SCAG observing report 10/10/10

[russ]

Actually we were observing at 10pm, so it could be 10/10/10/10

This was an unplanned, spur of the moment SCAG meet. Just myself, Keiran and Chris (Lifechooser). We met at our usual dark spot at Turf Hill in the New Forest. There was a breeze which was gusting occasionally but the upside to that was no dew at all. Quite a revelation to not be drenched within moments of setting up.

Tranparency was excellent, truly one of the best skies we had seen. Detail in the Milkyway was phenomenal, while the double cluster and M31 could be seen in all their glory with the naked eye.

Seeing was not great though. Really thought with the dry air that the seeing would be good but alas not the case.

We had 3 setups. I was using my 12" Revelation dobsonian, Keiran was imaging with his Megrez 72 and HEQ5, while Chris was using a pair of 25x100 Revelation binoculars. Oh and i had a pair of 15x70 Revelation binoculars too.

We all darted back and forth between the instruments checking the different objects. Great fun.

So what did we see?

M31 - viewed in the 12", 15x70 and 25x100. Fair to say the best view came from the binoculars, not sure which gave the better view. M31 filled the FOV in both and i've never seen the M110 and M32 so clearly with the 15x70's. The 12" won out for detail with a lovely view of the dust lane.

M33 - so so difficult from home. Simply couldn't miss it, impossible to miss. It was as easy to find M33 from Turf Hill as M31 is to find from home.....just to give an idea of how good the sky is.

NGC147 - This is a mag 9.3 dwarf elliptical galaxy just above M31. Part of our local group of galaxies. Pretty faint, wouldn't have stood a chance from home. A roundish fuzzy haze.

NGC185 - a short move from NGC147 brings you too NGC185. Another galaxy of similiar magnitude and part of the local group again. But NGC185 is brighter and easier to see compared to NGC147. There is actually third galaxy nearby, NGC278, but i forgot any star charts and despite moving the scope around the general area, i couldn't locate it. It's quite a bit fainter than the other two at mag 10.9, which wouldn't helped my cause.

Double Cluster - simply awesome in everything. Not much else you can really say. Oh Chris did say that the Double was definitely better than M45.

Comet Hartley 2 - oh i love this comet. No it's not a naked eye comet, at least not from Hampshire. But it's huge and now so easy to find. Great in all instruments, not sure which gave the better view, probably the bins actually. We kept coming back to this all evening. Real pity Friday was clouded out, would have loved to see this in the same field as the Double Cluster.

From here were darting all over the place and these are the objects i can remember:

M13, M92, M15, M76, M57, M56, M27, M81, M82, M51, M35, M36, M45, M37, M103, M101

We finished up with a look at Jupiter. And were lucky enough to see a shadow transit of Io in progress. Seeing not the best and the gusting wind not helping. But in the good moments the shadow was pin sharp and we could see the disk of Io against Jupiter. And finally watched Io peel itself away from Jupiter. At which point Keiran described Io as a 'zit' on Jupiter.

And that was it sadly. The sky was still awesome and the forecast was for it too remain that way until dawn. But i had an early start of 4am, so needed a few hours kip at least. And sure enough when i woke this morning there was Orion riding high.. And when i got to Winchester for my early start i found out it had been cancelled......grrr. Not sure what i was most annoyed about, getting up early for no reason, getting up early and not making the most of a clear sky or ending our session last night for no reason. Ho hum.

[Doc]

Sounds like a great night, a good selection of kit, great skies and good company, what more can you want.

[Rob]

Great report.. sounds like a blast!. Sundays are never really an evening I like to observe. I did however pop out for an hour. Jupiter was horrid seeing wise, but the double cluster & M31 were stunning.

Not ssen the comet yet.. I must find a chart to advise me where it is?

[russ]

The Comet is quite easy to locate. Best to dig your 10x50's though. Locate the Double Cluster and then scan down south and then west a bit. It appears like a very large Planetary Neb and is quite bright now in binoculars.

Hopefully one day we might get you out to Turf Hill Rob

[Rob]

One day!!.. honest guv, I'll make it

[russ]

Oh i forgot to add a few things:

we saw a couple of meteors through the evening and a nice tumbling satellite.

And the Revelation 25x100 were not as heavy as i or Keiran were expecting. We were both happy to handhold them for a quick blast round the sky. I highly recommend them, the views were superb.

[Rob]

Were did you get the 25x100's from Russ

[russ]

They weren't mine, they belonged to Chris and were superb.

[Talitha]

Your report reminds me of that saying, "A good time was had by all."

Too bad you had to leave early for nothing.

Call in sick next time... i should think they owe you that, at least.

[DarkerSky]

Turf Hill sounds like a super find Russ. I like what you've said about M33. Just goes to show the quality of darkness you've got there.

[russ]

I think i'll take your advice next time Carol and call in sick.

I forgot a few more objects. We did a brief trawl through the lower regions of the Milkyway picking up M11, M71, M26 and M16. Definitely a good time had by all.

[russ]

Thanks Seb. TH has proved a real find, especially for those of us with really poor skies back home. I was just saying to Rob this evening that it will be a long time before i use my garden again for anything DSO related.

[Moonshane]

superb report Russ, so at 10 seconds past 10 minutes past ten would it have been 10/10/10/10/10/10? the lone ranger would have been there after that!

what I like most is that even though you've been into the hobby for 30 years the total enthusiasm generated by a dark site is still there and shining through - it's like putting your astro battery on 'charge'!

we also saw a lot of the same targets too http://stargazerslounge.com/observing-reports/116540-ooh-all-excited-my-first-dark-site-report.html on the same night and the conditions were similar - rubbish seeing but you just make the most of it!

we had a somewhat restricted horizon as we were huddling in trees to reduce the direct effects of the wind. there's always lots to go for though!

[russ]

superb report Russ, so at 10 seconds past 10 minutes past ten would it have been 10/10/10/10/10/10? the lone ranger would have been there after that!

Just read your report........great stuff. No turning back now, once you've experienced a dark sky, the backyard just doesn't cut it anymore.