An amazing few nights

[mdstuart]

I was on holiday at New Wine in Shepton Mallet last week. We were camping and the southern horizen looked great.

So out came the 15 by 70's...I worked my way around the sky noting down all the objects I could detect.

I particularly enjoyed sagitarius which I normally cannot see well from home. So many bright misty patches it was tough working out which was which..

My favorite spots were..

M22 which was a bight globular. Looked as good as M3 / M15 to me.

M24 I finally could see that star cloud standing out against the background.

First time spots were M6/M7 but they were so low they just looked like star clusters with only about 20 or so stars visible each. I picked up M62 for the first time. This was again pretty faint but a pleasing catch.

In Sagittarius my first time spots included M20,M21,M22,M23,M54,M55,M69 and M70. M23 was a nice bright patch in the binos, M54 was pretty faint but still easy to confirm. M69 and M70 were low down and just looked like large faint stars to me. Based on my drawings I think I picked them up but I am not totally sure.

My other first time spot was M30 a pretty bright globular cluster to the right of a field star.

Only M79,M93, M68 and M83 for me to go..I need a winter camping trip!

I was also pleased to pick up NGC6939 and NGC6946 in Cephus with averted vision which shows how good the skies were.

All in all I logged 19 star clusters, 4 nebula, 13 galaxies and 24 Globulars..

So fantastic, my way of making up for the fact I cannot get to the Salisbury star party next week..Grrr..

Clear skies

Mark

[Mark at Beaufort]

Mark thats a fantastic DSO collection. It just shows what can be picked up with 15x70 binos.

I am hoping to visit the salisbury star party next saturday just for the day. I am sorry you can't make it because I enjoyed our stroll and chat last year.

See you sometime.

Mark

[jgs001]

Fantastic Mark. Hope you enjoyed your camping trip as much as the observing.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I just got some 15x70s myself, and it is great observing with them. I agree that M22 is brilliant. Have a go at M10 in Ophiuchus if you can, it is also very nice. I even managed M71, but that is a very faint globular.

[RayGil]

Mark.

Wow! you certainly know the sky! What a great collect with binoculars.

I dough my Cap! All credit to you, well done.

Ray

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I just got some 15x70s myself, and it is great observing with them. I agree that M22 is brilliant. Have a go at M10 in Ophiuchus if you can, it is also very nice. I even managed M71, but that is a very faint globular.

M10 should be M11 in Scutum, got my notes wrong. Almost looks like a globular, but in fact it is a very tight open cluster.