First time in a while...

[Cjg]

Clouded out after midnight, and plenty of cloud dodging in between, but a great evening nevertheless. Comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner is brighter and an easy find. First look at NGC7731 and the Turtle Nebula too.  Great to be out on the pads with Astro buddies and comparing / contrasting the views.

[Littleguy80]

Good stuff, Chris. We’ve had a busy summer hols so far so I’ve not been able to get out to Seething. I’ve been tracking tracking 21P for about a month from home though. To start with it was tiny and took averted vision to see! 

Looking forward to getting back to those dark skies again soon!

[Stu]

That looks like a very nice and well equipped observing area, I do like the pads!

I really must have a look for this comet soon.

[Cjg]

It’s getting brighter, but lower, well worth a look though. 

[Cjg]

27 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Good stuff, Chris. We’ve had a busy summer hols so far so I’ve not been able to get out to Seething. I’ve been tracking tracking 21P for about a month from home though. To start with it was tiny and took averted vision to see! 

Looking forward to getting back to those dark skies again soon!

The little ones don’t stay little for long, so enjoy the times whilst you can ? fingers crossed for a good season this time.

 

[MarsG76]

Great stuff... good to have buddies who share astronomy interest.

[Special K]

11 hours ago, Stu said:

That looks like a very nice and well equipped observing area, I do like the pads!

I really must have a look for this comet soon.

The pads look incredibly comfortable!  

Have a go at 21P, Stu, it’s a good find!  Looks a lot like the last Lovejoy comet. 

[Special K]

@CjgI’m curious are those two TS 6” refractors in the photo?  

[Cjg]

1 hour ago, Special K said:

@CjgI’m curious are those two TS 6” refractors in the photo?  

Mine (the one closest in the photo) is an Altair Astro 125, purchased from Tring Astronomy Centre this July. The other is an older Meade triplet, which I believe is a 127mm aperture scope. We had a lot of fun looking through both  5" scopes plus a Televue 85 and a Russian 7" Mak. The 7" on a Vixen Mount gave amazing high power views of the Cat's Eye and Turtle Nebulae, when the seeing allowed.

Having a bigger scope sure makes you appreciate the "grab and go'ness" of the Tak 76 on a Porta Mount, but I loved the views...was it's 3rd outing.

Chris