What did you see tonight?

[cajen2]

3 hours ago, jock1958 said:

Congratulations on seeing M33, I tried again last night for the umpteenth time with my 4” Tak & 31mm Nagler but not even a hint of a smudge!
Maybe because it’s a face on galaxy, my bortle 5 skies and relative small aperture are my problem 🤔

I have similar issues with M51, the best I’ve seen is what looks like a pair of very small cats eyes with hints of nebulosity.
Looks like Ive reached the limitations of what I’ve got and I’ll have to invest in a light bucket 😩
 

 

Well, if you will buy these rubbish cheap and nasty Japanese telescopes and eyepieces......

🤣🤣🤣

Ok, yes, I know, TV are American but then the joke wouldn't work....

Edited January 28, 2022 by cajen2

[jock1958]

1 hour ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Jock my home sky is 20.29 which is bortle 5 and I can see M33 in my 15x70 binos. So your lovely Tak + the 31mm Nagler should detect it.

I am sure giving a good transparency you will get it.

Thanks Mark will keep on preserving, will also try my bino’s and maybe my little Tak FS-60 🤔

[Mr Spock]

6 hours ago, jock1958 said:

Congratulations on seeing M33, I tried again last night for the umpteenth time with my 4” Tak & 31mm Nagler but not even a hint of a smudge!
Maybe because it’s a face on galaxy, my bortle 5 skies and relative small aperture are my problem

I've glimpsed it naked eye from Bortle 4 skies, so it should be within your grasp.

[Zermelo]

4 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

After the frustration of the outreach event

This seems to be a trend. Organizing an outreach event could be at least as problematic as taking delivery of a large kit order, necessitating a declaration and a suitable offering to the gods of clear skies.

 

[John]

2 hours ago, cajen2 said:

Well, if you will buy these rubbish cheap and nasty Japanese telescopes and eyepieces......

🤣🤣🤣

Ok, yes, I know, TV are American but then the joke wouldn't work....

TV eyepieces are made in Japan or Taiwan to TV's designs. They are all quality checked and have final testing in the USA though - by the time we get them, they are well travelled !

On M33, if you can get it, you also have a chance of seeing NGC 604 which is a massive star forming nebula that lies within the galaxy although visually it's a little way from it. I have managed that with a 100mm refractor, on a good, dark night

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/triple-treasure-in-triangulums-pinwheel110320150311/

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by John

[Kon]

I had a great night until the clouds rolled it and I stopped. I was out for the past 2.5hrs with my Dob. Started with ISS in the early evening, followed by M42 (it showed some nice nebulosity with some very faint greenish and reddish) but the colours quickly disappeared as transparency dropped. I realised that it was not going to be the best for the very faint nebulas tonight. I had a look at the Eskimo nebula, Pleiades showed nice nebula around some of the stars. Andromeda was the highlight of my night. I do not know it was the fact I collimated my Dob recently or the seeing was getting better but it was the best I have seen thus far; it was more extended and bright than before. M32 and M110 nicely visible as well. Some dark lanes on Andromeda were visible. Another highlight was NGC 404 (Mirach's Ghost); a smudge of light next to Mirach; it had a yellowish/orangy hue to it as the main star. Quite a few clusters as well, C28, I love the Persei double cluster and I tend to visit it quite often. M34, NGC 1746, NGC 1027, NGC 1647 and many more. 

[rchal]

 

As the first telescope arrived with damage in the base of Skywatcher 

First look into sky  with eyes only,just followed the stellarium ap on the phone

 

Despite windy weather during the day,night time was clear with no clouds in the sky.

South sky -saw Orion and Sirius .

I was so excited  as well as my son who is 9.

 

 

[Mr Spock]

It's been clear tonight. Decided against braving the 40 mph winds, though it seems a little quieter now.

[John]

Quite clear here tonight and we don't seem to have the wind that others further north are having to deal with.

Just cruising around with the ED120 refractor looking mostly at the easy stuff.

A "notable" was Epsilon Hydra, a nice uneven brightness pair with a 2.7 arc second separation. The brighter one is actually a binary itself with a .3 arc second separation so a bit beyond me tonight !

That "other" open cluster in Cancer, M 67 was looking very fetching too

[Epick Crom]

1 hour ago, Kon said:

I had a great night until the clouds rolled it and I stopped. I was out for the past 2.5hrs with my Dob. Started with ISS in the early evening, followed by M42 (it showed some nice nebulosity with some very faint greenish and reddish) but the colours quickly disappeared as transparency dropped. I realised that it was not going to be the best for the very faint nebulas tonight. I had a look at the Eskimo nebula, Pleiades showed nice nebula around some of the stars. Andromeda was the highlight of my night. I do not know it was the fact I collimated my Dob recently or the seeing was getting better but it was the best I have seen thus far; it was more extended and bright than before. M32 and M110 nicely visible as well. Some dark lanes on Andromeda were visible. Another highlight was NGC 404 (Mirach's Ghost); a smudge of light next to Mirach; it had a yellowish/orangy hue to it as the main star. Quite a few clusters as well, C28, I love the Persei double cluster and I tend to visit it quite often. M34, NGC 1746, NGC 1027, NGC 1647 and many more. 

Nice haul of targets Kostas👍

[Pixies]

A clear night was promised - the first one for weeks where I haven't been dog-tired, so I was looking forward to it. The wind from Storm Malik had died down, too. The skies looked nice and clear, so I thought I would try and knock-off some southerly Winter Messiers that I hadn't seen from my back-garden before. That direction is blighted by light-pollution, but since the local street lights have all been replaced by LEDs recently, I thought I'd give it another try.

But first some regulars\;

Rigel B was seen easily at x75 (in the 8" dob).

Moving over to the Orion Nebula, it wasn't as bright as it had been recently, which was a pity - but the Trapezium was lovely and clean and both E and F were there at x150, the  latter on-and-off.

Sigma Orionis was equally good; with the dimmest of the 4 components (C) clearly visible at x60

 

Now for the southerly Messiers. I started with the 2 lowest that I had a possible chance with from the back garden. I was going to have to use the binos (10x50) as they were too low for the dob. M41 just just visible in the low murk, only a few stars showing in the confirmed location. Likewise, M93 was just visible, this one more a faint brightening with AV. Neither were 100%, so I'll have to keep trying them.

Back to the dob:

M50. A large open cluster - a scattering of blue and white stars but with a single bright red one to the south. A red giant apparently, but happy I noticed it before knowing what it was.

M47. Another large bright cluster. This one would be much better in a properly dark sky, I'm sure.

M46. Another cluster. Fine and faint at x40 but better contrast with higher magnification, probably best around x100 for me.  The planetary nebula that appears within M46 was not visible unless I tried again with the lower-powered EP and the Oiii filter, where it appeared as just a faint smudgy dot.

Finally M48. Another large open cluster, filling the view with my 30mm NPL. Denser at the core, around an 'S' pattern of brighter stars.

 

Getting cold and tired, I thought I should pack up. However, I thought I wanted to try a few targets in a darker part of the sky. So set up for M51 (Whirlpool). Found it easily enough but at a higher magnification, it wasn't as clear as I expected. Looking up, some high clouds were rolling in. So back inside now.

 

Glad I tried for those southerly Messiers. I haven't been able to find them from the back garden before, so I this new street lighting appears to have been a big improvement. 

 

[Davesellars]

Just got in from a 5 hour session (as high clouds rolled in stopping play) with the 120ST.  It was a bit too windy for the dob however it seemed to calm down completely at midnight.  Transparency was great.

 

[SuburbanMak]

Lovely night down South, surprisingly flat calm, great seeing and transparency 4/5. 
Had expected it to be breezy so elected not to drive up onto the downs (which was my excuse for a glass or two of wine with dinner!). So a session on the rugby pitch - so much less local LP than the garden & well worth backpacking  the gear. 

Mak 127 tonight, mainly with the Hyperion 24mm fixed & Baader Neodymium filter - my fuzzy hunter rig. Dropped in a BCO 18mm & TV 15mm Plossl for higher mags. 

Finally nailed M76 on my third session looking for it - hopped across from Almach to Phi Persei & there it was, a faint elongated smudge to the NNW.  Averted vision gave a narrowed middle section. Played with different mags, but so faint it wasn’t taking much, best view with the BCO 18mm at 83x - not the most spectacular object in the catalogue by any means but made my night. 

Failed again on M108 & 9, might have caught a hint of M106 but frustratingly elusive - not counting as definitely seen.

Lovely look at M81 & M82 - both showing some form & at 100x was catching the dark band in the edge-on galaxy.  
 

M51 showing both cores and AV giving some structure. Fabulous object. 

Leo was by now high & was able to easily pick out M95 & M96 looking surprisingly bright & hop to M105 which is a new one for me! 

Took a quick look at M65/66, faint but  stood direct vision — no sign of the “hamburger” tonight. 
 

After all those smudges the Double Cluster looked stunning - it really is one of my favourite views. 
Also looked at the very pretty Owl cluster (NGC 457 ) and Caroline’s Rose - always take a look at this one as a little personal homage to the incredible achievements of the Herschels. 
 

Packed up & enjoyed a lovely naked eye constellation tour as I trudged home. Cracking night. 

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by SuburbanMak

[Stardaze]

It looked promising just after dark, but then around 11, when reports suggested it should clear, nothing but cloud. I sat up till 1 but no luck. Typical, very frustrating. Glad you guys had better luck. 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Because I had been solar observing during the day I left the 90mm SvBony frac out to see what faint DSOs I could detect . In  addition I set up my 150P Newtonian to check out the two Comets.

Using the ES68 24mm and the 17mm Celestron Ultima Duo I set about viewing two objects - M33 and M1. Both items were very clear in the 90mm frac but the 17mm gave the best view of M33.

Switching to the 150P Newt and using the 20mm Myriad I star hopped to 19P Borrelly. I then  moved over to Gemini to view the other Comet C/2019 L3 (Atlas). Following the initial view with the 20mm Myriad I used my 13mm Ethos and 9mm Myriad to obtain a better view. 

I then returned to view M33 and M1 using the 2" EPs especially the 13mm Ethos. Other objects were M79, Orion Nebula, M78, Beta Monoceros (using the Nagler 3-6mm zoom), M35 + NGC2158, M38, M36, M37, Fitted a H.Beta filter to my 30mm EP to view the California Neb ( something there not sure), M81, M82. Finally I ended the session tracking down the PN NGC1535 in Eridanus - star hopped from Zaurak. The PN is small so used the 9mm Myriad and 6mm Ethos to confirm the object.

So not a bad day having an excellent solar views in both WL and Ha followed by a few hours of DSOs.

 

[Epick Crom]

On 30/01/2022 at 10:03, Pixies said:

A clear night was promised - the first one for weeks where I haven't been dog-tired, so I was looking forward to it. The wind from Storm Malik had died down, too. The skies looked nice and clear, so I thought I would try and knock-off some southerly Winter Messiers that I hadn't seen from my back-garden before. That direction is blighted by light-pollution, but since the local street lights have all been replaced by LEDs recently, I thought I'd give it another try.

But first some regulars\;

Rigel B was seen easily at x75 (in the 8" dob).

Moving over to the Orion Nebula, it wasn't as bright as it had been recently, which was a pity - but the Trapezium was lovely and clean and both E and F were there at x150, the  latter on-and-off.

Sigma Orionis was equally good; with the dimmest of the 4 components (C) clearly visible at x60

 

Now for the southerly Messiers. I started with the 2 lowest that I had a possible chance with from the back garden. I was going to have to use the binos (10x50) as they were too low for the dob. M41 just just visible in the low murk, only a few stars showing in the confirmed location. Likewise, M93 was just visible, this one more a faint brightening with AV. Neither were 100%, so I'll have to keep trying them.

Back to the dob:

M50. A large open cluster - a scattering of blue and white stars but with a single bright red one to the south. A red giant apparently, but happy I noticed it before knowing what it was.

M47. Another large bright cluster. This one would be much better in a properly dark sky, I'm sure.

M46. Another cluster. Fine and faint at x40 but better contrast with higher magnification, probably best around x100 for me.  The planetary nebula that appears within M46 was not visible unless I tried again with the lower-powered EP and the Oiii filter, where it appeared as just a faint smudgy dot.

Finally M48. Another large open cluster, filling the view with my 30mm NPL. Denser at the core, around an 'S' pattern of brighter stars.

 

Getting cold and tired, I thought I should pack up. However, I thought I wanted to try a few targets in a darker part of the sky. So set up for M51 (Whirlpool). Found it easily enough but at a higher magnification, it wasn't as clear as I expected. Looking up, some high clouds were rolling in. So back inside now.

 

Glad I tried for those southerly Messiers. I haven't been able to find them from the back garden before, so I this new street lighting appears to have been a big improvement. 

 

Nice work Pixies 👍. M 93 is wonderful from here. Clear skies mate 😊

[davhei]

Looking outside I saw an opening between scudding clouds and with orion rising I quickly hauled out my 80mm for a quick session on M42.

Recently fallen snow and street lamps just beyond my house in the south east don’t help, but the core region was bright and clear. The trapezium suffered from poor seeing conditions though. Still, hints of bat wings could be seen when my dark adaption improved and when I popped in a UHC they became quite visible. Didn’t think I could pick up so much of the nebula given the conditions, very nice.

Spent a bit more than half an hour admiring and comparing magnifications and the effect of the UHC before carrying everything inside again.

Short sessions are really fun and often exceed expectations!

[Captain Scarlet]

Far too windy tonight for any formal set-up so I parked myself up behind some sheltering shrubbery on a garden chair in my (wife’s) dryrobe and my 15x56 bins, pointing more or less East towards Ursa Major.

I tried for a couple of the more challenging objects (for binocs) in UMa this time, taking in M81/2, M51, M101 as warm-up, which I know well now. But most pleasing was getting both M97 (Owl Nebula) and M108, neither of which I’ve seen before in any instrument. M97 a roundish patch, and in the same field of view, another slightly more difficult elongated patch just where M108 was supposed to be. Not knowing either I had to use SS to be sure of the star-patterns around them. Very pleased.

I tried for M63 the Sunflower Galaxy but at the wrong time I think: I didn’t get it. The weather was alternately sheet cloud, then seemingly seconds later, crystal clear. When it was clear though, I was able to measure 21.80 on my SQM-L at midnight.

Magnus

Edited February 1, 2022 by Captain Scarlet

[Kon]

I had a cheeky look at the moon after I got back from work. Fairly stable seeing with some nice details. The best part was seeing ISS passing just below it (naked eye). It seems touch and go at the moment with clouds.

[cajen2]

33 minutes ago, Kon said:

I had a cheeky look at the moon after I got back from work. Fairly stable seeing with some nice details. The best part was seeing ISS passing just below it (naked eye). It seems touch and go at the moment with clouds.

Exactly the same for me. I set up the scope as we had a visitor coming (a somewhat boring friend of my partner's) and, especially with blokes, it gives me something to talk about. So I focused on the moon at 125x, and called him outside to take a look. He did, shrugged  and went back inside. No pleasing some people....

[Kon]

9 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

Exactly the same for me. I set up the scope as we had a visitor coming (a somewhat boring friend of my partner's) and, especially with blokes, it gives me something to talk about. So I focused on the moon at 125x, and called him outside to take a look. He did, shrugged  and went back inside. No pleasing some people....

Well, your comment in the brackets pretty much sums it up. You could show him M42 and if that does not work then enjoy by yourself. Transparency is pretty awful at the moment but I will leave the Dob out just in case.

[Captain Scarlet]

The forecast was for clear until 1am so I got 80% of the way through setting up my 12” on my az-eq6, was just about to collect and mount the OTA itself into the rings when the clouds suddenly came and the heavens opened. I covered everything up to wait for it to pass but the rain just got heavier. Just finished bringing it all back in again. Extremely annoying.

[JDF]

Got a nice 30min spell tonight to try out my new 15x70 bins, such an improvement on the 10x50s, all the usual suspects so much brighter and M45 is even more stunning than I thought 😃

[F15Rules]

A lovely clear night here tonight. I decided to go retro, just with my lovely old Vixen SP102 on SP mount in Altaz Mode. Transparency and seeing were very good, despite a brisk, cold breeze.

I spent a lovely 90 minutes touring Orion..a few highlights were:

- M42 a lovely sight with 23mm Axiom LX at 43x. Upping the power with 9mm Morpheus for 110x, I could intermittently glimpse both E &F Trap stars, well pleased with that.

- Sigma showed all 4 components and the faint 11th mag 4th star was clearly seen with direct vision.

- Alnitak in the Belt. Pushing the power up to a silly level (BGO5mm and 2.25x Barlow giving 450x), the 2.4" close companion was clearly shown with clear black space between it and the primary star..it was whizzing across the fov though!

- just before packing in due to the cold, I just sat and looked at the main Orion asterism of 7 stars including the Belt.

I counted a total of 29 stars including the 7 main stars, a record for me with naked eye.. many were averted vision, but definitely there.

Went back inside by 8.30pm for a hot chocolate and early night for early start travelling to see family in the Midlands tomorrow.

Sleep well all😊

Dave

[Stu]

Had a fun evening doing an outreach event at a local school with CADAS (with @Zermelo). We had 5 scopes setup, 4 visual and one imaging. I took my Celestron Omni 120mm XLT and Tak FC76DC, aiming for widefield and higher power views side by side on my AZ100. This didn’t quite work out though as the dovetail on the Tak is very short and the safety Allen bolts at either end meant it didn’t fit in the dovetail! Fortunately I had taken the Scopetech mount along too but that meant I was run ragged between two scopes! It was a bit chaotic but the children were well behaved around the scopes and it worked well, especially when one of the other members came along to assist!

I had the 12.5mm Morpheus in the 120mm giving x80 ish and the 24mm Panoptic in the Tak giving x24.

The weather wasn’t great, but just about good enough, a mix of thick cloud (with occasional light rain) and clear spells but fortunately it was moving through quite quickly so there was always something to look at. The seeing wasn’t that good, but we had nice views of the 3 day old Moon, M42 and M45. I briefly found M31 but unfortunately it was hidden by cloud before I could show anyone.

The two things I pointed out to people on the Moon were the two illuminated mountain peaks of the lower end of the terminator, and the dramatic shadow cast by the crater walls across the floor of the crater Endymion. These show up very well in the NASA simulator just as they appeared at the eyepiece. Once it got properly dark, the earthshine was looking splendid too, everyone noticed that.

Highlight of the night (apart from the delighted responses of the children and parents), was seeing the ISS and managing to track it for quite a while through the scope, showing me clear views of the solar panels.

It started to rain a little just as we were packing up, all in all an enjoyable evening.