Summer Nights

[Pixies]

Thursday night.
The first clear night forecast for 4 weeks! I planned on taking the opportunity to try and find some objects I can't normally see. I wanted to try and find some objects low on the Scottish Summer meridian - around Sagittarius, Scorpio, etc. 

While walking the dog, I noticed the sky around the setting sun was a mucky yellow colour. That didn't bode well for the sky quality, but once getting properly dark I headed east along the coast to a spot with reasonably dark skies and a low Southern horizon. I took the ST80 for a quick set-up and run, fearful of midgeageddon! There was a hint of mist as I drove but on arrival the air was fresher and a breeze sprung up, so I was hopeful.

But nope- the Southern sky was murky and few stars visible to the naked-eye below 20 degrees. The night was going to be an exercise in star-hopping and trying to bag faint messier objects. Using the ST80 with Baader 24-8 zoom mostly.

M28 - faint using averted vision
M22 - faint but visible with direct vision. Much larger than M28
M21 - main star resolved, all else a fuzz. At low power, can get both M21 and M20 (Triffid) in the same view.
M20 - star cluster observed but nebulosity just visible with av.
NGC 6530 - the star cluster within the Lagoon nebula. Visible, unlike the nebula (M8)
M23 - pulling out of the murk now. Lovely large open cluster, improved with averted vision
M24 - Sagittarius star cloud. Lots of stars visible, but all nebulosity lost in murk
M25 - best view at x100. Dark east-west lane visible. Lovely cluster
M18 - small and faint cluster
M17 - Swan nebula. The nebulosity was clear even in these poor conditions. Easily located between 2 bright stars - like a V shape pointing SW. Oiii filter gave more contrast but little improvement in the shape.
M26 - Small and faint open cluster. A few stars resolved at x50.
M11 - Wild duck cluster. Bright central star otherwise just a fuzzy. A few more stars resolved with av.

Started to pack up then, as the skies were getting light. Had a quick shot at the gas giants. Could make out Titan alongside Saturn. The northern equatorial belt was very dark and pronounced on the little disk of Jupiter, even in the ST80.

Back home for bed at 03:30!

Friday night.
2 nights in a row! Tired but the skies looked much better tonight. Stayed in the back garden, this time with the 8" dob. Thought I'd stick to some of the usual faves for a quick session. The seeing was poor, due to the high temperatures during the day, I guess. Double-splitting would be out tonight. A quick try with Double-Double proved the point. I could only split both pairs at x150 (normally < x100)

My son arrived downstairs, so I showed him the hits - M13, M57 and Albireo.
I then had a go at the Veil Nebula with the Oiii filter. Even in the light skies, I could easily see them. Unfortunately my decent Oiii is only 1.25", so the FOV isn't great. I can use larger 2" EPs with my 2" UHC, but that filter isn't really that great quality and the Veil is barely visible.

The seeing was looking better now, as things cooled down in the small hours. Had a go at Lambda Cygnii and managed to split it with the 4mm ortho (x300) - The secondary appearing in and out of the slightly wobbly first diffraction ring - North of the primary. Notched.

Finished off with M31 Andromeda and M32. M110 was not visible. Then a quick check of the Nova is Cassiopeia - mag 7.5 I'd say.

Bed at 03:30!

Saturday. 
Tired and wasn't planning on any sessions tonight. What's that you say? A supernova discovered in Pegasus, and a shadow transit over Jupiter? Oh, OK then...
 

Bed at 04:00!

Edited July 18, 2021 by Pixies

[Stardaze]

Great reports and the effort sounded very worthwhile though you’ll feel it today no doubt. Very jealous of your Sagittarius exploits, I need to find a spot for those being so low here. Stayed at family last night and took the 15x70 binos, thoroughly enjoyed showing a couple of family members a selection of the sky and finished on Jupiter and Saturn.

[MercianDabbler]

Nice report, good to see you braving the haze. It's hard to know how much it will affect things but it seems that it's not a total write-off.

[Pixies]

I'm sooo tired!

[Stardaze]

1 hour ago, Pixies said:

I'm sooo tired!

Im useless on little sleep, so really not suited to this pastime 🤣

[wookie1965]

Brilliant read thank you my southern view is blocked by a street light but I got out last night I will write my report up tomorrow now had birthday party for my granddaughter so I am tired and in pain.