Dew! And a Perseid.

[Captain Scarlet]

I had hoped this would be an observing report, but no such luck! My new carbon tube for my newish 12” OO mirror was to have got its First Light tonight, but when even the primary looks like this once it had been outside to cool, it was clear nothing was going to happen.

 

Another pic from earlier in the evening, to actually show off what it looks like:

 

Oh well. At least it’s much stiffer and far easier to manhandle than the SW bluesteeltube it replaced.

I did see a short but very bright Perseid though, actually the first “xxx…eid” ive ever seen “on cue” ie where and when it was supposed to happen. I’ve seen dozens of meteors, but never until now the “official” ones, they’ve always eluded me on the nights.

Magnus

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Unlucky. Nice set up though. 😀

I'm in Ceredigion and the forecast was for clear skies so four pints of bitter and out of the pub. Fantastic. The Milky Way easily visible when I shielded my eyes from the occasional street light. The first time I stood still and whoosh, two Perseids.

Hunkering down in a camping chair with the 10x50s and a sobering  flask of tea I was cocker hoop. A nice view of M31 and while taking a peek at Jupiter as the planet rose above a forest, whoosh, another meteor flashes through the binocular fov. 

This is gonna be some night if I can stay awake... Sitting back drinking tea, whoosh again x2... Oooo.. All observed meteors roughly shooting s/sw from Perseus. Another scan with the 10x50s along the MW and then bahhh, flipping unforecast cloud rolls in over the hills from the south and over an hour later isn't shifting. 🙄

[Captain Scarlet]

In the end I saw 10-15 Perseids before it all clouded over around midnight. And there appears to be a biggish white spot on my mirror. Not sure what it is, maybe a spider-ball or spore-spread. Time to give it its first clean it I think.