First light with my first 2" EP

[Pixies]

For a few days, Clear Outside has been showing a few green squares for tonight. Then this morning: green from 11pm - dawn! At last - it's been weeks since I had a proper session. Still not properly dark yet, but getting closer all the time. I've got a new (to me) Aero 30mm 2" and I was desperate to try it.

At 9pm, I was taking the dog for a walk. My son called to say his pals were going to come over for a sleep-over. Oh no - that'll make things more complicated. 3x15 year olds raiding the fridge all night. Then... clouds. Load of them. Thick dark clouds!!!

Anyway, after giving strict instructions to the boys about the kitchen light. I set up my Bresser 8" Dob and crossed my fingers.

It started to clear at midnight. A few patches, so I was going to have to pick my targets a little less randomly than usual. I started with Albireo - nice and sharp and the colour contrast was very clear. The seeing looked quite good, so I checked Mizar and the double-star split very clearly.

So time for the new EP. I found the double cluster in Perseus first. It fitted the 68deg view perfectly. The small tight central parts of each cluster were well defined, with the stars incredibly contrasting and bright. A real high-def effect. The outer parts of the view were not so, unfortunately, but not surprisingly. So I just sat and admired the star-dust.

Next was M31. It was obvious in the finder and didn't disappoint in the EP. The central core was there, but some nebulosity around it too - not quite stretching as far as M32 though. Still, much brighter than I had expected. M110 was barely visible with averted vision.

The clouds were increasing now, so I had to move around. First view of Saturn! It has eluded me so far, due to obstructions in the garden, but tonight I found it (x100). Shimmering with little definition, but still an engrossing sight, so I stayed with it for quite a while. Jupiter was too low and hiding behind a wall. I'll need to find something sturdy to stand the dob base on.

One last target, so I decided to have a shot with the Blinking planetary nebula. which I haven't seen before. Hard to reach as it was almost at Zenith, and the clouds were occasionally intruding, but I found it and commenced the averted vision trick. I couldn't see any colour, so the grey nebula kept blinking out of existence whenever I stared at the central white dwarf. A neat little trick, and hopefully more colourful when dark skies return.

I find I like to write things up afterwards, to make sure I don't forget any part of the session. So I hope you excuse my ramblings. Quite a few firsts tonight. Boys are still awake!

[John]

I'm glad you like your Aero ED 30. I use mine mostly with my refractors in which it works pretty well. The Aero ED's are quite light for 2 inch eyepieces so it does not cause the balance issues with the longer tubed scopes that my heavier low power eyepieces would.

 

[Stardaze]

Sounds like a great night of viewing! Looking forward to M31 in my dob too for the first time. It's still covered by next doors tree at the moment. 

I realised that the clouds were dispersing far too late last night. I had a long day of driving planned, with an early start, only to get the cancellation through late, so no time to get the dob out to cool. I do have a new EP being delivered later though, so hopefully Thurs night is as currently forecast for a first use. 

[RT65CB-SWL]

I only have one 2" e/p to date and that is the Sky-Watcher 2"/28mm LET|LER Apex and is quite an eye-opener.

Gave me some stunning views of Venus a few months ago in my 're-modded' ETX105 and Celestron C6/SCT-xlt.
Beside my TeleVue e/p's, this is my most used.