26/02/22 - The big one!

[OK Apricot]

Seeing: Short periods of very steady conditions, approx Pickering 6-7

Transparency: Milky Way barely visible with averted vision, Bortle 4-5

Location: Near Farthingstone Golf Course - reasonably low light pollution, not too far from home

Equipment: Skywatcher Classic 200P, Skywatcher Skymax 127 AZ-GTi

Eyepieces: StellaLyra SuperView 32mm, 15mm, Kit 25mm

 

After searching for a half-suitable location to observe from. Using the light pollution map on gostargazing, I found a decent area of dark(er) skies quite close to home and found a nice enough spot on the side of a very quiet back road. Initially some high cloud was present but was gone within the hour, leaving behind a respectably dark sky. I began setting the scopes up around 2100. A thing of note is I managed to get the 200P in the back of the van and strapped down all in one piece, whereas before I’d separate the tube and base. I consider it even more - grab and go now! With the 127 OTA separated from the AZ-GTi, the two parts fit comfortably in the cab of the van, so with practice taking the scopes out, I now have minimal setup time.

 

 

The main reason for heading out was to test the AZ-GTi as I’ve been having go-to accuracy trouble lately. I had had the heating on in the van, as the temperature was only 2.5*C, so knew the Mak would take some time to cool down, so I got it levelled, pointing north and left it to chill. In the meantime, I decided to pick some interesting objects on SkySafari, with no real plan other than to try to bag some different objects.

 

Constellation: Auriga

Targets: M36, M37, Flaming Star Nebula

Equipment: Classic 200P

The wide-field views offered by the 200P using the 32mm eyepiece were very pleasant and easy on the eye. M36 showed a loose and irregular scattering of bright white stars, an easy start to the night while getting fully dark adapted. M37 was a much more pleasing sight, like a loose globular cluster. The very busy open cluster was quite small in the 32mm, so I upped the magnification with the 15mm, which filled up the FOV with dimmer pin-sharp stars. A notable feature was the rich orange of a single star toward the central area. I backed off to the 32mm again in the hopes of scanning around to find the Flaming Star nebula, but even with patience, I’m not sure I could glimpse it - I don’t think the transparency was quite good enough, along with LP from the town nearby in the constellation’s direction.

 

Constellation: Gemini

Targets: M35, Eskimo Nebula

Equipment: Classic 200P

Over to Gemini, M35 was another beautiful glittering of blue and orange, with a faint globular looking cluster in the background (NGC2168?). I tried to find the Eskimo Nebula, but I couldn’t make anything out, again probably down to the sky quality in the direction I was facing.

 

Constellation: Coma Berenices

Targets: M53, Black Eye Galaxy

Equipment: Classic 200P

The first time I’d seen M53, a magnificent, tight glowing orb in the 32mm EP, and with the 15mm EP, faint stars seemed to be resolved showing a relatively dim, grainy appearance. I tracked this one for a good 10 minutes trying to eke out as much detail as I could - it was a gorgeous sight! Then it was over to the Black Eye Galaxy, another first time object. Having seen the images, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the prominent dust lane, and I did just that! The 32mm showed a tight, bright ball with a subtle darkening near the core, the light fading uniformly from the core to the edges. The 15mm was very similar, slightly darker but a fuller image in the FOV. WOW!

 

Note: 23:45

UP to this point, I’d just left the 127 Mak sitting there, as the excitement of new objects and the amazing detail I was seeing through the 200P was just spoiling me rotten! How was the 127mm (120?) mirror and narrow FOV going to compete with all that? I promised the Mak that I would do a small galaxy hunt in Leo and then give her some attention. The seeing tonight was very respectable really, and the 200P had me at the eyepiece for hours - that says it all really - good skies, good equipment and dark adaptation and we astronomers really do have a show put on for us through some very respectable equipment!

 

Constellation: Leo

Targets: M95, M96, M105, The Triplet, M104

Equipment: Classic 200P, 32mm

A vague memory told me that the triplet was around half way between Regulus, Chertan, and south half way between k-Leonis and l-Leonis. I remember seeing these very well through my 150mm achromat, so was a little confused when 3 less-than-impressive blobs, across the whole FOV of the 32mm were visible. I looked at SkySafari and realised this was a different area of Leo altogether! I was actually observing M95, M96 and M105 - even more first-time hits! I had 3 good fuzzy blobs in the EP, and the more I observed, the more I was sure I had subtle separation of the arms from the core of M95. I couldn’t really pull anything else out from M96 and M105, other than M96 being a slightly more elongated ball than M105. Over to the “real” triplet - M65, M66 and NGC3628. This was the sight I’d been looking for, and what a beauty it was to revisit - an unmistakable (apparently not, actually!) arrangement of bright, elongated clouds. I sat comfortably in a chair at the eyepiece, looking patiently and attentively. M66 was the brighter of the 3, showing a more irregular shape suggesting I’d separated the southern arm from the core, and picked up on very subtle hints of dust lanes? NGC3628 was quite bright as well, with a very subtle darkening across the profile. The real showstopper, though, was the famous Sombrero galaxy. WOW! What an absolute gem. The galaxy presented with a large central bulge, with clear elongations east and west, framed with a gorgeous and very obvious darkening that is the dust lane. I was completely dumbfounded, what a treat! I’d bagged some very prominent features of some popular deep sky objects, all in a package under £400!

 

Note: 01:00

I was getting seriously cold, the breeze had picked up slightly and was really taking the heat out of my hands and feet. Had no choice but to sit in the van and warm up a bit. To save packing-up time later, I packed up the dob for the night. The plan after was to set up the AZ-GTi, set up my phone at an eyepiece and snap a few pictures. Having warmed up, I got everything levelled, location entered and began alignment. First star, Vega, was in the finder, a few adjustments and centred. Second star was Procyon, which was actually placed pretty close. Small adjustments put it in the eyepiece. I darted back and forth trying to hone in the accuracy of the go-to, and got to a point where it was producing reasonable results - not central, but in the FOV - good enough for me on a 1500mm f/l scope!

 

Constellation: Ursa Major

Targets: M51, M81/M82, Mizar

Equipment: Skymax 127, 25mm, 9mm XCel-LX

With conditions seeming to be more favourable at this point in the night, I took my chances and pointed the Mak toward M51, the Whirlpool. Having been completely spoilt by the 200P’s champion show, I wasn’t expecting too much, but I was so wrong! The famous Whirlpool was on centre stage, a very clear smoky, shapely feature. The spiral structure, the companion, and the arm spanning the two, were very faintly visible to my eye. I couldn’t believe this Lunar/Planetary scope was pulling this sort of detail from a galaxy 31,000,000 light years away. I mean, they really were there - that distinctive spiral shape and companion were so obviously there! The added benefit of tracking from the AZ-GTi made viewing this marvellous object comfortable and hassle free. I really need to get some good quality 1.25” EPs for this - she’s really got some potential. M81/M82 was good fun jumping between the pair, as both don’t fit in the FOV of my EPs. A subtle darkening down the centre of M82 was visible, M81 a brighter glowing orb. Mizar was a treat again, and with much better seeing, even the 9mm was effective showing a very definite and depthy split. I revisited a couple of targets from earlier in the session, not quite as bright, but just as sharp with the Mak giving its own special “feel” to the view.

Constellation: Lyra

Target: M57 Ring Nebula

Equipment: Skymax 127, 25mm, 9mm

This would be the last target of the night. I was just getting too cold. I would’ve stayed out all night if I could, I was absolutely in the zone. I should really invest in some good cold weather gear. Slewing over the M57 was easy enough - the AZ-GTi put the nebula near enough in the FOV. What a ghostly sight planetary nebulae are, hey? It was like an eye watching ME from thousands of light years away. A very obvious “ring” profile with a clear darkening toward the centre, no central star visible however. 

 

If you got this far, thank you so much for reading. I enjoy sharing my experiences as much as… experiencing them. I’m really starting to get the astrophotography itch, and I’m resisting as hard as I can (not that money will allow it for a year or so yet)! The A52S will do for now. What a night, really was one to remember. Not a single passer-by, good skies, good selection of objects, detail, just me myself and I. Wow. Thanks for reading!

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by OK Apricot
Pics

[Kon]

What a session you had! I really enjoyed reading your report. The 200P is excellent for these fuzzies, I love mine.

[OK Apricot]

Absolutely, one very capable scope! Thanks for reading 🙂

[Zermelo]

A great write-up of a great evening. You have teased out some nice details there, and demonstrated what can be done without spending a fortune.

[F15Rules]

Great report and an interesting read😊👍.

Sounds like an absolute corker of a session, thanks for sharing!

Dave

[Epick Crom]

Wonderful report! You just had a dream session there. Keep enjoying the bounty the night sky provides😊

Joe

[Stu]

An excellent read @OK Apricot! You made the most of your skies and your very capable kit! Amazing what a bit of dark sky can do, even with the ‘little’ Mak! I had a similar view of M51 the other night in my 130mm.

I reckon you should have been able to see the Eskimo Nebula and may have been in the wrong place. It has quite high surface brightness and is pretty small compared with M51 say, so may have been overlooked. I’ve seen it from similar skies even in a smaller scope so it is doable. Give it another go and up the power when in the right place.

These screen shots show it vs M51 at the same scale in a 32mm Plossl in a 1200mm focal length scope.

Thanks for the report 👍

[Mark at Beaufort]

What a brilliant report - this is what SGL is all about. I really enjoyed reading your session.

[MalcolmM]

Great report. Despite being a Tak (obsessed) fan I am very taken with these amazing descriptions of big dob viewing. They are obviously fantastic scopes!

I am temporarily unable to get a scope out due to a locked up back and so enjoyed your report very much.

Thanks for posting,

Malcolm

[OK Apricot]

Thanks Stu for the reference pictures, I'll look harder next time, must've been in the wrong place 🤷

Thanks everyone for reading, this really is what it's all about 😁