The WOW Factor

[jwallis]

Christmas Eve and i was blessed with a lovely clear night. I set my scope up at the bottom of the garden around an hour before sunset, and just sat on my bench with a cup of coffee watching the sky gently turn towards darkness.

As i knew i was in for a good session, i had had a quick look on Stellariumand had decided to go for a few dsos. Nothing hard,as i am a newcomer to this.

First on my list was Andromeda. From there i went to Pleiades,then the double cluster and finished off with M31,M36,M37,M38 and M42.

I had never looked at the Orion Nebula in a large scope before tonight, and when it came into view i had to take a double look to make sure that i was seeing it correctly!!! I could distinctly see the Nebula surrounding 4 stars, and was rivited to the eyepiece. Unreal is all i can say. I have no filter to aid me ,so was wondering what on earth it will be like when i do purchase one!!!

I kept going back to Orion and i believe that santa has come early for me. I just cannot get my head around the actual views i was getting.

The moon slowly started to rise so i thought i would get into the warm and smell the curry cooking.

Have a great Christmas everyone, and cannot wait to get to go out with a few people who have been in this hobby for a while to give me some advice.

All the best,

Jon

[Demonperformer]

Excellent session, Jon. Some nice objects there. Plenty more WOWs to come!

[iamjulian]

Astronomy and a curry, doesn't get much better than that

[PortableAstronomer]

Astronomy and a curry, doesn't get much better than that

You took the words right out of my mouth!

Incidentally I once ordered a curry on-line while out in a rural car park with my telescope, about 30 mins drive away from home at the nearest dark-ish site. I had a laptop with a 3G card and just about setup with a mate of mine about 9pm and we got a bit of an appetite for a curry. We used the address of a house over the road and put in the order form 'notes' that we are 'standing in a field and it's not for that house'. About 50 mins later someone arrived on a scooter in a nearby road with some takeaway boxes. Dark-ish skies, telescopes setup, some cold beers and a curry, and telescopes under the night sky. Great times.

[Donny]

Christmas day (at night) was actually my first look at the Orion nebula too! Was really amazing, got my family out the house to have a look too.

[LukeSkywatcher]

You took the words right out of my mouth!

Incidentally I once ordered a curry on-line while out in a rural car park with my telescope, about 30 mins drive away from home at the nearest dark-ish site. I had a laptop with a 3G card and just about setup with a mate of mine about 9pm and we got a bit of an appetite for a curry. We used the address of a house over the road and put in the order form 'notes' that we are 'standing in a field and it's not for that house'. About 50 mins later someone arrived on a scooter in a nearby road with some takeaway boxes. Dark-ish skies, telescopes setup, some cold beers and a curry, and telescopes under the night sky. Great times.

What did you use to eat the curry with?

[yeti monster]

Note to self: Always ensure cutlery are in the travel pack.

[mrwhippy14]

lol enjoyed reading this!!!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice write up!

I will never forget my first look at M42 with my home-made 6" F/8 (donkey's years back). I still visit it every night it is up (and visible). It has the biggest WOW factor of the lot (at least, up here in the north)

Cheers,

Michael