WOW!!!... What a sky

[jgs001]

In between the clouds. It was a truly breathtaking sky last night as I was out hunting for Geminids.

I sat out with my 10x50's and spent a little while hunting around with the bins, I'm finding it so much easier this year to find my targets. I can't remember the order, but ...

m31, m35, m36, m37, m38, m41, m42, m44, m45 to start with...

Collander 70, the Mirfak association, the cluster around Bellatrix (I'm sure it's another Collander though I can't recall). I think I also found the cluster at the heart of the rosette.

After being sat there for a while, I was amazed to find, that I could, with averted vision, see the little fish, and the smiley face in Auriga, seven of the sisters, and I'm sure I could also make out some of the Mirfak association without the bins.

Oh that the cloud had stayed away, and not kept whizzing through, and I almost could have preferred to have got out the rig, given my success (or lack thereof) with catching any Geminids.

But, I enjoyed it, the views were just stunning.

[russ]

John, It was an unusually transparent sky last night in Hampshire. Not sure i've ever seen the sky that dark from my own backgarden. Certainly never seen M31 or the Double Cluster that clearly naked eye.

And the meteors were well worth putting up with the freezing cold temps.