catman161 Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 So whilst you were all at Belper on the 10th November I was a little cheeky and took my 200p and 15x70's to my wife's parents house in the outer suburbs of Daventry, so comparatively a lot Darker than my back yard in Leicester city!! You could just about make out the Milky way's outline, although it was faint as there were a couple of street lights about 400 yards away to the left of there garden and a steet light lined road accross the 3 rugby pitches behind there garden. So after I felt I had been a suitable, sociable son-in-law I went to my scope at about 9pm. I had set it up at about 8pm. Levelled, the base and left the scope to cool. So whilst waiting for the scope to cool and considering my wife and mother-in-law were totally wrapped up in Strictly Come Dancing, I set to picking the objects I wanted to find for the night. I decided on just a few but to observe them for longer. My list was as follows: -M1 (Not seen yet) -M27 (Have seen very dimly from my LP backyard in Leicester) -M31 -M32 -M33 (Not seen yet) -M42 -M45 -M81 (Not seen yet) -M82 (Not seen yet) -Jupiter So I was going for 4 objects that I had not found before and of course I could not leave Jupiter out The conditions were great. Not too cold I think the coldest it got was about 2 degrees C. Saying that I was dressed in my thermals that I normally use to jump from 15,000ft from a plane in winter when (including the wind chill factor) the door of the plane is opened all jumpers immediately feel the chill of minus 20! The thermals are great actually (if anyone is interested!) they are designed for arctic dry suit diving. The only thing is as soon as you return inside within seconds you are sweating profusely! So I was wearing my snowboarding trousers, jacket and my thermal mountain boots on top of that and was very warm all evening. So I setup the setting circle by visually finding polaris in finder scope (after a quick align on jupiter) and thankfully It was in the centre of the Hyperion Zoom at 24mm. So I set the moveable setting circle to zero. I then put the OTA to 90 degrees and zeroed the wixey once the sprit level bubble was central. Just as I had done that my brother in law and his girlfriend came outside and announced that they were off home. Bro-in-law not interested in the slightest. His girlfriend was keen to see "a planet" so obviously I went for Jupiter. SO I centred it in the eyepiece and zoomed right in to 8mm and to my surprise it looked much clearer than I expected! I used the microfocuser (I love the Lacerta upgrade-thanks Martyn) to tweak the view a bit. So she had a look and it was great to hear the surpise in her voice when she said "Oh wow! what are those around it? Are they Moons? Look at the stripes!" So that was nice. Then the wife and Mother-In-Law came for a ganders at Jupiter and both liked it but not as much as my (perhaps) future Sis-In-Law lol! Then I set to finding M31. I tend to use it as an indicator as to how well my setting circle is setup. So I got out my phone (In the dark adapted vision case I purchased off ebay, then modded with Lee Filter 106) and fired up starwalk and found the numbers for M31. I slewed to the numbers given by starwalk and M31 was there but right to the far left of EP at 24mm. So I did a quick realign and it was a little further in but not totoally centered, but good enough I thought. M32 was visible inside same FOV, as was (just M110-this was quite faint though) Next I went for M33. Purely because the last time I tried to find it I couldn't!! Well guess what this time i couldn't find it again!! So I tried for about 10 minutes but unfortunately to no avail M33 appears to be my new nemesis! Next I had a break from the scope as my back was giving me a bit of jip and laid down on the patio and looked at M45 for a few minutes throught the 15x70's . It looked beautiful such bright stars. So much brighter than my back yard. The more I looked the better it seemed to look. Next I got back to the EP and got the coordinates for M1. This is one I have attempted to find before (without setting circle) visually from my yard but failed every time. So I went to the numbers indicated by starwalk and looked in the eyepiece and there it was just off centre. I very gratifying blue, faint fuzz. I attempted to zoom in a little and refocus, however it didn't really bring any enhancement in detail. so zoomed out and just watched it for a few minutes. I opened messier list app on iPhone and ticked off M1 on the check list within the app I was smiling Next I had a a look at M42. I did this visually as it was quicker to just point the finder scope and find it that way. After I had been looking at it for a couple of minutes my wife and her mum came out again and had a look at M42 and found it "very pretty" lol! Once they had their fill at the EP I popped in the 2 inch Baader Neodymium skyglow filter I bought from Stephen sometime ago. With it in I did (for the first time) see a little more detail in M42/M43. I think it definitely helped with the two nearby streetlights and gave a little more contrast. Next I tried for M27. Ironically I could not dfind it in the darker skies at my wife's parents house but I have found it in my LP back yard in Leicester-go figure?! After this failure I went back to jupiter and observed that for a few minutes. It is probably the clearest I have seen it as the seeing seemed great. Even when I looked at Jupiter on Exmoor back in February there seemed to be a lot of "wavy disturbance" for want of a better phrase! So I looked at Jupiter a while and tried to really concentrated on plucking out detail. I looked at it with and without the filter and with the filter in. I seemed to be able to see the edges of the belts (is that what they're called??) a little more sharply with the filter in, but I looked more without the filter if I'm honest as I like the colour difference. After this I went for my last 2 targets both of which I have not seen before so based on the failures of M33 and M27 I was not too aprehensive! So I got the iphone out again and picked up my stylus and keyed in the coordinates for M81 first. I slewed the scope to the appropriate numbers and wham! There it was in the FOV ( again not quite centre ) I was ecstatic at this as I was sure I wouldn't be able to find it. It was a clear slighty "dipped" faint blue disc and I looked at it for a couple of minutes but could not get any more detail than that, but still was pleased. Next I slewed to the coordinates provided by starwalk for M82 and again I was ecstatic as it was right there in the FOV at 24mm and I could make out "whispy ends" to the blue cigar shape. I whacked the neodymium filter in but it only really dimmed the view and didn't add anything to the view so took it out. I carried on looking at it for a few minutes. Then it turned Midnight and I wanted to finish on a high and had found 3 new messier objects (ticked them off in Messier List App) and had very much enjoyed the 3 hours spent in the In-Laws garden despite a couple of disturbances from what I can only decribe as a helicopter floodlight that was actually the neighbours security light when they let their alsation out to do its "bussiness" I must admit I did let out a couple of expletives the second time it happened as I had been out in the darkness for nearly 2 hours without disruption! Other than that great session Has fired me up for when we get to see Wymeswold for the first time! 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Doc Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Spot on Felix, a really enjoyable read. I must buy that starwalk app for my iphone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Eddy Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Nice read, if you struggle with M33, try with your 15x70s, looks brilliant in my 15x70s and it should help you locate it in the scope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Sounds like a wonderful night Felix. You've got me interested in these Neodymium filters now. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest telesto Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Nice read Felix looks like you had a great night, ill be glad when I get my dob base back as it gone back to RVO for repair or replacement Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 Spot on Felix, a really enjoyable read. I must buy that starwalk app for my iphone. Cheers Mick-I do like starwalk-highly recommended Nice read, if you struggle with M33, try with your 15x70s, looks brilliant in my 15x70s and it should help you locate it in the scope It is strange Eddy as I had a good scan with the bins but to no avail. Tried it there and have tried in my back yard but no success.Will keep trying Sounds like a wonderful night Felix. You've got me interested in these Neodymium filters now. Cheers. I have only used it a few times but Ipersonally like it. Has helped more than it has hindered Nice read Felix looks like you had a great night, ill be glad when I get my dob base back as it gone back to RVO for repair or replacement Clive Yeah it was good fun Clive. Glad to get the family having a little look too Hope you get ya base back soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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