Sat 20/21th Dec 2008 Clear spell Eskimo & NGC 3077!!!

[davo]

At last clear sky!… well almost.[/]

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Most of Saturday’s observing consisted of quick looks out of my kitchen window every now and then to check if the sky was clear. I watched some patchy clouds roll over past my back yard for a while when it suddenly cleared! Fantastic! it’ll be clear now for the rest of the night I thought to myself. (It turned out just to be a couple of short breaks in the clouds). I decided to go for it and got the Dob out and set up my maps & eyepieces. A quick blast at M38 noticing a more cross-shape than I have done previously. Then for one of my map targets which has been waiting for days for a chance to be observed and is something yet to be seen by myself. NGC 2392 the Eskimo nebula. There was nothing in the 32mm but I read on here somewhere to have a bit of trust and use a higher mag eyepiece. So with my 15mm I soon found something looking more than a star & then adding a x2 barlow It really did come to life. A pretty and definite ball shape with a more transparent outer edge. Very pleasing to view and now I know where to look to find it. [/]Not to far away was something I just found when scanning the region and this was NGC 2420 a condensse open cluster tight with very defined almost square edges for an open cluster. A nice sight more compact than the clusters of Auriga and makes a nice change. The view then clouded over through the eyepiece and looking up I see thick dark clouds approaching. Blimey looks like rain? But I was chuffed that I had viewed the Eskimo J[/] Time to take the Dob inside.

Just a couple of hours later another quick look out the window and it was clear again! Ok so this time it will stay clear all night? So out came the Dob again. and a quick collumation check. While the sky looked clear there were still clouds were coming and going. I knew I wasn’t going to be up all night at this rate so I decided to grab a view of M81 & M82 to see if I could see the split in M82 again. Yes I sure did. Love it! And I also found something I’ve never noticed or seen before and that was another galaxy!!!! not in the same field of view but really really close to it. So these two galaxies M81 & M82 became these three galaxies. Where has that been hiding all this time? Looking it up on the net it was NGC 3077!!! and what a welcome addition it is!!!!! I’ve not had this scope that but already I’m seeing so much more than I’m used to. Now all I want for Christmas is a long and clear night.[/]

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Dave[/]

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12" Revelation[/]

[russ]

Well done Dave. I think i may have been the person who suggested tracking down the Eskimo with a medium power, sounds like it really paid off. Like you said, it's all but invisible in the 32mm. The Eskimo is a great little target.

NGC3077 is very interesting, especially if you are hunting around for the other two and accidently stumble across it. I wondered what had happened to M81 when i first saw it. Couldn't remember M81 being that dim.

Nice report and sounds like you are still enjoying that Rev 12.

Russ

[Andrew*]

It sounds like the dob is doing you favours and giving you a great time.

Excellent report. That's three targets I've yet to track down and they sound well worth it.

Thanks for that little burst of enthusiasm to lighten my day! I really need it as it's beautifully clear outside, but I'm stuck indoors with the man flu that seems to be causing a bit of a nationwide epidemic . I was so looking forward to the dark winter nights.

Sorry - I'll leave your thread alone now!!

Again - lovely report.

Andrew