4/3/10 - a good night observing

[acharris77]

Hey I havent posted an observing report for a while so I thought I would post one now. I went out at 20:00 after leaving the scope to cool down, so I set the goto up, but I could not understand why I was so far off target when I set it up on the 2nd star, after some head stratching, I realised that I enter the date wrong, something I aint done for 7 months....Doh.

So that out of the way, I went to mars and after getting dark adapted and observing mars, I seen some darker detail on the surface and I managed to see a polar cap for the first time, I think I caught a brief moment of good seeing after 15 mins of viewing.

So I used the goto and entered M41, not really knowing much about it other than a star cluster, so when I viewed it in the 26mm meade 4000 eyepiece, I was pleasently surprised to see a cluster of stars, shame I was viewing it low in the atmoshere, but still very impressive and viewed for a few mins.

Then I swung the scope to the Andromeda galaxy M31, and the streets lights in that direction did not help with detail so I could only see a bright fuzzy patch, probably only the core, but still impressive all the same.

So then I split Mizar, which I know is easy, but it was my 1st double so I was well chuffed with that splitting my 1st double, which I hope is the 1st of many, as havent really split any doubles before.

And I ended the session observing old friends like M45 and M42. So I had a good feeling after that session. Also I got to try out my new Observing log sheet which I created in Corel Draw, only simple but does the job well. Thanks for reading.

[DarkerSky]

Good stuff Anthony. Mizar is an excellent catch. Splitting double stars can get addictive !!

[Doc]

Great report well done. How about M81 and M82 next time. I like to add a few more objects everytime I observe that way you get to see so much more of the sky.

[lunator]

Antony

Very nice report

What information do you use to plan your sessions?

Cheers

Ian

[acharris77]

Thanks all, normally I use Stellarium to have a look at what is available in the sky at the time I am going out and see what targets I fancy, then I look in Turn left at Orion to see what is realistic to see and normally take it from there.

@Doc, I am aiming on making the M81 and M82 my next targets, normally though they are directly above the roof tops at this time of year, as I get some steam and heat coming up from houses due to central heating and the like, and also I got to move up to a slope in my garden so got to try and adjust the legs to compensate.