Getting back into the astronomy swing

[ashenlight]

Hello everyone!

After a short absence (but it felt like an AGE) from my beloved SGL due to exams and final deadlines I am BACK! Recently had most of my results through and I am achieving the first class marks I have worked for all year so I am really pleased, taking a first into the third year of my degree in September now (Now I will finish gloating).

ANYWAY, now that all the hurry is over, I am enjoying easing myself back into observing. Haven't done much with the telescope recently... simply because I've been worn out come the evening and hadn't really felt like taking the scope downstairs and setting up. I've just been getting reacquainted with the sky and using my binos to have a scan around. So, who have I been getting to know lately?

HERCULES: Although fairly faint from my location, once I spent a while getting dark adapted I could make out his shape. With his limbs flaying around the shop he takes up a large amount of sky. Could easily make out the Keystone, binos brought out the double star near the 'top' of the keystone and M13 looked brilliant - I can't wait to get the scope on it.

CORONA BOREALIS: I can make out the brightest star, Gemma, but without any first magnitude stars - the brightest appears to be around mag +3 (maybe?) - it is quite hard to make out. Averted vision helped with bringing out the shape. It's a very cute little constellation, sat between two mighty giants of the Summer sky.

BOOTES: Musn't forget this beaut, Arcturus is so bright and blazes in the sky as if he is trying to take over my observing session! One of my favourite past times is simply obsering, naked eye, the variants in colour between stars - Arcturus makes a lovely comaprison, with, say, Vega. Always struggled with finding the shape of Bootes, but using the imaginary line between the end of the 'saucepan' and Arcturus, I could just about follow the shape upwards toward Ursa Major.

VIRGO: This is a little tricky for me. As it is fairly low on the Southern horizon when I start observing, it is obscured by some fir trees and the roofs of the houses over the way. So I have been viewing it from the back bedroom window recently, just to get acquainted with its shape. Spica makes it very easy to locate and from there, aslong as I am fully dark adapted, I can easily make out the reclining pose of her shape. Not sure how the Realm of Galaxies would fair from my location - there's a bit of an orange hue from the city in the South - maybe if I wait a little, stay up later so that Virgo moves over, the scope will show up a few faint fuzzies.

CYGNUS, LYRA, SUMMER TRIANGLE (et al): This area of the sky has been teasing me for some weeks now. Occasionally I have popped outside for a quick look up whilst I've ben super busy burning the midnight oil for revision, and Vega has been gleaming in between the houses in the Northeast - I can't wait until this area of the sky is better placed for me. I've just spent an hour or so scanning this area of sky with the binos - the amount of stars that becomes visible is amazing. Couldn't make out M57 with the binos though, I feel this may be a good task for the scope, asap. From my sky chart, the whole area looks really rich (Psychobilly - I think I remember you mentioning Cygnus as one of your favourite areas of sky before?) so I can't wait to get on with some proper observing.

This summer I am DETERMINED to find and observe with the scope:

M101; M81 & M82; M13; M51; M104; M57. Also looking forward to splitting some doubles and getting familiar with the lunar landscape - should have some sketches for you guys soon and I'm determined to get a good view of Jupiter - According to my S@N mag, the best time in June to view him is the 30th, just before sunrise. Should be fairly easy to spot at mag -2.3.

Just wanted to give you guys a little update as to where I have been and reassure you all that I haven't (and never will!) lost the astronomy bug - I feel like a child with fresh eyes when I look up at the Summer sky. Yes, the observing time is cut short because of the shorter nights but there are such wonderful sights and constellations up there. Getting acquainted with the Summer sky is like coming home

Glad to be back

Amanda

[Talitha]

Congratulations on your marks, well done!

Hercules, Bootes, Virgo... sounds like you've been keeping good company, lol. I hope you're able to get some scope-time soon. And try M57 again with the binoculars, it's definitely do-able with 10x50s.

[Psychobilly]

Congrats on the results Amanda

Have a well deserved Chill out summer - lets hope the weather plays balll...

Nice report... the dark blue on the grey is challening my "bins" though perhaps thats why I try and take images rather than "observe"....

Peter....

[ashenlight]

Thankyou guys, a chill out summer is definitely on the cards I think that once M57 has cleared the houses and moves round to a clear part of the sky for me it'll be doable in 10x50s I'll let you know.

Thanks again

[Sam]

Well done on the studies Amanda, and good luck on bagging those objects this summer:)

Sam

[Mikea]

Well done from me too on your marks!! It's not gloating to be proud of your achievements.

I lined up my 130P GOTO on M57 on Sunday. So very faint, but definitely there. I guess if I'd waited a few more hours when it would have been in a darker sky, then it might have been clearer. Anyway, definitely worth a go with the scope! I tried M81 too - similar story really: very faint and small misty patch.

[Starjumper]

Hi Amanda, well done on the marks and good luck with your targets.

John

[Astro_Baby]

Congrats from me too - wow - you get to do far more astro observing than me. Last week marked only the 7th time the big scope has been out in a year

[ashenlight]

I've been lucky in having a few good sessions lately astro_baby, but they tend to be short and sweet - grab what I can quickly and get it in the bag! Still to do a proper all-nighter.

[albedo0.39]

Great new on those results Amanda and I love your observing report. OK, you may not have had a scope, but I can sense the excitement and genuine passion from your report alone. It seems to sum up what it's all about - just get out there, look up and imagine

Great.

Look forward to hearing the kind of results you get when you fire up that scope of yours.

also... looking for some more of those other worldly Moon crater sketches. They are brilliant.

[acharris77]

Great news on the results Amanda. I have a list of objects I want to view in the summer skies like the M81 and M82 and also do some moon observing, as according to Astronomy Now, June is a good time for the moon as they were on about the moon tilting a fraction so that on the edges you can see some of the dark side of the moon.

Though I did manage to see Regulus the other night by luck looking around Leo, so that was my 1st double star. Have fun observing. Clear Skies.

[axolotl]

Congratulations on the exam results, and that's a great set of targets to be looking for over the summer.