. Fantastic night , couldn't even glance at the huge waning moon. Great a grip of Cepheus , under clear skies ! Hope you have enjoyed this as much I have !

Nick.

[Pig]

Great session Nick and a fine report.... I was all set up last night but some high cloud rolled in around 10pm and halted proceedings ? tonight is forecast clear so fingers crossed ?

[Mr niall]

Great report, will definitely be adding most of those to my list!

[wookie1965]

I was in Cepheus last night will report later got some pictures of the planets that were out.

Great report Nick I think I got a couple of them but not the tight one have wait get the 5" try that.

[mark81]

Fantastic report. It's great to see such a variation in reports as it makes you realise that there is so many avenues to look down. 

The first set of notes look wonderful without even reading them !

Interesting stuff..

[cotterless45]

It seems a neat project to concentrate on one constellation then move the writing finger on,

[mdstuart]

And NGC 2300 the visually easiest galaxy to see in the constellation.

http://bristolweather.org.uk/galaxies/find.php?obj=NGC 2300

 

[chiltonstar]

On 30/06/2018 at 07:27, cotterless45 said:

Now hold onto your socks ! Sub 1.0" separation ! This is the pair of Σ 2872 (SAO 34101), I'd noted the B split , but to see it at .9" was just stunning . Every time that I looked , the tiny clear gap was there . Chinese achromats can be performing acrobats of the sky .

A superb challenge if you like to squeeze the last drop of observing from larger aperture. Fantastic night , couldn't even glance at the huge waning moon. Great a grip of Cepheus , under clear skies ! Hope you have enjoyed this as much I have !

Nick.

I had a look at this one last night as my notes show it's not one I've ever pointed a scope at. Took my non-computerised goto system (setting circles!) to find it though. The close pair were beautifully split at x270 with my 180 Mak and a Baader 10mm ortho EP. Some lovely nearby doubles as well.

Chris

[Eastman]

Great session Nick, really like your sketches too. Very usefull.