Meade Lightbridge 16" Observation report as of 28.10.2008

[Doc]

Meade Lightbridge 16" F4.5 FL 1829

28.10.2008

Mag 4.2 - 5.0

Started observing about 21.30

This was the most clearest night I have had since getting the Lightbridge so had great expectations for the night ahead.

Started off on my favourite the M45, everyone has seen it and everyone marvals at it's beauty. Tried all eyepieces but my 32mm TAL gave the best views at x57. This cluster is just awesome.

Auriga was high in the sky so went hunting for three clusters I've not seen for a year. All three are remarkably easy to find. Started off with the M36 a lovely open cluster approx 4000 lys away. It contained about 70 stars. All stars were white and no colourful stars were detected.

Moving further North I passed NGC 1931 in Auriga, a very small cluster with only a handful of stars according to Cartes du Ciel this is also a nebula. But could not detect any nebula type features within it.

We then came to the M38 this is a fantastic open cluster. Again about 100 mainly white stars but did see a few yellow and one blue star amoung the cluster. it looked fantastic in the fov of my 32mm TAL. Just a very small hop away is NGC 1907 a small open cluster that seems to merge with the M38.

I then dropped down to the M37 I think this is the best of the three open clusters in Auriga. Must have near on 150 stars, some very dim so I would guess mag 10. They are all mainly white in appearence with one bright red star near the centre. Spent a good 15 minutes just scanning this showpiece.

I then remembered that I still haven't found the M33 in Triangulum so as it was pretty high in the sky I would give it a go. Looked through the Telrad to where I thought it would be and hey presto I found it almost straight away. I still had in my trusty 32mm TAL. It appeared as a hazy white smudge against the black background. Oval in appearence. pretty hard to see as it seemed to fade and then reappear. Adding more mag such as my 8mm Hyperion at x228 didn't help. It looked best at low power. I was so pleased to bag this one I ran indoors to tell the wife. All she said was keep the door shut it's freezing in here, she didn't seem to understand.

Aldebaran was now very prominent in the eastern sky so decided to look at a few open clusters in Taurus. First was NGC 1746 this is a very large open cluster. It covered a large area and could not fit iinto my largest 32mm eyepiece which has a 0.91 degree Tfov. It consists of about 80 stars mainly all white but very attractive indeed.

I then swept westwards and picked up NGC 1647 in Taurus, a lovely loose cluster with about 50 stars. All pretty bright and a few very close stars these could be doubles or maybe even a triple. This two clusters looked great in a low power eyepiece.

I then decided to hunt for the M1 the Crab Nebula in Taurus I didn't expect to see nothing as I've read so many reports about this being very hard to spot but would try anyway as the limiting magnitude of the sky was getting nearer mag 5.

Found Zeta Tau and placed my Telrad on it and using the 2 degree marker moved it up to where I thought the M1 would be. Scaned around a little and found it. I was really so pleased with myself. Another elusive object found. Again looked really good in my TAL 25mm at x73 looked, oval in apperence. A hazy mottled white smudge but definetly oval in design. Put in my 8 mm Hyperion and at x228 could make out the shape still but no extra detail emerged.

After this I had a look at the M35 in Gemini. Another fantastic looking open cluster it's pretty bright at mag 5 and has many bright stars. Looked very attractice.

Scanned down a bit and found CR89 in Gemini another open cluster this according to Cartes du Ciel butts onto a nebula with the name IC433 At 50'x40' I thought i would see a little nebulosity but after a while looking and scanning this area found nothing. Still a very bright part of the sky with numerous stars.

I then had an idea to find another galaxy I'm yet to see so swung the dob over to Bodes Galaxy. A few days ago I found the M82 quite easy but could not detect the M81. Once agian I found the M82 it appeared as a white mottled cigar like shape. With averted vision I could sometimes see a darker centre appear but how much of that was due to imagination I cannot tell.

I scanned down just a touch and at last saw M81 it was definetly a different shape to the M82. This was a circular white smudge, very dim but unmistakeable. Increasing magnification only increased size of smudge. No spiral arms were detected, but a slightly brighter core was sometimes detected with averted vision.

Back to the South east and Orion was nearly up Betalgeuse was a golden yellow and very bright in the eyepiece.

I resisted the temptation for my first look at the M42 until it reached higher in the sky.

Instead tried to find M77 a galaxy in Catus. I was in the right place but after 10 minutes of trying I could not detect it.

At this point my eyepieces began to freeze up. My Telrad was frozen. And my feet were like blocks of ice.

Had to call it a night 00.30.

Hope you enjoyed it.

[GazOC]

Great report Doc. I got in from the pub after pool league at 11pm but it was far too cold to entice me out for a session. I agree M37 is the pick of those clusters IMHO, there are also many good doubles to split in Orion (inc. Rigel) if that interests you.

[kniclander]

nice report but I felt cold just reading it - brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Doc]

It does Gaz

I've just sent of for a Baader laser collimator from FLO. Collimation is a tad out making splits a bit annoying.

My TAL 100r is good at splitting doubles.

And yes it was freezing. The Telrad had ice on it so did the eyepieces.

[russ]

Blimey Doc you are a busy chap. And a another good haul of targets accounted for.....top work!!!!

Only seen M77 once and that was Astrocamp 1989. I remember it being an elusive little whatsit then under very good skies.

I've always found M1 easy to find and in quite small apertures too. No probs in the ED100 for sure. But faint! It's one I'll savour later in the Winter when it climbs a little.

Auriga is one of my fav constellations. Open clusters heaven!

We've had a few clear nights here but i'm laid up with tooth ache atm.

Russ

[MikeP]

Nice report Doc - a very successful night. Your wife sounds just like mine.

Mike

[asteria]

Wow - nice work - thanks for the report. Ed

[Andrew*]

Super report - thank you for sharing that.

Like you, I have no problems with M1 - I rather enjoy it...

M77, eh? Hmmm, must give that a go.

Andrew