Just looking

[Trevor N]

Ive spent years now watching laptop screens and waiting to gather electronic data to build up images. I can however remember being a young lad (many years ago) when my uncle let me look at the stars through a pair of 8x30 binoculars from his back garden. I was hooked.

I thought it about time I started just looking again and not spend all my time imaging. Tonight was a chance to do just that. I live in a reasonably dark village although the modern obsession with security lights blazing away all night has certainly increased local light pollution. 

Armed with a pair of 15x70 celestrons I ventured out. The nearest town lies a few miles to the Northwest but overhead the Milky Way was immediately visible to the naked eye and the whole sky was clear.

M31 was brilliant and extended right across the field of view. Once my eyes became dark adapted I could see the two satellite galaxies nearby. I swept down and found M33. It was obvious but appeared as a large diffuse blob

M27 was easy and the veil was seen. The western loop much brighter but.I think I could just make out some  nebula in the Witches broom area .

The North America nebula was just visible, surprisingly large but I could just see a curve where the wall is and the black void between that and the Pelican stood out.

Finally, flat on my back on the patio I just swept through the Milky Way. What a site, occasionally crossed by a satellite.

Nice to remember being that little lad all those years ago and I will certainly start looking again rather than just taking pictures !

[Stu]

Very nice Trevor. Sounds like you have some very decent skies there, lovely to enjoy them visually aswell as via imaging.

[bish]

Can"t  beat sweeping bins around a dark sky for relaxing observing!

[Trevor N]

I agree Bish. No wires , no plugs, no laptops, not even a mount. Very chilled !!

[Scooot]

A good read Trevor, you answered a question I had.  I had an impromptu session with my 8x42s tonight, and thought I could see M27 with averted vision.  However even though I knew I was looking in exactly the right place I wasn’t sure if this was usually possible with bins. So now I know, thank you.  

Edited September 4, 2019 by Scooot