17th January, Reece's first light

[dobserver]

Location: Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire, UK

17/01/10

Skywatcher 8" dobsonian, 10mm and 25mm EPs

Tonight was the first light for my son's new scope. An hour's cooling, then we were out there. Started off by aligning the red dot finder (pinched from my lightbridge, I'm having a Telrad), which took a while, but I did it in the end - I knew I'd learn how eventually.

I spent some time showing Reece the obvious things that were available for viewing from our somewhat restricted skies (we live in a terraced house with trees to the rear). M45 first - always a pretty sight, the nebulosity around the brightest stars very apparent in the 8".

On to Bodes nebulae, both visible in the EP with the 25mm. I was pleased to find these so easily - they were at a totally different angle last time I saw them in October. I sent Reece in to find out which is which using Stellarium - M81 is the edge-on cigar galaxy and M82 is the face-on spiral. Both stood out well against the dark sky - not a hint of moon was there to disturb our DSO quest.

Reece was very keen to see M31, so I found it for him and dutifully got him to look through the RDF to memorise where it is. The galaxy was a very obvious smudge filling the EP. I was surprized to see no hint of M32 or (less surprized) M110. I think there were wisps of very high cloud that were hard to see with the naked eye, but interfered with the viewing - or maybe it is because I'm used to looking through my 12". It will be interesting to see the difference over different nights with both scopes!

On to M103 in Cassiopeia, which was less than spectacular due to the high moisture. Not nearly as many stars aparent in the distictive triangular shape than I've often seen, but hopefully one Reece will remember how to find again.

Next to one of my favourites - the double cluster in Perseus - and it didn't disappoint even through the 8". Couldn't fit all the stars into the EP - which gave Reece a good feel of how to nudge the scope around. He was mightly impressed with these beauties.

And Reece's last Messier for the night, M52. The open cluster was clearly visible in the FOV, but again will benefit from better transparency.

Put Reece to bed (school the next day) and came back out to play an hour later. The transparency had improved, much to my delight. So I just had to get a look at Mars, as it is at a good angle and so close at the moment. It could be my imagination, but with the 10mm it did look darker at the top and much lighter at the bottom - could this be my first glimpse of the ice cap?

Thought I'd try for M1, the Crab nebula, as it's been a while. Found it after a few sweeps with the dob - it's a bit jerky so we'll have to have a look at the bearings (it was ex-display from the shop, so came ready built). Just looked like a vague patch of nebulosity, no hint of the bite' shape I've seen in the 12".

On to my favourite DSO next - the White Rose cluster - again a few sweeping scans were required before I found it, but there it was - not the brightst open cluster, but the faint sprinkling of stars and the dark lanes were all there. Lovely! (but can't wait to see this again with my 12").

As I looked at Mars with my naked eye I noticed two stars to the right in a vertical line - to the right but in the middle of these was a smudge, so I pointed the scope to this. Wow - a massive cluster of bright stars, with some fascinating asterisms. Had to slew the scope around to see them all. I popped in to see what Stellarium had to say about this, and aparently I've bagged me a new Messier without even knowing it! M44 or Praespe - quite stunning!

On to Auriga and M36, M37 and M38 - I'm always pleased to remember how to find these without aides! M38 remains my favourite, it is so sprinkly, and larger and denser than the other two.

Popped in to find out how to locate M35 and I noticed the Eskimo nebula was lurking nearby, so I just had to give it a go. A bit of scanning before I noticed a slight smudge - or did I? I moved the scope around a bit, and there was definitely something there, alghough not very noticeable. I used averted vision and a faint sprinkling of stars became aparent in the cloud of nebulosity. Played the game of direct/averted vision for a while, then moved away from and back to the object to cement it's position in the old grey matter.

Now to look for M35, another new Messier for me. I was pleased with my starhopping to find it virtually straight away. This is a pretty open cluster, nestling in a dense star field, making for a breathtaking sight.

I popped in for a brew and to write up my notes as a cloud was coming across, but 10 minutes later hubby came in from imaging to say he was packing down. Total white out! But I really enjoyed the evening, both showing Reece the ropes and rekindling my passion for the hobby, which had been dwindling, due to one thing and another.

I can't wait to get out there again now.....

[Doc]

Wow so many objects on your first night Reece, well done and well done to Steph for being a great mum.

Start making a list Reece of what you see, it really helps to keep notes.

And also make another list of your targets for next time, really saves time and you find you are not just aiming at anything.

[dark knight]

It was a great night wasn't it. The enthusiasm he has seems endless, he certainly didn't want to go to bed that's for sure and long may it continue. Steph really has taken to star hopping like a duck to water, this saves me loads of time since she can tell me what targets to image as well as teaching Reece the night sky. One of his passions is Greek Mythology so the link to the stars is intrinsic, think I'll get him to do a post on it....

Well done son....

Dad.

PS. Mick what's the best way to sort the base bearing, it consists of a teflon central ring that is slightly wider than the central bolt and 3 or four further teflon pads around the perimeter, no matter how slack the bolt is it is very jerky to slew, any ideas...

[Doc]

Steve (Albedo039) is the one to speak to, he had the same fault with his scope.

You could always buy a proper lazy susan bearing and fit that, my 16" has one and they work a treat.

If not increase the telflon height around the centre boly by making up some milk carton washers.

[dark knight]

Cheers Mick, I've tried increasing the centre one using plastic milk carton but it just makes the top part rock on the bottom bit so it's unstable,,sounds like a lazy susan is the answer