A long and happy session!

[SwiMatt]

Tomorrow is my last day of holidays, so tonight I wanted to do it: I wanted to stay out as long as I could. The forecast looked fantastic, so I went out at 22.30, setting up in the middle of the forest at the same time it got fully dark.

My first views of M11 were a bit blurry (the Mak wasn't 100% in temperature), but it got better as it went, so I sketched it. From there on it was an awesome night. I added some new entries to my lists: NGC 957, M32 (!!) and M56 - which I had spent time tracking down unsuccessfully two days ago, and I found it quite underwhelming to be honest!

Other highlights: for the first time, M13 showed signs of getting resolved, especially using averted vision and lots of eye movement over the FOV. This was such an amazing moment. Other Messiers I got: M2, M15, M27 (never so clear here from the city), M34, M36, M38, M45, M57, M71 (tough!) and M92. Then, I really enjoyed the only double I bagged tonight, Gamma Andromedae, showing a yellow main star with a faint white companion. It's a neat pair. Finally, even though the tools weren't the best (a Mak...), the double cluster and NGC 752 were still splendid. I look forward to getting some widefield views...

I also dedicated some time to planets, with a break from DSOs spent on Saturn, and a finale of session with Jupiter and Mars finally high enough to be observed. Neither showed much detail as seeing was quite horrendous that low on the horizon.

At 2.15 I packed and went home as it got much colder than I expected. Still, almost 4 hours of astronomy is my longest session to date. Since after the Summer break I feel like the experience I got this last year is starting to show, and it definitely feels like this session was a bit of a "coming-of-age" in my astronomy adventure. It's a cool feeling

Oh and I almost forgot: I got visited by two neighbor's kitties during the session, and saw lots of wildlife while walking to my observing spot (several hares and even a hedgehog). It's an added bonus!

I will post the sketches I made, but in the morning 🥱

EDIT: here are the sketches

Edited 6 hours ago by SwiMatt
Added link to sketches

[Stu]

Lovely report @SwiMatt, sounds like a fabulous session 👍👍

[GordonD]

I enjoyed reading this - thanks for posting it. Your enthusiasm shines through it. Glad you had a great night.

[SwiMatt]

14 minutes ago, Stu said:

Lovely report @SwiMatt, sounds like a fabulous session 👍👍

 

7 minutes ago, GordonD said:

I enjoyed reading this - thanks for posting it. Your enthusiasm shines through it. Glad you had a great night.

Thank you folks! You are right, it absolutely was fabulous! I'm still buzzing after waking up this morning.

[josefk]

Sounds great @SwiMatt - you can't beat a nice productive longer session under the stars and a dozen Messier or more is certainly productive! Fabulous 👍

[SwiMatt]

35 minutes ago, josefk said:

Sounds great @SwiMatt - you can't beat a nice productive longer session under the stars and a dozen Messier or more is certainly productive! Fabulous 👍

Although the reason I got so many is that some were very underwhelming, especially with my LP conditions... but yes, it was really great to be out yesterday - barring the cold towards the end.

Edited 4 hours ago by SwiMatt

[Saganite]

That is a good long session and a very nice haul of targets,  out in night air at the end of a telescope . You can't beat it......nice one !  .....