Mini Messier Marathon

[geppetto]

Well not realy a marathon

Another great night tonight up till about midnight when cloud banks and mist rolled in.

Perhaps a good thing as my back is killing me and without the cloud I might have stayed

out too long.

Anyway, decided to have a camera free viewing session tonight so I setup the 8" F6

on its DOB base to cool down.

Setup the setting circles using Jupiter's Alt/Az co-ordinates and gazed at the planet until it dipped behind

my neighbours house.

Waited another hour or so to let the sky get darker and then using Alt/Az information from

Starry Night on my laptop, I set about chasing a few Messier's.

I have to say (again ) that this homemade setting circle on a DOB is quite accurate

and a fun way of finding or getting very near to your targets.

Started with M13 to get my eye in and then up to M92 (first time for me).

Then shuffled round to have a long look at M57 which looked stunning surrounded by more

stars than I usually can see. Whilst in the area I took in M27 and M71.

I always find M27 difficult, I must have past over it a few times before I saw it.

Over to M39, another first and then back round and down to take in M11, M16 and M17,

again, three more first sightings.

The cloud stopped my mini marathon at that point but I packed away feeling really good about

how my gear was performing and that I had added a few new targets to my hit list

[Kain]

Nice one Phil.

I was doing the same sort of thing last night, I couldn;t find M27 at all!

Glad you had a good night mate

Kain

[geppetto]

Ooohh that reminds me, a belated happy birthday Kain.

Hope you had a good'n :occasion6:

Re M27, yes it sometimes hides very well, sort of merges into the background.

Still feeling heady from touring that beautiful sky last night, had to put me

jumper on as well, it was a tad chilly :shock:

[Kain]

Thanks mate

Kain