Sunday 7 November 2010

6th November 2010

This was one of those days where you plan every and nature tries its best to ruin your plans. I'd contacted a couple of members that it was going to be clear down at Bragan so a star party was formed. The forecast showed it would be clear for 21:00 but of course it wouldn't be. I was there first, just after 20:30 so I turned of the engine, put back the seat and turned on Classic FM and lay back to have a snooze until the other members arrived. It was 21:15 when the first car showed up and it was still cloudy and it stayed that way until near midnight. It took patience but once the skies did clear the clarity on the stars and the milky way was stunning. It was the kind of sky you'd happily just lay down and stare up at all night and not even worry about looking through a scope but I had my 14" with me so of course lots of observations were going to be made.

Seeing = 4
Trans = 4

Equipment = 14" Skyliner

Location = Bragan

Start Time = 00:40

M82 = A lovely view, with fine details to take in around the central region with dark lanes and features running throughout.

M97 = An average view.

M108 = Bright with decent detail.

NGC891 = Simply stunning!! It was like looking at a black and white photograph. The galaxy really stood out, with a beautiful bright core with that perfect fried egg shape. The edge on disk stretching out with the bold dark lane running right through the view. Wonderful details and clearly seen. A really are treat to see this galaxy so good.

M33 = Really good. Two spiral arms clearly seen with nice details.

M1 = Another average view but the 'S' shape easily seen with out any need for filters.

M78 = No discernible details but bright and the nebula was large.

M42 = I think this is the best view I've ever had. Breathtaking levels of detail all over the FOV. Great levels of varying contrast in and around the nebula giving a superb sense of dimension.

M79 = A first time observing this and a fantastic object. Stars resolving wonderfully with a bright core.

NGC2903 = A very nice galaxy. Nice spiral shape with equally as pleasant  varying levels of contrast throughout the galaxy.

M109 = Rather disappointing.

NGC6503 = Appearing to be almost edge on and looking very nice. Bright with solid structure.

M63 = An average observation.

M94 = A decent view, some details were apparent with averted vision.

Finish = 04:20

I left the site with a wonderful feeling of satisfaction and contentment. The quality of the sky was what you'd wish for every observing night. The clarity of the constellations was picturesque, with all the stars looking extra bright, sharp and next to no atmospheric twinkle - Sirius was even very steady. The milky way was very strong and prominent, arching right through Cygnus all they through to Monoceros. Getting to see Canis Major and Lepus in their entirety was so thrilling.
A night to remember, certainly worth loosing sleep over and it will take a lot to beat it.

30th October 2010 - Report

This was an interesting night, not only because it was nice and clear but because I had just got home from holiday and got all my scope gear into the car the moment I got home.
I was much later arriving at the site than I had planned but another member from the club was already there before me so it was just a matter of getting set up and observing.

Seeing = 4-5
Trans = 3

Equipment = 14" Skywatcher Dob

Location = Bragan

Star Time = 21:16

NGC891 = Faint but well seen with averted vision. The shape was well seen with the lovely dark features running through the centre of the centre of the core all the way out to the edges of the disk.

M33 = A really nice and fine view! The central core easily seen with two spiral arms whipping around is a wonderful arching shape in a ghostly appearance and the emission nebula, whose NGC number escapes me at the moment, was very bight and easy to spot.

NGC7331 = A remarkable view! Detail wasn't brilliant, at first, but I could see three other members of the Deer Lick group. I spent a long time observing this sight and as seeing conditions got better I could even see spiral arms on one of the galaxies and moving the scope really made the details of 7331 jump out.
No doubt about it, the best observation I've ever had of this object and group.

Stephen's Quintet = Incredible!! A very emotional moment for me, bringing tears to my eyes. All five members of the group were standing out really well and with averted vision spiral arms started to appear on one and maybe two of the galaxies. A truly thrilling observation for me, I spent a long time on this too and this object alone justifies the money I spent on this scope.

NGC7662 = A really nice view. Excellent structure with a strong presence of the colour blue.

M74 = Very nice looking. The bright core and milky looking disc were easy see, with a dark region surrounding the core but no sighting of any spiral arms.

M77 = A very bright core with a faint/hazy disk.

NGC7339 & 7332 = A fine sight. Both looking bright and sharp with some lovely details the be had in 7339.

NGC6826 = Very strong with the central star very bright and obvious. The nebula was displaying a greenish colour too.

NGC6946 = Barely visible, just a ghostly presence.

Jupiter = Exceptional details once again.

M1 = Very dull indeed. Even with a UHC-S filter it just about managed to display the nebula in that 'S' shape you expect to see.

Finish = 00:26