Observing report 30 Dec...

[philipok]

Took advantage of a very cold and clear night on 30 Dec.. aligned the Meade lx200 10" in about 2 mins using the 2-star align (WHY haven't I used this before, saves all that ridiculous levelling and finding home malarkey).

Although people disparage GOTO, I did find that if I can reasonably locate the object in binos, I have no guilt about using the system... so:

M81/82 - great pair as ever, UMa in fairly good skies with low LP.. then to M97, Owl Nebula, just about discerned a couple of dark spots with the OIII filter..

Quick look & sketch of Alpha Geminorum, easily split in the 10", with the 3rd companion due south.

Then to my favourite, the Eskimo nebula, with a sketch.. this object really takes magnification, so I cranked it up to x333. Because I've seen so many images, it's hard not to imagine details where there aren't any, but a clear halo and darker centre.. made use of the neglected 15mm Meade 4000 plossl.

was looking closely at the Eskimo when a plane shot through the field at x333.. I think I jumped back about 3 metres- the inflight film looked good, though.

Next stop - M42/43 in the 33mm SWAN, 72 degree field - truly stunning, almost a whirlpool shape, with arms of nebulosity arcing north and south, the darker bay areas clearly visible. sketching it is a challenge.. quick tour of 1977, the running man, ghostly glow, and then M78, I think my optics were starting to cloud up.

next - Cone Nebula - I really know nothing about this object, but I had a patch of nebulosity at x96, no hint of any dark shape - do I need more aperture? Rosette totally invisible, but at this point I was getting tired (and the scope was covered in frost).

One last one - attempting the Merope nebula visually - difficult to know whether I had nebulosity around a star or just glare/condensation.. but I feel certain I saw *something* around Alcyone or Merope.. by that point the cluster was at the zenith, pretty dark. Anyone else had this visually?

A good session, all in all.. spent about 20 mins defrosting the scope.

Top tip - snowboarding trousers and jacket with integral fingerless gloves.

Happy New year

Philip

[mdstuart]

Yes I know that feeling, I had ice on the O rings and tube by the end of my session.. I find even the eyepieces start to cloud up. Lovely review..

[philipok]

thanks!

another tip - Whiterock hot hand disposable heaters - just hold them against the eyepiece/tube etc.

[John]

Thats a great report Philip - I love the M81 / M82 pairing - must look out for the cone neb though I've not seen that one.

Thanks for posting !.

John

[lunator]

HI Phil

Very nice report

Cheers

Ian

[ZOG]

the inflight film looked good, though.

:laughing3:

Seriously, very nice report, and hey, it's horses for courses with the goto thing, some like it, some don't, if you do, why worry.

[russ]

One last one - attempting the Merope nebula visually - difficult to know whether I had nebulosity around a star or just glare/condensation.. but I feel certain I saw *something* around Alcyone or Merope.. by that point the cluster was at the zenith, pretty dark. Anyone else had this visually?

Tried this myself but i think all i got was glare :?

Nice report