I FOUND THEM!!!!

[Kain]

Ok Having seen Phil's moon pick from earlier, I decided to go out and see if I could see the 'Wall' which I think I was too late, I think I found where it was, but it was totally illuminated, I got a moon pic anyway which I will post in a bit.

Anyway, I had a look at M42.3 Which didn't look that great tonight, and the moon was out the way, so I take it the seeing was about Rubbish? While looking at orion, I was waiting for the EP to unsteam up so was just having a visual with the 2 peepers in me 'ed...Guess what! An estimated Mag -3/4 fireball streaked through Orion's Belt!!! Left a really bright trail and broke up!!!! I couldn't believe my eyes!! I have only ever seen one of them before, and that was about 5 years ago!!

However, the best thing tonight....I FOUND M81 and M82!!!!!

Ever since I had my first scope, I have been looking for these pair of jokers and have been frustratingly unsuccessful! So I decided to have a look for them, I pointed the scope in the right direction, looked thought the 26mm EP and there they were in the same FoW!!!

I am on such a high now, it's only taken me god knows how many months to find the little sods! I was very surprised about M82. The 2 lobes are extremely clear and so some detail in averted vision, It was a nice surprise from the normal fuzzy patch you see.

So I'm on about of a astronomical high tonight. I only had the scope out for 30 mins, but I feel I have really achieved something.

A Very Happy Kain

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

FoW would be "field of WOW!" I take it?

Great when stuff works, isn't it?

Captain Chaos

[GazOC]

The best thing now is mate, you know what you are looking for and that makes it so much easier. You find them 10/10 now.

[Kain]

Yup CC definitely a wow factor, especially with the poor seeing.

I could make out a whispy arm of M81, I don't know if thats the norm? I viewed that using the 15mm Moonfish I won here.

Gaz, I bet I never find them again Lol.

I should really thank WH, after all I remember his tip he game me from last time I was moaning I couldn't find them.

Cheers WH

Kain

[GazOC]

At least 9/10 mate. Trust me.

[geppetto]

Pleased for you Kain

Nowt like an astro success to cheer the soul 8)

81 and 82 was first target when I got my 8" DOB and

was more than pleased to see them

[SteelRat]

Chuffed for you too Kain. I struggled till I got my TV32mm and BOY did I cheer when I saw them. Saw that meteor in Orion here last night too - V cool 8) Seeing got better bout 2ish here - was pushing the 80mm past max on Saturn.

Anyway, well done matey

[Kain]

I'm glad someone else saw the fireball, I at least know I ain't seeing things.

Doesn't look a bad night tonight for getting the scope out, but I'm out for the evening, beening taken out for a meal at the local indian.

I still can't get over the amount of detail in M81/2 It shows more than M31!

Kain

[SteelRat]

Reckon I'd need a bigger scope to see them like you did in your dob matey The folk here have said before 'it's all about aperture'. I was mucking around with my phone and the 80mm all last night - really waiting for mercury this morning and saw a few 'good' meteors. Finally saw mercury for the first time - a quite unimpressive 'half(ish)-blob' of light, colourfully (achro) and slowly climbing up behind the leafless willow trees to the (s)east. I say unimpressive but I still got that nice feeling knowing you are ACTUALLY LOOKING AT another planet. Just one more left now; Neptune. Made a total hash of trying to find it this year so it'll have to wait. I might cheat and get a goto ready for it... nah

I take it you'll be inspecting the Leo/Virgo galaxies with the beast?