Milky Way company

[Stardaze]

We’re currently down on the south coast holidaying so just a tripod and the 15x70’s were packed to share with some of the family, providing the weather plays ball. We were treated to a little glimpse through the clouds Sunday evening but last night the clouds parted around 9.30 and revealed the Milky Way as good as I have seen it this year. The measurement on clear outside is 21.57 mag for here and although there looked to be a slight kick from the jetstream, the seeing for the binos was pretty good. All of Ursa Minor was clearly present early on.

I really wanted to see Antares from here, which was right on the horizon out to sea when we found a spot overlooking the peninsular. Could really see the surrounding nebula and within 20 minutes, she was lost below the horizon. 
 

I showed my sister and her husband some easy targets to begin (Perseus double cluster, M13, Albireo) but they were keen to see Jupiter and Saturn which were very prominent. Jupiter’s Galilean moons were really clear and a quick check in sky safari confirmed Callisto and Ganymede, but Europa and Lo were very tightly positioned. We came back later to see those two disappear into one, just before we packed up which everyone thought was pretty cool.

We spent an hour hunting around the Milky Way picking out a few globulars (M5, M14) and just taking in the denseness of Cygnus directly overhead, a real treat in such dark skies. M27 popped really well in the binos  now that the eyes were properly adapted. 
 

I really wanted to capture RS Ophiuchi too before we packed up, but my fellow gazers were too keen on the two planets before heading back. Tomorrow night looks like it has potential, so fingers crossed I’ll maybe head back on my own for a more selfish gaze.

We all stood in awe looking up at the great rift before we left far too early.

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Stardaze

[Epick Crom]

Sounds like a great time was had Stardaze! Binos under a dark sky deliver wonderful views. Clear skies

[Stardaze]

2 hours ago, Epick Crom said:

Sounds like a great time was had Stardaze! Binos under a dark sky deliver wonderful views. Clear skies

I don’t think it gets any better, over looking the coast, all with a beer in hand, on a lovely summers evening 😀

[TerraC]

Whereabouts are you?  I was in Dorset last week.  Weather terrible for Astro really but we got 1 good night and 1 ok-ish for an hour night.   Darkest point I could find in the area was West Bexington beach front car park.  Bortle 3 and phenomenal view of the Milky Way.  I couldnt do it justice with a pic as a weather front was heading in.  Blowing a gale and cloud out within 15mins of me getting there sadly.   Some fantastic viewing though with my portable Startravel 102.   

 

 

[Stardaze]

6 hours ago, TerraC said:

Whereabouts are you?  I was in Dorset last week.  Weather terrible for Astro really but we got 1 good night and 1 ok-ish for an hour night.   Darkest point I could find in the area was West Bexington beach front car park.  Bortle 3 and phenomenal view of the Milky Way.  I couldnt do it justice with a pic as a weather front was heading in.  Blowing a gale and cloud out within 15mins of me getting there sadly.   Some fantastic viewing though with my portable Startravel 102.   

 

 

That sounds awesome. We’re just outside of Looe. I bet the ST102 is a perfect travel setup on a relatively light mount.