Some New doubles and old favourites 22/10/2023 with a slightly distracting audience:)

[lunator]

Observing report 22/10/23
I finally managed to get a couple of hours observing. The first since the 7th September.
Mr Dobbie had been out on a tarpaulin cooling down. 

Vega Collimation
At dusk I knew I needed to check everything out as the scope had been moved several times so a check of the finder alignment and collimation showed that both were well out. Fortunately the seeing was fairly good so using Vega as a star test I managed to get a good alignment. 

Double Double
First stop as only a short hop from Vega. Easily split at x150 and decided to see how low I could go. I was pleasantly surprised that all 4 components were still obvious at x60. The best view was at x100 as the splits were very clear and you got to see plenty of field stars as well.

As the seeing was fairly good I thought a quick look at the Moon would be worthwhile even given it low altitude. The view was fairly good but was quickly obscured by trees etc. 

The first new target I had was STF2508 in Draco. A wide pair of yellow stars with a sight difference in magnitude. Easily split at x50. 

At this point I was disturbed by one of our semi-domesticated Hedgehogs. Wandering down the path. It is the oldest one we know and she has been named Ethel. Whilst watching her wander past I noticed Saturn had cleared the houses. So once she was out the way I headed down towards Saturn with a brief stop at Albireo, always a lovely sight at x50. 
Saturn’s rings appear quite flat but still a wonderful sight. The Cassini division was visible in moments of better seeing and Titan and Rhea were easily visible with Dione occasionally visible but difficult with the glare from Saturn itself.

I decided I needed to get back to my observing plan so the next target was STF2510A, BC in Aquila.
They are a neat pair of white stars with a slight difference in magnitude. Easily split at x50 and quite a rich field. The BC pair were not split as they are 0.3” apart.

I like to stop viewing now and again and just look up. The Milky Way was just becoming visible. As I looked around I noticed a bright object in the East. Usually this view is blocked by a row of black Poplar trees (Aylesbury Vale has 80% of the world’s black Poplar trees....A useless fact 😄) but some have been removed due to age/disease and Jupiter was in a gap. I took the opportunity to have a look at x150. All 4 moons were visible and to detail was good despite the low-ish altitude. 

At his point I was disturb by our second hedgehog this one is called Honey as my wife thinks her colour is like a honey badger. I watched her wander past and again decided to again view by target doubles. 

STF2516 in Draco (again), A fairly close pair of uneven magnitude. The primary is orange and the secondary is pale blue. Part of a trapezoidal shape. The pair cold be split at x60 but the best view was at x100.

STF2538AC, AD & CD in Cygnus was the next target but I took a slightly circuitous route via ETA Cass. The first double I observed and still one of my favourites. Back to STF2538. It is a visual triple in a small scope. The CD pair are fairly close. The A component lies some distance away. All three stars appeared yellow. There are 2 other components B and E, they are both below 13th mag and we’re not observed.

My next target was STF2549 in Draco. As a moved across to it I did divert to M57. A favourite faint fuzzy of mine. It looked good at x150 with a clear doughnut appearance. STF2549 A wide triple of similar magnitude. The outer two stars appear yellow, the middle star appears white. The 3 stars curve round and point to a fainter star some distance away. The AB pair (BU655AB) were not split.

The final target was STF2552 in Sagitta. A fairly close pair with a moderate difference in magnitude. The primary is white and the secondary pale blue. The pair are set in a fairly rich field. 

At this point my observing was interrupted by a 3rd hedgehog. This one was a small Hoglet probably only a few weeks old. It strategy for not being seen was to jam it’s head against the shed wall and stay perfectly still. I got a pair of gardening gloves and placed it in the cat carrier and it was taken to ‘Tiggywinkles’ a rescue centre the next day.