Notes from the Dark Site.

[BAZ Senior]

Date: 16th October 2010. 08.30 - 0100

Location: EMS dark site at Sawley.

Equipment: 12" Flextube Dob.

Folks present: Doc, Ibbo, Geezanova, Brantuk, Baz Senior.

Arrived at the site and set up, Ibbo was already there setting up an imaging rig. The sky was not to good, with fairly poor transparency, and the odd bank of cloud floating slowly past. The moon also made it's presence felt, being a quarter full.

After Doc and Geezanova & Brantuk arrived, and the scope had cooled down, we had a look at M57, the Ring Nebula, this was found in the 26mm and then the 8mm Hyperion with an OIII was used, this really bought out the ring from a poor sky.Then over to M27,the Dumbell Nebula, a similar technique, with the eyepieces did justice to this nebula with the apple core effect very apparent. Then a look at the Double Cluster, before Doc went and found M81 & M82, (Bodes and the Cigar galaxies), these did best in an 18mm ED, which considering the washed out state of the sky looked reasonably bright. Then as the seeing started to improve as the temperature began to drop, over to an old favourite, M31, M32 and M110. The dust lane stood out fairly well in M31, with the companion galaxies easily viewed.

We then had a look at Jupiter, and were rewarded by being able to see a moon in transit and the attending shadow on the surface of the planet at roughly the two o' clock position. The bands were nice and clear. A short hop over found Uranus, which although clearly a blue/ green disk, wasn't able to show much more.

Ibbo then found M15, a globular cluster in Pegasus, this is a nice compact cluster, which apparently harbours a huge Black Hole at it's core, with half the mass of the entire cluster being in the span of just one light year at the centre, the cluster in total spans a 175 light years.

Auriga then got some attention with M36, 37 & 38 being observed, these are open clusters, which each have a similar appearance, although M37 appears the brightest, and M36 the most compact of the trio.

It became the turn of the Pleiades, M45, to get a good long viewing then, with a good number of eyepieces being employed to do it justice, the best one being a 28mm, 82 degree Nirvana owned by Ibbo, with nebulosity around some of the brighter star being apparent.

At this point the sky started to deteriorate, as the mist began to rise off the fields and move over towards us.

Time for bed said Zebadee!

[red dwalf]

great report Martin, sorry i missed out

[brantuk]

It was a very good observing session - thanks Baz Senior - enjoyed it lots

[Robroy]

I actually managed to understand most of that, must be starting to pick up on the gargon a little. One question, What does ED stand for? Eye something I suppose .

[Doc]

It was a great night and we saw loads of great objects, but the best part of it was being amoung fellow astronomers.

[BAZ Senior]

ED is the short version of Extra low Dispersion glass, it's what the lens elements are made from that make it better quality. It helps make sure as much light as possible is passed through the eyepiece, with minimum loss, and less problems from false colours.

[Geezanova]

Hi all, I'd just like to say thanks to Doc, Baz Senior, Ibbo and Brantuk for making me feel welcome on Sat night. Seen some great sights, hopefully I will get down with my scope next time.

Cheers

Nick