Stargazing in Devon

[Astroscot2]

Currently on summer holiday down in Devon, and really enjoying the weather, over the last week, 6/7 nights have been useful for some binocular sessions.  I'm staying 6 miles East on Dunsford, I find it incredible that I can see for miles in every direction and don't see any artificial lights directly. I'm also amazed by the views of the sky at this time of the year that I can't enjoy from Scotland.

I did not really intend to do any observing or imaging being a family holiday, could not resist using my old Meade 10x50 bino's that live in my car boot that have seen better days, collimation is out so resorted to monocular viewing.

I just love looking South and seeing sagitarius and Scorpius so clearly, so onto a few favourites, M8 the Lagoon nebula and M20 easily identifiable, I'm familiar with the DSOs and star fields in this area as I searched for weeks to locate Neptune which resided in this area when I was a young teenager. M22 globular large and bright, heading North and West I found M25 and onto M16 & M17, North again to the Scutum star cloud which I could see easy with the naked eye and M11 the wild duck cluster, South again sweeping up M23 and over to Jupiter and Antares. Picking up M4 easily in the same FOV.

Felling confident I thought I would try for M6 and M7, I heard that you could view these from the UK, sweeping the horizon both showed up rather easily and I must say I was really pleased to see them this far North.

M31 naked eye, M27 dumbbell and many other favourites scooped up just panning around.

Naked eye the Milky way was easy to see, the dark dust lane splitting the brightness through Aquila.

I love the night sky down here.

Mark

Edited July 6, 2019 by Astroscot2

[nitram100]

Sounds amazing, thanks for the report. I remember seeing M31 naked eye in Pai, Thailand, I could not believe it. I was in Oregon last week and the skies were simply mind blowing as well, wish I could have the same every night!

[mark81]

Very nice report .... You bagged some great objects there.... I'll give them a go this week with my 10x50s...

[Beulah]

Fabulous report - you've really whetted my appetite for the low southern targets - I cannot wait to look at these targets with the dob once I get my mirrors back!

[MarsG76]

What a great write up about a fantastic dark sky.... I can only dream of a sky like that...

[Stu]

Great stuff Mark, lovely report. I have enjoyed many stargazing sessions whilst camping in Devon and Dorset, exploring these southern treasures.