In The Mountains.

[Guest]

Kept an eye on the forecast all day for a planned observing trip to the Mourne Mountains, about an hours drive from my home in Belfast. 

Arrived at 7:30, got out of the car and nearly fell over,  the shock of so many stars was actually overwhelming !  Sky pitch black and awash with diamonds. 

Unpacked the gear and set up the scope, an 8 inch F6 Newtonian.  Scanned with 10x50's while scope cooled. 

M42, best view I have ever had. Was able to discern plenty of detailing in the nebulosity.  The "wings" were glorious, sweeping back in gracious arcs. The colour was vivid, a definite blue.  The detail became increasingly apparent with further observation. Indeed, the effect was almost 3D. I had a mental image of the Pillars of Creation in my mind. I was able to discern lanes, clumps and arching structure. The whole impression was that of activity on an immense scale - a real "Also Sprach Zarathustra" moment. The Fish Mouth was a deep blackness which contrasted wonderfully with the glowing nebula. Breath taking. 

Also had a look at M81 and M82, nicely positioned in the 12mm eyepiece. M81 displayed a nice bright compact nucleus with an obvious galactic glow extending either side. M82 appeared as an elongated spindle with a central dust lane quite apparent.  Very pleasing to have them nicely framed in the 25mm eyepiece. 

M52 was a faint smudge in the 25mm eyepiece which I initially surmised wouldn't handle further magnification.  Anyhow, I popped in the 12mm and voila !, a faint, ghostly face on spiral developed into view. Very faint and only visible intermittently, I was awe struck !  

Scanning the Milky Way with the bino's was utterly incredible. I lay on the ground with an old cushion for head support.  There's a line in 2001 A Space Odyssey "oh my god, It full of stars"  Wow !

Managed to  locate quite a few of the Messier Clusters, especially those low in my southern sky in Canis Major. I was able to view the Butterfly Cluster floating serenely above the snowey crest of an intervening mountain,  utterly magical in the binoculars. 

It's a remote site in the Mourne Mountains and quite isolated. Nevertheless, a car drove past,  slowed, turned and drove back to stop next to me. "What's this" I though,  with a little apprehension creeping in.  Needn't have worried. A decent chap got out, introduced himself and continued to have a very interesting chat on cosmology !!

A fantastic nights observing.

[paul mc c]

Nice one,there are some amazing skies not that far from Belfast,i once took the scope to Murloch bay just before Newcastle and could not believe the sky i had,,,,,saying that after setting up i realised i hadnt brought my eyepieces.

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, paul mc c said:

Nice one,there are some amazing skies not that far from Belfast,i once took the scope to Murloch bay just before Newcastle and could not believe the sky i had,,,,,saying that after setting up i realised i hadnt brought my eyepieces.

Hi Paul

I know that area well,  it's where I was brought up,  just up the road from Dundrum. 

[paul mc c]

Yes,just in the car park of the reserve....lovely area round there.