Get Back

[scarp15]

It is understandable how motivation can wane when encountering a prolonged period of absence for any observing opportunities. Therefore late Monday evening and with no work the following day, I chanced a drive north. Humming the tune to 'Get Back', yet with a fickle and breezy weather forecast, the sense of homecoming might have mixed blessings.

Arriving on the hill, I set up my 200mm F6 dob, cloud would be a significant issue and I decided not to set up my 85mm refractor, instead abandoning much of my intended target list (that had included specific planetary nebula, reflection nebula and dark nebula) and make the most with gaps in the clouds and clear periods. The Milky Way, when the clouds did disperse shone brightly and illuminated through as further blanket cloud rolled in. Transparency during the clear periods was very good. 

My favoured eyepiece for this session, 31mm T5 with a 5.1mm exit pupil. The Double Cluster and the Pleiades commanded my full attention, so to did Caroline's Rose and the coupling of M81 and M82. Attaching my vintage Lumicon OIII, the Pacman Nebula was bright and expansive.  Over to the Veil, I became absorbed with the eastern and western sections; sharp and bright, Pickering's Triangular wisp and an abundance of faint hazy patches, perhaps such as NGC 6979, absorbing to drift along. Equally sharp and distinct the North America and Pelican. Faint hazy patches of nebulosity abounded around Sadr and the Crescent to quite distinguishable with direct vision.   

I decided to have a go at Sh2-91 and the associated super nova remnants SH2-94 and Sh2-96. After all why not, the Little Veil is a tough subject but I had, last season, determined it with my 350mm dobsonian and time was running out, I may not get another chance this season. By now my eyes had become fully dark adapted and accepting the 5.1mm exit pupil, along with the 'magic, Lumicon OIII, something might be deduced. The long curved steak was there I could just determine it and potentially aspects of Sh2-96, not unlike observing the Horse head, you gain awareness as to what you are looking for and it will become achievable, including at varied aperture. The sky was very clean at the time and the moon had long since set, I find it also assists after tracing the fainter threads of the Veil nebula.

After this I went in search for the Dumbbell Nebula, encountering first M71 and also a small faint emission, reflection nebula possibly Sh2-82 -  The Little Cocoon, averted vision assisted more with this observation. Afterwards cloud once more closed in and it was approaching 1.15am, yet I felt that I had 'got back' to the thrill of discovering the deep sky.

 

[Littleguy80]

Excellent report, Iain. It doesn't take to bring the enthusiasm for observing back. The little Veil sounds like a very good challenging object. 

[scarp15]

Cheers Neil, chocolate digestives, banana and plentiful coffee bolstered my enthusiasm through the cloudy periods. The Little Veil has been debated quite a bit on the forum and Gerry's competent descriptions convey a good sense for this quite difficult observation task. Placement though is straight forward, patience is required, there are also some good observers drawings if researching sourced such as through Cloudy Nights.