Finally, after so very long...

[iPeace]

After months of cloud, with only the exceedingly occasional and slightest fleeting glimpses of anything worth observing, this night quite unexpectedly offered me the opportunity to get back into this pastime.

I was quite prepared for the clouds to roll right in as soon as the scope of choice was mounted and ready, but it actually turned out to be a great session.

Luna was first - that's what the 8" f/6 newt is for, after all - and it was very nice; Hadley Rille, the Straight Wall, and even glimpses of the Davy crater chain. I got to try out my Baader Neutral Density Moon filter, and it does a good job, I like it a lot.

In my haste to get any kind of observing done, I had left off mounting a finder - who needs one for the Moon, anyway - but having gotten this far, I dared hope for more. I took Moose (my TV-60) out of the bag and deployed it in its super-finder configuration in order to seek out some favourites.

The Pleiades welcomed me back; my beloved chain of M-thirty-somethings from Castor's foot up into Auriga were still there, and I took my time to enjoy each one. Orion's sword had a surprise for me: for the first time ever, two very faint extra stars in the Trapezium, exactly where you've all been promising they would be (not that I ever believed it, of course). Had I not known where to look for them - these faintest of dots - they would not have appeared and I'm only just barely convinced that I saw the F star, but I'm calling it a result.

Then over to NGC 457 and to finish, the Double Cluster. By now, despite my polar attire, my toes were ready to return indoors and so I did.

It's been worth the wait.

May you all enjoy clear skies.

[Astro Imp]

Great report my friend.
Well done on spotting those elusive stars in the Trap.
After all the cloud, rain and wind it sure was nice to be out again, I'v not long come in from a lunar session.
Let's all hope for a spell of proper observing weather.

[Stu]

I thought you had been quiet Mike! It's been rubbish hasn't it? Nice report! Well done on E & F! Would we lie to you? ?

[iPeace]

15 minutes ago, Stu said:

It's been rubbish hasn't it? Nice report!

Indeed it has - so good to get out again, thanks!

[Ags]

I've looked for E and F many times without luck. Maybe one day...

I saw Jupiter and Venus this morning, and the moon looked promising this evening - nice and high. But cloud kept blowing in and I got lazy ?

[Littleguy80]

Great report, Mike. The F star beat me for a long time too! It’s great to get out after so long. The past two nights have given me my first observing in a month. Lunar, a comet, asteroids, another target ticked off the Messier list (M41), some doubles and Orion.  My wife has been pleased to see “the canon”, as she calls my dob, leave the lounge 

 

[John]

Very nice report Mike

I've been out tonight myself with my Tak 100. Very enjoyable, not for any new triumphs but just because it's been quite a while since the last session !

1st prize tonight for me went to Beta Monocerotis - what a star ! (three of them in fact )

Lets hope for lots more as the month / year progresses.

 

[Eastman]

Nice report Mike, we have been under the clouds for to long indeed, great you had a chance to get out.