Observation Report - Sunday 1st March

[ashenlight]

Hi all,

After a particularly busy week at university I have at last managed to get round to reporting back to you all about my great night under the stars on Sunday. I hope you all had some decent clear weather that evening, it was great down here in South Wales. Let's begin.

The moon was outstanding tonight. The dark/light boundary, the terminator, highlighted so many wonderful craters it truly was a stunning sight through the bins. I am looking forward to getting a scope so I can get a steady look at this, or perhaps I should invest in a mount for the bins instead?

My garden faces south-west so I have a great view of Orion and his trusty dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor, most of the night. As always, I had a look at M42, I could make out quite alot of haziness, I always thoroughly enjoy observing this. Up to the top left star of the mighty hunter, Betelgeuse, I made my way north-west to the twins, Gemini. Called my mum out at this point, she was fascinated by the difference in colour between Castor and Pollux so thought I'd make her have a look again. She appreciated it, and started giving me lots of questions about them. (I told her to go and google it - I was a bit anxious about it clouding over again!!) Usng Pollux as a starting point, I hopped my way over to Cancer. My aim was to find the Beehive cluster, M44. And I succeeded! What an awe-inspiring sight, I had to take the time to adjust the focus, but as the image sharpened up, and my eyes started to adjust, I had the most wonderful view of what seems like thousands of stars beaming back down at me. This really was a 'wow' moment for me, I really think I will never forget it. Here's an image of almost exactly what I saw:

http://www.astronomyphotos.com/M44.htm

Once I'd found it in the sky and after the longer chance to get dark-adapted, I could make out a fuzzy light-ish patch in the region where it should be which was a nice moment for me, another patch of the sky discovered.

Over to Leo, I found Lulin again, alas, no tail, but a sort of fuzzy-haziness around a dusky ball of light. Quite satisfying!

Ursa Major was now beginning to rise behind my house, in the north-east, and appears to do a balancing act on the roof for most of the evening, perfectly poised like a ballerina! I love the shape of this constellation, it is such a beacon in the sky, so I admired the shape for a while. I must admit, I have never noticed the double Alcor and Mizar in the handle of the 'saucepan' but with a little hard looking I managed to make it out, and then put the bins on to it. What a lovely sight, another 'wow' moment. Called mum out again, and I got quite a loud 'wow' out of her too! A quick sweep down the handle of the saucepan over to Arcturus in Bootes - blazing orange in the east and then back over to the north west for another challenge..

...making out Perseus! I used Capella in Auriga to sweep my way across the sky to find Mirphak and Algol, and managed to trace out the shape of the constellation, with the help of my trusty night sky guide. God bless Sir Patrick Moore and Pete Lawrence from The Sky at Night magazine.

So, all in all, a night of many 'wows' and triumphs. Looking forward to the next night now, and I'm on the hunt for more open clusters like M44!

Clear skies,

Amanda

[kniclander]

thanks for posting. A small tripod will really make a difference to what you see. Better still, BIGGER BINS:hello2:

[Doc]

Another lovely report Amanda. Cannot wait for the day you get a scope those reports will be very nice indeed.

[mdstuart]

You must try M35/M36/M37/M38 and of course the double cluster in PErseus...

Mark

[argonaut]

Another excellent report Amanda. I was with you all the way.

More clear skies for you.

Glen.

[jgs001]

Excellent report and a good session too, it sounds like you really enjoyed yourself.

When looking at the Auriga clusters, see if you can make out the Smiley Face next to M38 (the cluster furthest away from Gemini). Start at M35, Gemini's football , and move up at right angles to Gemini in just about a straight line, you should see all 4. When you were looking at Mirfak, did you see a sort of half S shape around Mirfak ? that's part of the Mirfak association, a great sight in bins.

[ashenlight]

Me either Doc - only a month to go til I get the scope so fingers crossed for some decent clear evenings..

Thanks for the suggestions Mark, I'm starting to feel more confident finding my way around the sky (no doubt due to this forum's fantastic advice and support!!) so will be sure to give them a go.

Thankyou Glen - I was hoping you would be pleased with this one, I remembered how much you like my first post!

John - I've noted down your suggestions and will be sure to have a good go at them next time I am out, which hopefully won't be too far away... And yes! I did see a sort of funny half S shape, but I did dismiss it at the time! Thanks for that. I know you say it is part of the the Mirfak association, but what exactly is that?

Amanda

[barkis]

It's the next best thing to being out there, and that is reading about someone elses experience drinking in those lovely sights.

I was relieved when I realised it was Ursa Major doing the roof balancing act, and not yourself:D.

Thank you for recording your session for us.

Ron.

[jgs001]

And yes! I did see a sort of funny half S shape, but I did dismiss it at the time! Thanks for that. I know you say it is part of the the Mirfak association, but what exactly is that?

Amanda

Damn bluff has been called . I don't know exactly what the association is or all the stars in it, I think it's a bit like a cluster . I can't even remember where I heard about it now, but it's something I found early on with my bins. I found this.

[ashenlight]

"Mirfak is the brightest star of a large cluster of about 70 loosely bound stars collectively known as the Alpha Persei Association. This cluster, which covers an area of sky equal to six full moons, is easily visible through binoculars. Many of its stars are in pairs, trios, and quartets."

Must have been that I am going to write it in my log book

Seriously though - this forum is like a best friend to the amateur astronomer - it's a real goldmine of information. Thanks all for making me feel so welcome

Amanda

[jgs001]

Excellent. Tt's just occurred to me. I used to use Mirfak for aligning my NexStar and imaged it... This thread contains the image, the brightest star is Mirfak, see if it coincides with your view.