Usual Suspects and a Couple of New Targets Sat 20190222

[Captain Scarlet]

I had a decent session on Saturday evening and the first proper use of my Celestron LiFePO, with which I am very pleased. It makes setting up so much more convenient than running a mains cable through a window etc etc, especially with 3 cats whose second-most enduring desire is to get outside (they are allowed out, but only in daylight and under supervision).

2-star alignment of my SkyMax 127 on the SupaTrak was easy, I chose Polaris and Sirius, and Polaris B was visible all the way through the process from my Panoptic 35mm up to my 13mm illuminated reticule eyepiece. Such accuracy wasn’t really necessary for mere observing, but it was good practise for when I have better skies and less time.

It seemed to be a clear night, 18.64 in Sunbury-on-Thames by my SQM-L.

First up was Mars, which somehow and unfortunately I’d managed to avoid when it was close-in during the summer months. Through my Delite 18.2 It showed as a lovely peach-coloured clear disc, very stable, and as I changed up to my Delos 10 and then the Delos 6, it remained stable and I imagine I even saw some fuzzy detail. Only imagined, mind. That it was still clear and round and un-wobbly at 250x seems good to me. I like my Delos’s.
I switched over to M42 through the 35mm, then the 18.2, and allowed myself to be mesmerized for a while. Such beauty. I’m amazed that so much detail and texture of the nebula is visible with this much LP. Unfortunately when I get to darker SW Ireland in April, Orion will have plunged through the horizon by the time it’s dark enough.

I did go to the Delos 6mm briefly, 250x, to see if I could catch anything more than the main Trapezium stars, but no. At that magnification, fine focussing is basically impossible with the native (stiff) Skywatcher knob on the back of the tube, which is currently all I have. Plus the whole setup, particularly on a hard patio, is very springy and it takes a good few seconds to settle down once touched.

I keep trying for a naked-eye glimpse of M44 Beehive, knowing precisely where it is, but never a hint from here. Also, these days even on the clearest nights I can’t even get Alcor naked-eye, whereas a year ago I definitely could. I suspect my glasses’ prescription needs freshening up. Remembering that M46 and M50 (heart cluster) were nearby, I had a quick look at them at 43x. M50 yes definitely heart-shaped, M46 meh.

I’ve recently acquired a TV 55mm Plossl, so I used that to finish the session off with M45 – it all fit nicely into the field of view, really lovely. My favourite feature there is what I personally call the “B2 bomber”, which is what I labelled it when I first saw in through binoculars from dark Ireland and before I’d met any other astronomers. I find that its more usual asterism-name is “Ally’s Braid”.

All in all a decent unplanned session, and no dew!

Cheers, Magnus

[Size9Hex]

Really enjoyed your report. Have seen the chain of stars you describe many times; It always catches the eye, but I had no idea it had a name. Like it. I’ve learned something new!