Total cluster

[Kn4fty]

Having an evening forecast of clear skies, I got excited about spending some time at the EP. Wanting the best view possible I knew I had better do some scope maintenance. In my last session I noticed my collimation was ever so slightly out. It wasn't bad, but hey, I'm a perfectionist. Still had good views, but a Cheshire checked revealed my secondary was just a tiny bit out of center according to the cross hairs. I get out my tools and throw the Cheshire in. Should be a quick job..... Or so I thought. My fat fingers got in the way and the next thing I know, I can't see the primary anymore. After an hour of correcting I finally got it back in place and centered. Then I proceeded to align the primary. I then checked the alignment of the laser collimator, it was good, so I used it to tweek the primary. After the headache of the "secondary incident" I needed some EP time more than ever. So I set the scope up to give it a good cool down. The moon was up and the sky bright. The moon was moving behind a series of trees, so I went inside to watch a movie for a bit. Once back outside the moon was dipping out of site, so I made for my first object. Juno, would be a good way to start the night. After about 30 mins of searching and having no luck finding it, I sat down a bit frustrated. Maybe now would be a good time to pick up drinking....nope! By gosh this is going to be a good night!! So I decided to move on to the next target. I set on Capella, then moved the scope. There in all it's glory was M 38, the Starfish cluster! It's arms of stars reaching out to give me a cosmic hug to tell me all would be ok..... or maybe eat my face off. But either way, there it was. The bright lines of stars going in different directions were obvious while the dimmer stars were stellaring. As I began to sketch, the stellaring began to stop as my eye really focused in. Soon many stars were very obvious. 

Soon it was time for my next appointment, M36. I swung the scope over and saw a hazy blob with only a handful of noticable stars. I began to sketch, but then became hypnotized by the "haze". The haze no longer looked like haze, but fast tiny flashing Christmas lights as the stars stellared in and out. I put the clipboard down and watched the show. Wow! I couldn't keep track of them! After a while a yawn broke my hypnosis. Time to move on.

Next on the list , was M 37. I swung the scope and found it. The bright lines of stars gave me the initial impression of tepee poles the way they seemed to be rows that crossed each other. Many bright stars! I yawned as I began to sketch. Speaking of sketching, anyone notice how easy open clusters are to sketch? Dot dot dot DOT dot... But anyway I digress..... This beautiful cluster has many many doubles that made it interesting to sketch. Some obvious, others showing up then vanishing. Some slowly brightening as my eye became accustomed to the view. Suddenly the view blurred..... Oh no another yawn! Uhoh a series of yawns! Gotta get my last target in quick!

I quickly set the scope on Aldeberon. Quick being relative here as I'm moving much slower than earlier in the night. I move to the coordinates of 21P Giacobini Zinner. I will see this comet this year! I look and I look and I look. Huh, things don't look right.... Ok sta, yawnnnnnn,rt over. Yawwwwnn. Reset on Aldeberon, these setting circles look strange, move to , yawn, 21P's coordinates again.... Oh look what a beautiful star cluster! Oh wait....yawn.... That looks familiar.....it looks just like..... M 37!!!! Ok at this point I realized my mind is going into shut down at 4am. Time for bed! What a great night!!!

The moral of the story is sometimes life can be a real cluster and throw problems your way. But sometimes it's clusters that make you smile! ?

Rob

[cloudsweeper]

Nice one Rob - a most enthusiastic account!  Clusters are my favourite objects.

Doug.

[Eastman]

On ‎19‎/‎09‎/‎2018 at 20:07, Kn4fty said:

M36. I swung the scope over and saw a hazy blob with only a handful of noticable stars. I began to sketch, but then became hypnotized by the "haze". The haze no longer looked like haze, but fast tiny flashing Christmas lights as the stars stellared in and out.

Nice session Rob, M36 is a beauty.