Dark skies , Dumfries and Galloway.

[cotterless45]

 

A flying visit to Dunroamin , what a Saturday night ! Then some action Wednesday and Thursday night's. Away from home light pollution , the skies here have been stunning .Some greenish glow of northern lights has accompanied the sky from the north west. These are some of our darkest skies and our fourth trip here.

The clear bright Milky Way ends at Deneb, then switches to the side of Cygnus at Gienah through to Aquila. From Deneb to Albireo it’s bright then ends. The rifts , coalsack and tears of this area are stunning by eye. In 15x70 binoculars , the wispy arm of the NAN could be picked out from the mass of stars here.

Facing Triangulum, M33 was bright and spiralled. Bodes(M81 and M82 )both in the view showing their shapes and brightness. Even M51 shows that it’s more than a single glow.

One span of Cassiopeia, to the left , you’ll find length of “Kemble’s cascade”. It looked like a long straight rod with hockey stick ending . Really stunning sight.

Had a look at some clusters. M39,M34, double cluster, clusters of Cassiopeia including NGC 7789, “Carolines rose” . A scan along Cassiopeia and Cygnus gives plenty clusters. There's so much more against a dark field. Tried x8 binoculars on the double cluster . Got both with a chain going up to the huge Stock 2. Just a stunning sight.
From Sagitta found M27 , bright and very obvious in the Vulpecula starfield.

Looked for the usually obvious Cepheus , could only find it looking for the bulge from the MW. Mu Cephei , Garnet star very bright at the base.

Constellations in the Milky Way just de -shape into the background . Even pointing binoculars at a bright known star and it soon melts into the granular star background.
Below Aquila , plenty clusters down to Sagittarius, a packed sky to our galactic centre.

Lovely to clearly see the constellations such as Delphinus , Lynx and up the front and below Pegasus,Pisces by eye. Before packing up got M13 and then up to get a very bright M92.

Really lovely sky , might bring the 10" Dob next time,
Clear skies !
Nick.

[estwing]

very nice old boy and some lovely sights....could be heading that way in Feb for the Galloway star party, with fantastic skies I think its a must....dark clear skies!

[wookie1965]

I will never forget my first dark sky last Saturday unbelievable really mind blowing.

[scarp15]

Terrific location and engaging binocular session. It is a fabulous dark sky landscape corridor, encompassing, Galloway and Dumfries, extending eastward further into the Southern Uplands, Scottish Borders and north Northumberland. According to the BBC weather, much of the area is receiving quite a soaking presently due to storm Callum.

[mapstar]

Told you it was good up there Nick 

Great report shame you didn't have a scope to take it in fully