1st Observing night with a scope

[pvaz]

2 days ago I had a somewhat decent night. Just a couple of scattered clouds in the sky.

I started by looking at the moon, had some really good views even with the barlow.

Then moved to Jupiter! Both 25 and 10 mm EPs gave me a good view of the planet with 2 horizontal bands and 3 moons. My wife was all excited (astronomy wise )and soon toke over the scope leaving me with the tracking task... (I can't complain since she put no objection on spending 1050€ on a hobby I just started last month and have no previous experience on. So I was actually glad she liked it.)

We lingered there for a while, although the moon was so close I think it was washing away some of the detail, still, even with the 10mm the view was fine with just quick sudden loss of sharpness from time to time (I guess from atmospheric turbulence, so i didn't use the Barlow here).

Then I moved to some of the few DSO's I had seen before with binos. Pointed at M13 and it was surprisingly nice, since the moon was so bright and I couldn't even pick it out with the binos. Sow a good amount of individual stars.

After that, on to M31. This one was disappointing, could just make out the core and a very small faint area around. M110 was nowhere to be seen. I guess you need dark skies for this one.

Then I ended my 1st night at the double cluster in Perseus. Could make some individual stars, but much less then the pictures/sketches on line. Still it was nice.

I hope I can get clear skies at new moon, to start hunting some other Messier objects.

[kniclander]

things like the double cluster (indeed all DSOs) will look much better when there is no moon

[Talitha]

It's great that your Wife also enjoys observing. I hope you have lots of cloudless skies when the Moon moves out of the way.

[Doc]

Moon is a pain in the butt. But you had a great night thats the most important thing.

[pvaz]

Moon is a pain in the butt.

IDD, till recently I didn't thought of it that way, but it really affects observing.

Lets all hope for dark, clear skies.

[Astro Adj]

I suppose the moon is a pain for deep sky observing, but I find it such a fascinating object to view I can definitely forgive its glare!

It sounds like you had a superb first night with the scope - congratulations on finding M13, M31 and the Double Cluster in Perseus.

[Doc]

The thing to do is deep space observing when moon has gone and lunar 100 when the moon is out.

Best of both worlds really.

[F15Rules]

Hi Pfaz,

Congratulations on your first observing session, you did really well!

The Moon is one of those love hate objects..It is absolutely stunning when you first see it, and at the phases up to half full it is great to look at..after that it gets too bright to view much detail in itself, and also drowns out lots of other interesting things.

The Perseus double cluster is one of my favourites, and if yours is an 8" scope (?), you should get fabulous views when the Moon is absent..don't forget to allow around 45 minutes at least to let your eyes adapt to the dark...you see far more when you have been outside for a while, also, the difference an hour or two later at night makes (when "normal people" have gone to bed:eek:), is quite amazing.

It's great that your wife enjoys your hobby too...I wish mine did, I'd love to show her "stuff", but she likes the warm inside too much !

enjoy the coming winter treats, Orion, Auriga, Gemini etc etc, and clear skies to you!

regards

Dave

[F15Rules]

So sorry, PVAZ! - am going blind in my old age!!

[pvaz]

So sorry, PVAZ! - am going blind in my old age!!

Hehe, as long as you can still stargaze it will fine.