30/11/09 - 1st observing session for 6 weeks

[acharris77]

Hey all with the night's weather being good, except for a few annoying clouds passing over from I dont know where, even though temp was around 1 degree, I decided to get the scope out and setup at around 22:45, giving 25 - 30 mins cool down, not bothering to setup goto, just wing it and see what takes my fancy. Though the moon light did not help much as a lot of the objects were wiped out by the moon light and as a result I could not find the M45, a disappointment as have only seen it once, and naked eye magnitude was down to around 2.6.

At around 23:15, I decide to start observing, and there are thin clouds passing over, so I wait and the clouds disappear. So I look south and see Orion, a welcoming sight in the sky from an old friend. So I point the scope at the m42 with the 25mm and spot a patch of light and a row of 3 close stars off to the side.

Change to the 10mm and I can make out the trapezium 4 stars, which is my 1st time of seeing then in a scope and I was impressed even though there was a lot of moon light washing it out so detail werent there. So I studied this area for around 15 minutes using avert vision and letting my eyes adjust more. A lovely sight.

Then I went on to look at the moon seeing as most of the DSO were wiped out by it, then at around 00:10 I seen Mars in the east, so I move my scope and decide to look at it. It was red, and I could makeout some detail, but not a lot as I was having clouds and heat rising from my neighbours house, but still looked nice and I think I seen a faint white patch on the polar region with my 10mm and 3x barlow. So I am happy with my night, same I could not see M45, still a nice noght after the last few weeks of terrible weather. Thanks for reading.

[iamjulian]

Don't worry Anthony, M45 will look so much better on a night without the moon anyway. I only managed a very brief look at M42 last night as I was getting cold and heading indoors. Envious of your view of the Trapezium. Are you tempted to get a higher powered EP and try to make out a few more stars in that area?

[acharris77]

Hey, yes I am, I tried with my Barlow lens but the view was too dim, maybe when the moon is gone I will get a better view, and will look at buying a 7.4mm for those type of things.

[Doc]

Nice report at least you braved the cold and ventured out. I agree a nearly full moon is pretty bright and plays havoc with DSO's.

Your skies must be pretty light polluted to have visible magnitude of just 2.6. I thought mine were bad at 4.2

[acharris77]

Normally mine is better, at around 4.1 - 4.8, but last night with moonlight and clouds the viewing magnitude were really bad.