Binocular Messier Marathon

[Albireo380]

Last Sunday evening, 3 of us went up to the car park at the "Rest and be Thankful", just NW of Arrochar in the Southern Highlands. It started a hazy evening and so we only had 2 pairs of 10x50s and one of 15x70 with us - it wasn't worth getting the 'scopes out.

The car park is about 1000ft above sea level and by 10pm the sky had cleared nicely. We were eyeballing UMaj when Lorna said "Is that M51?". We all looked and there was a naked eye smudge where M51 should be - a check with the 15x70s showed a nice tiny spiral with a smudge trailed off to the side WOW! - we had seen it naked eye. So we looked for M81/M82 with eyes only - there was definitely a smudge where they should be, confirmed by binoculars.

We then toured the sky with the binoculars and bagged M3, M13, M34, M35, M36, M37, M38, M44, M45, M51, M81, M82, M103.

Around 10.30pm we noticed a greenish, then redish shimmering glow to the North - a very feint aurora

As it was Sunday night and it would take an hour to drive back south to Glasgow, we packed up at 11pm and headed home.

It is surprising what you can observe with the naked eye and binoculars. I am usually in the grip of "aperture fevour" and must have an 8-12" 'scope with me. It was really good to see the whole sweep of the sky from a dark site.

Pity Summer is coming in and dark skies will soon be gone for several months this far north.

Tom

[weuexam]

..went up to the car park at the "Rest and be Thankful",..... bagged M3, M13, M34, M35, M36, M37, M38, M44, M45, M51, M81, M82, M103.

...

It is surprising what you can observe with the naked eye and binoculars.

Tom

Your posting gave me lots of encouragement to continue with the binos before choosing a scope. Since my wife is Scottish and we regularly visit Edinburgh I Googled "Rest and be thankful". What a treasure trove of topics surfaced in the catch net. As a total beginner your method of bagging these Messiers would be illuminating. Thanks for the interesting posting.

Cheers,

Austin

[Herakles]

Hi Tom

Sounds a fantastic night. I keep meaning to take a drive there as well. Must remember and do so in the late Autumn and take a tent ! You guys bagged a fair few M's , well done.

Clear Skies

Pete

( aka Canon Pete )

[jgs001]

Nice session Tom, and sounds like a belter of a night too

[russ]

Sounds a great session and it's a amazing just how capable a pair of binos are for deepsky hunting. I must give my 15x70's a harder workout.

[Albireo380]

Your posting gave me lots of encouragement to continue with the binos before choosing a scope. Since my wife is Scottish and we regularly visit Edinburgh I Googled "Rest and be thankful". What a treasure trove of topics surfaced in the catch net. As a total beginner your method of bagging these Messiers would be illuminating. Thanks for the interesting posting.

Cheers,

Austin

Hi Austin,

I have no special method in bagging these Messiers using binoculars. We had a copy of Norton's star atlas with us and referred to it sometimes, but in reality we simply knew where they should be and roughly how they would look, so cast around with the binoculars.

The combo of 10x50 and 15x70 seemed good, as the wider field of view of the 10x50s made finding the objects easy, and the added magnification and light gathering of the 15x70s gave better views.

I guess there is no substitute for setting a target of a couple of constellations on a clear night, having a star map with you and simply getting to know the doubles and DSOs in the area.

The "Rest"is a nice high, dark site, but it is too close to the main road to allow much imaging before about midnight, when only dafties like astronomers are out up there : )

Tom

[Albireo380]

Hi Tom

Sounds a fantastic night. I keep meaning to take a drive there as well. Must remember and do so in the late Autumn and take a tent ! You guys bagged a fair few M's , well done.

Clear Skies

Pete

( aka Canon Pete )

Hi Pete, I didn't realise you were Herakles. yeah, we got a good few Ms that nigh - really fun just to stand and eyeball the skies, then sweep interesting bits with the binoculars.

I forgot to mention we also bagged M92 - a nice we glob in Hercules - in some ways almost nicer than M13, less in your face as it were.

Tom

[gliderpilot]

What a wonderful report. Good to see the binos being used ahead of the scopes.

Mark