Quick Menorca report

[Highburymark]

Back from Menorca holiday this week. Temperatures in the high 30s throughout and very humid - hardly perfect for stargazing but penultimate night seeing was fairly good and more modest humidity. Took Takahashi FC-100, and mostly used Panoptic 24, Nagler 11, and Delites 3 and 4 for planets. Saturn was beautiful - Cassini prominent throughout, and could actually make out C-ring in my final session. Jupiter also lovely - nice detail in the temperate belts though colours seemed more muted than usual. Mars was just an enormous sandy blob all holiday - a huge disappointment. Open clusters were least affected by the humid conditions, so enjoyed sweeping through Sagittarius and Scorpius - M6 and M7 marvellous. M11 and Cassiopeia OCs likewise. Managing to resolve the outer stars of M22  - also spent a long time on M13 and M4.. Swan nebula was stunning, but highlight of the holiday was the Dumbbell - really extraordinary detail that the Tak pulled out of an object I've observed scores of times before, but never with this success. Came back to UK slightly regretful that I hadn't expanded my Messier and NGC account, but very happy that the weather gods allowed me one excellent session

[Alan White]

Mark

Welcome back to damp and cooler Blighty.
You were indeed blessed with a decent nights observing, which must have been somewhat better than London at its best.
Have no regrets, you sound like your session was of note and most enjoyed.

 

[mikeDnight]

It sounds like you'll need to plan another scientific expedition Mark. 

[MarsG76]

Excellent report.... reads like you had some great views, especially of Saturn and Jupiter. Mars is overhead from my location and the dark markings are visible but very subtle, so I can see how it might be difficult to see detail on a lower in the sky Mars.

Don't regret, even a little, about not bagging more NGC or Messiers.. see it as something left for next time.

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Mark - glad you had at least one good observing night and welcome back.  I love to view Sagittarius and Scorpius  and I look forward to the day when I can see M6 and M7 again.

[Highburymark]

Thanks all. Stuck in London most of the time so it's nice to be able to share holiday experiences once a year

[Special K]

Excellent report!  Menorca can be very very good for observing. Which part of the island were you located?  I was once at a coastal resort on the SE tip which was very favourable LP-wise. Aiming to the SE was over pristine waters  

 

[Highburymark]

4 hours ago, Special K said:

Excellent report!  Menorca can be very very good for observing. Which part of the island were you located?  I was once at a coastal resort on the SE tip which was very favourable LP-wise. Aiming to the SE was over pristine waters  

 

Thanks Kevin. We were staying at the Biniarroca hotel near Sant Lluis - very close to the south east. Agree it's a good area for stargazing - no big tourist resorts. In previous years I've found a couple of dark locations along the coast - west of Punta Prima

[Special K]

That’s the place!  We stayed at a big resort just east of Punta Prima and I ventured on to the dunes just east of there with the ED80 a few nights away from all glare but the lighthouse. Very warm, balmy conditions!

[Highburymark]

Very nice. Looking south from that location, there's nothing but 200 miles of sea until you reach the coast of Africa. Unfortunately I have another 50 weeks of work before I get to go back .....