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