What did you see tonight?

[dobbyisbest]

Truly an excellent sky tonight. 67% relative humidity, good seeing transparency, and all in the run up to the new moon! 

Only spent about two hours out running through a few regulars (until my hands started going numb), mainly to see if I could improve on the details of some objects and testing out equipment - 14” vs 10” vs 8” dobs side by side, and a Nagler 31mm that I took over from a friendly club member recently.

I think these were the best sightings I’ve had of M42, M81, M82 and the Eskimo nebula since I started this hobby in September 2021. What a pleasure it was tonight, I feel I achieved my goals. All of them showed obvious additional detail not usually present, particularly in M82 (at x243) within the object, whilst there was ‘more’ of M42 visible in areas beyond the Trapezium and the wings that are normally visible (in what I can only describe as the round part or ‘belly’ that shows up in photos - happy for anyone to educate me on the actual descriptors).

And appreciating that this is not an equipment review thread, I will just say that the Nagler 31mm is my new favourite eyepiece.  Unfortunately, now I have an itch for 2” Oiii and UHC filters but will have to wait a bit before I can scratch it! 

[Stu]

39 minutes ago, Saganite said:

Sirius has focused down to such a tight disc that I can see the Pup star by far the best ever that I have seen it, incredible night so far....I will probably wake up in a minute.

Wow Steve, you are having a cracking night! Seeing was pretty average here later on, transparency rubbish too so haven’t persevered. Enjoy your night!

[Saganite]

Cheers Stu, but the party just ended !

I can see half of Ursa Major, Mars, and nothing else.  Orion has vanished, but I am not complaining, it has been  a fabulous few hours...👍

[Telescope40]

Hello all.  What a great night at last.  Went for a double session earlier.  5pm till 6 pm chasing Jupiter and Mars.  Jupiter giving a great display with the GRS on or about meridian.  Mars was good also showing some great features. Tried a couple of new to me coloured filters. Definitely helped tease out a bit more detail.  Quick gander at Uranus and Neptune.  Break for some teatime. 

Back out about 7.30. Still not a cloud to be seen.  Fired up Sky safari using my Rowan mount. Nice to have it tracking these days.   A few doubles me thinks.  Usual suspects - Castor, Altinak, Mintaka and Rigel.  New one for me - Wasat in Gemini  !!   Mizar and Polaris. 

Messier time - M36  M37 M38  - always all three of these. M50, M41, M35, M48.  M81/82 looking real good.   A real good haul in about 2 hours.  The usual suspects but nice to get re acquainted. Torn between enjoying the views or chasing new stuff.  Went old favourites.  Only baled as the feet were beginning to cry out. Did anyone mention it's a wee bit nippy. 

Best session for a very long time. 

 

John  

Edited January 16, 2023 by Telescope40
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[Saganite]

A good session John, very enjoyable and a good selection of targets. I missed a lot out tonight but got the few that I really wanted.

Pleased that old Tak is working for you....

[Telescope40]

11 minutes ago, Saganite said:

A good session John, very enjoyable and a good selection of targets. I missed a lot out tonight but got the few that I really wanted.

Pleased that old Tak is working for you....

Steve. The Tak is just awesome. Couple of additions for it  in the post ATM.  Will be nice add ons. Hopefully ?! 
 👍

John 

[F15Rules]

Just came indoors after my first session for a good while, just 90 minutes, but WHAT a 90 minutes!

I genuinely think this is one of the best nights sky I've seen here since we moved here almost 6 years ago.

Tonight I just wallowed in the conditions..

Scope: - Tak FS128. Now my only scope, and I am content with that. No other scopes to distract me from this one!

Targets, in order of viewing (no prior planned list!):

1. Mars. Surprised how small it's got now since last viewing several weeks back. Pin sharp (and very bright) at 100x (Pentax XL 10.5mm). Adding 1.6x Barlow to 160x plus a red filter really looked great.. North polar cap very evident, with some large darker land masses showing halfway down the disk and in the bottom third. Too small an image for me to see or identify specifics, but a lovely sight. Got up to 200x with 5mm Burgess TMB Planetary (lovely little eyepiece!) and disk still very sharp.

Next, Crab Nebula in Taurus. I've only ever glimpsed this twice, and never tried from this location. What a revelation tonight..easily found star hopping north from Betelgeuse..easily, immediately, visible with direct vision with 31mm Axiom LX, in a sea of sparkling stars background. From here I closed in more and more with 23mm Axiom, Morpheus 17.5mm, Pentax 10.5mm and Burgess 5mn (200x). The higher the Mag, the darker the background, and I started to see the extent of this object. The best view was with the Pentax at 100x.

Next the Pleiades, just superbly shown with the big 31mm Axiom, the nebulosity clearer than I've ever seen it!

Inevitably, M42..instantly saw all 6 main Trap stars, direct vision, and I continued to be able to see them directly right up to 200x,  another first for me..

The overall vista with the 23mm Axiom LX at 85 degree fov was absolutely stunning..Bat Wings, Fish Mouth, Trap, Iota and Sigma close by..just beautiful.

I came in after 90 minutes, elated, frozen, mesmerised and invigorated. I now remember why I love this hobby so much.

And great to read how good a session many others enjoyed tonight as well👍

Dave

Edited January 17, 2023 by F15Rules

[Mr Spock]

Back in now, Flat batteries stop play 😭 My fingers are a bit chilly too - it's -4.2° at the moment.

Great night for doubles. Σ141 at 1.7" was the closest in that area - an easy split at x179. Got about 20 in total in the area around γ And and down to Tri.
A few nice doubles, h1123 / ARN101 / h2154 / h2155 in M34 - quite a lovely field. Hadn't realised OΣΣ44 was in there at 1.3" - didn't look for it 

Had a look at M45 - quite impressive in the 30mm UF. M42 looking good to. Had a peek at Rigel - easy split.

Dare I have a look at Sirius? Yep, fuzzy mess, especially at x179. Wait though, it keeps settling... Clean airy disk and diffraction rings, and... pup! Yep there it is!. Goes fuzzy again, then settles - pup again! Woohoo! Quite pleasing for a 102.

As the seeing is pretty good, next stop Mars. A bit blurry at x179 but lots of shading on the surface. I should have got the big lad out - too late now though. Still, a great night 👍

[Saganite]

A great session Dave, and the seeing tonight was stupendous wasn't it.  I remember several years ago that you were concerned that your FS128 was not performing, but it was simply down to endless poor seeing.  When  it finally came to end your joy at the Tak's performance I remember and a similar thing happened for me tonight with the APM.  It is as good as my Vixen.....official...

[Saganite]

4 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Back in now, Flat batteries stop play 😭 My fingers are a bit chilly too - it's -4.2° at the moment.

Great night for doubles. Σ141 at 1.7" was the closest in that area - an easy split at x179. Got about 20 in total in the area around γ And and down to Tri.
A few nice doubles, h1123 / ARN101 / h2154 / h2155 in M34 - quite a lovely field. Hadn't realised OΣΣ44 was in there at 1.3" - didn't look for it 

Had a look at M45 - quite impressive in the 30mm UF. M42 looking good to. Had a peek at Rigel - easy split.

Dare I have a look at Sirius? Yep, fuzzy mess, especially at x179. Wait though, it keeps settling... Clean airy disk and diffraction rings, and... pup! Yep there it is!. Goes fuzzy again, then settles - pup again! Woohoo! Quite pleasing for a 102.

As the seeing is pretty good, next stop Mars. A bit blurry at x179 but lots of shading on the surface. I should have got the big lad out - too late now though. Still, a great night 👍

Nice session Michael, and pleasing that you got the Pup.  I keep banging on about the seeing in my part of Cambridgeshire but it was that good.  Like you I found that the star focused down to a fairly tight Airy disc and diffraction rings, but it stayed like that for minutes on end for me. I am clouded out now,

[Mr Spock]

4 minutes ago, Saganite said:

I am clouded out now

I've noticed before, when you have a clear sky, the best seeing comes just before cloud.

[Pixies]

Always late to the party! I haven't used the Vixen A105M on the AP mount since September. So now that all batteries sorted and various other things found, I'm at last ready to go!

Hopefully the conditions are as good here as everyone else is experiencing. No plans, I'll just see what comes up. I'll probably start with the Trapezium and see how things are looking.

 

Just raising a quick toast to the memory of JohnInDerby, then I'll be out.

[bosun21]

2 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

First official light of the Star Adventurer GTi and the Skywatcher ED80 , tracking was spot on. But I am no Astro Photographer, and I can’t help thinking that a 12” Dob is calling me ( @bosun21… I’ve got aperture fever after seeing the Stellalyra on Saturday ) 

Anyway an enjoyable if very chilly 2 hours of mainly star watching , and the inevitable Orion Nebula and the Beehive cluster which is always a welcome sight . 
 

I will giving both the 12” dobsonian and the 8SE a first spin tomorrow night.I have bought a short 2” WO visual back and the WO 2” diagonal that allows me to remove the nosepiece from the diagonal and screw on to the visual back. This enables the 8SE to slew to the Zenith without the diagonal hitting the battery compartment. FLO have sent me a replacement focuser for the dobsonian so fingers crossed that the Clear outside app is accurate for tomorrow.

[mikeDnight]

I went out with the FC100DZ earlier in the evening, and just to pass a little time while the scope cooled, I looked at a few lollipop's using a 24mm Panoptic and three higher power Naglers I recently inherited. Using the 5mm Nagler the E & F stars in the Trapezium were obvious. The nebula itself appeared glorious too, but dropping down to the 24mm tempted me to start wandering. M35, 36, 37, 38, NGC 884 & 869 were among the early catches. Then to Jupiter which was over the tree tops to my south and beginning to be affected by heat. However the disc was full of detail with the GRS on view and belts galore, but not really good enough to make a sketch. Mars was gorgeous with Solis Lacus stating straight back at me from its southern hemisphere. 

 Later in the evening it was the turn of the Genesis SDF to entertain me, which it did admirably. With a 35mm Panoptic and 4.5° field the SDF delivered awesome views of rich star fields that few other scopes can come close to. I was in awe of the explosions of peppered starlight and vast chains and open clusters through Cassiopeia and Perseus. Brighter DSO's fall effortlessly into the wide field of this scope and so I swept up all the previous targets of the evening along with some I've not noticed before. Time now to check my atlas for the identity of some of the large clusters I came across.

 

[Stu1smartcookie]

8 hours ago, Saganite said:

Very nice Stu.  The Cambridgeshire skies are incredible this evening.  Have fun.

I have never seen the skies so clear , amazing 

[Stu1smartcookie]

6 hours ago, bosun21 said:

I will giving both the 12” dobsonian and the 8SE a first spin tomorrow night.I have bought a short 2” WO visual back and the WO 2” diagonal that allows me to remove the nosepiece from the diagonal and screw on to the visual back. This enables the 8SE to slew to the Zenith without the diagonal hitting the battery compartment. FLO have sent me a replacement focuser for the dobsonian so fingers crossed that the Clear outside app is accurate for tomorrow.

I’m glad FLO have sent the focuser to you Ian( so they should ) I think we are due a few clear nights this week . Can’t wait to see the report on the scopes mate . I am looking at dobs as mrs smart cookie has said I can keep one by the patio doors ( happy days … I must have been good the last few days lol) .. just wondering what one to buy … 8” or 10” or be really naughty and go for the 12” , although I have to be realistic (ish

clear skies mate 

[Stu1smartcookie]

6 hours ago, Pixies said:

 

Just raising a quick toast to the memory of JohnInDerby, then I'll be out.

Very classy and a nice thought , mate .

[Stu]

8 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Just came indoors after my first session for a good while, just 90 minutes, but WHAT a 90 minutes!

I genuinely think this is one of the best nights sky I've seen here since we moved here almost 6 years ago.

Tonight I just wallowed in the conditions..

Scope: - Tak FS128. Now my only scope, and I am content with that. No other scopes to distract me from this one!

Targets, in order of viewing (no prior planned list!):

1. Mars. Surprised how small it's got now since last viewing several weeks back. Pin sharp (and very bright) at 100x (Pentax XL 10.5mm). Adding 1.6x Barlow to 160x plus a red filter really looked great.. North polar cap very evident, with some large darker land masses showing halfway down the disk and in the bottom third. Too small an image for me to see or identify specifics, but a lovely sight. Got up to 200x with 5mm Burgess TMB Planetary (lovely little eyepiece!) and disk still very sharp.

Next, Crab Nebula in Taurus. I've only ever glimpsed this twice, and never tried from this location. What a revelation tonight..easily found star hopping north from Betelgeuse..easily, immediately, visible with direct vision with 31mm Axiom LX, in a sea of sparkling stars background. From here I closed in more and more with 23mm Axiom, Morpheus 17.5mm, Pentax 10.5mm and Burgess 5mn (200x). The higher the Mag, the darker the background, and I started to see the extent of this object. The best view was with the Pentax at 100x.

Next the Pleiades, just superbly shown with the big 31mm Axiom, the nebulosity clearer than I've ever seen it!

Inevitably, M42..instantly saw all 6 main Trap stars, direct vision, and I continued to be able to see them directly right up to 200x,  another first for me..

The overall vista with the 23mm Axiom LX at 85 degree fov was absolutely stunning..Bat Wings, Fish Mouth, Trap, Iota and Sigma close by..just beautiful.

I came in after 90 minutes, elated, frozen, mesmerised and invigorated. I now remember why I love this hobby so much.

And great to read how good a session many others enjoyed tonight as well👍

Dave

Sounds incredible Dave. Nights like that do make you remember why you do this crazy hobby don’t they?

Would you do me a favour? Post up a separate observing report for this, it really does deserve its own thread and not to get lost in here.

Thanks! Stu

[F15Rules]

10 hours ago, Pixies said:

Just raising a quick toast to the memory of JohnInDerby, then I'll be out.

What???!!!

Has John passed away? I am SO sorry to hear that!😔.

John was so we'll respected for his knowledge, informed opinions and advice, and a refractor man through and through.

I knew he hadn't been on the forum for a while, but that's true of others too, so I thought he was taking a break. 

I did have the pleasure of meeting him at his Derby home around 10 years ago, I was astonished at his equipment even then, and the "preciseness" of how his outbuilding was organised .

R.I.P. John, you are missed by many.

Dave

[F15Rules]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Sounds incredible Dave. Nights like that do make you remember why you do this crazy hobby don’t they?

Would you do me a favour? Post up a separate observing report for this, it really does deserve its own thread and not to get lost in here.

Thanks! Stu

Thanks Stu. I will do that hopefully later today..

TBH, I cut the session short as my wife's mum is desperately I'll, now on end of life care, and I didn't want to leave her too long..add to that, while we were away at the weekend visiting her mum on 3 consecutive days, there were 6 burglaries of outbuildings in our village, including next door! So that also worried her, in case I might disturb the s*****s if they came back!

I did assure her that with night adapted vision, I would surely see or hear them first, and have a good length of 4x3 timber close by, if needed..my motto is basically" You toucha ma Tak, I flatten ya face!!😂

Dave

[markse68]

I didn’t get out till late unfortunately but the seeing was excellent from here in London too. Mars was beautifully clear- some mottling apparent in the lighter region and it looked like a proper world rather than a glowing ball. Having read through posts here and lazy to look through my lists, Steve’s 32 and 52 Ori were lovely splits at 250x with my Tal barlowed 6mm CZJ ortho. Wasat was a new one too and very nice with its tiny faint pinprick b star. Unfortunately I didn’t have Steve’s success on Sirius- it was a bit too fiery and I forgot to check the Trapezium. Thin high clouds rolled in and it was very cold so only about an hour or so but very enjoyable. Forecast is clear tonight too which is super exciting as I’m off to view mars through a 28” f12 refractor 😀🤞

Mark

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by markse68

[Froeng]

Reading all these posts I am starting to regret not observing last night! Thankfully the forecast is clear for tonight as well - fingers crossed!

[josefk]

17 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Forecast is clear tonight too which is super exciting as I’m off to view mars through a 28” f12 refractor

I'm super jealous! ENJOY!

[Froeng]

23 minutes ago, markse68 said:

I didn’t get out till late unfortunately but the seeing was excellent from here in London too. Mars was beautifully clear- some mottling apparent in the lighter region and it looked like a proper world rather than a glowing ball. Having read through posts here and lazy to look through my lists, Steve’s 32 and 52 Ori were lovely splits at 250x with my Tal barlowed 6mm CZJ ortho. Wasat was a new one too and very nice with its tiny faint pinprick b star. Unfortunately I didn’t have Steve’s success on Sirius- it was a bit too fiery and I forgot to check the Trapezium. Thin high clouds rolled in and it was very cold so only about an hour or so but very enjoyable. Forecast is clear tonight too which is super exciting as I’m off to view mars through a 28” f12 refractor 😀🤞

Mark

 

Please take a phone snapshot! 😋

[josefk]

As everyone else has remarked absolutely arctic conditions last night - painfully cold extremities by the end.

I'm still trying to grab as much of Mars as possible and spent about an hour there last night. I think it may have been my best observation of subtle detail last night (as opposed obvious darker detail like Syrtis Major). Binoviewing at 167x and mono viewing at 250x both gave something up. I'm never quite sure if i've seen the northern ice cap though or if its just brightness on the limb but last night i came closer than ever to feeling like i saw this specifically/properly. Clear split between a brighter northern hemisphere versus a subtly shaded southern hemisphere. 

Around Orion i went back to M78 and NGC 2071 that i had been looking at on Sunday evening. I wanted to compare observations using different kit but i found these somehow less observable than the night before even though i was using more aperture (though probably less exit pupil). The planetary nebula NGC 2022 in Orion was also really difficult and took ages to fully nail down (O-III wasn't really helping) - possibly because there was a very high thin haze coming across from the east that i only really noticed when i looked up.

Swinging round away from the cloud M81 and M82 were excellent. Variation in the distribution of brightness in both and real "mottling" in M81. I added NGC 3077 (a small faint spiral galaxy) just a degree or so away from M81 and also Struve 1387 just off the corner of M81. This double star pair isn't close at 9" but it's subtle (Mag 10.x) and i was really happy to pick this up as it was unplanned and unlooked for.

Swinging back round to Orion and the Trapezium i observed "E" for the first time but couldn't see "F". i didn't actually know where these should be and wanted to try and fully identify them before checking. Unfortunately cloud again was coming over from the East and stopped play. Probably just before frostbite set in!

Edited January 17, 2023 by josefk
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