5.4.15

[Guest zidder]

Was out last night in back garden again, pulled up some targets in and around Ursa Major. Although the sky was fantastically clear it was not overly dark, I had tried to get out before the moon came up to give myself the best chance.

 

My targets were M81 - M82 - M97 - M101 - M108 - M109

 

Armed with my new Wixey and Telrad I set about M81 first, It is definitely getting easier to locate these type of things but maybe not as quick as it would be with a full setup ( setting circle)

 

M81 came out as slightly mis-shapen fuzz I tried viewing it with various eyepieces ( 15mm-20mm 20 plus barlow - 28mm ) still like the 20mm best, I spent some time looking at this mainly to see how to get the best view, this turned out to be averted.

 

Because I was swopping eyepieces it was obviously moving through the eyepiece, then I had a surprise, I had not one but two objects in the eyepiece, one the fuzzy blob but the other was a distinct narrow elliptical shape, well I thought flippin Nora I have M82 as well      As M82 is the first Galaxy I have seen with a distinct shape I was well chuffed. 

 

So now I was a dead good top notch expert I set out after M97 and M101 Oh dear perhaps not such an expert  could not get either of them, buy this time it was 10.00 o'clock and the dreaded had well and truly set in, never seen so much dew so they would have to wait till next time.

 

Slowly picking them off ( very slowly) but am enjoying what I am getting

[Tweedledee]

Glad you enjoyed seeing not one but two galaxies in one eyepiece view. They do make a nice sight don't they

[Doc]

M97 and M101 are pretty hard going in our polluted skies. You will only see a very dim smudge if you do spot M101, I like to give the telescope a little knock this normally shows where the galaxy is, also it's easier to see with averted vision.

 

M81 and M82 are awesome galaxies and as you found out with certain eyepieces you can get them both at the same time.

 

Great going Gary I told you you would pick it up eventually.

[tuckstar]

Well done Gary. You should of joined us up at belper. 101 is a pig from my light polluted skies on the best of nights. As Doc said I can only see it by nudging the scope to catch the fuzz move. Just wait till your setting circle mod is done and the objects will just fall in to the eyepiece.

[Daz Type-R]

Fantastic stuff, congratulations. Your getting the hang of it now!

[BAZ]

You did well to get any galaxies from your garden with the moon about. Good effort on that. M101 is face on to us, so can be difficult to pick out, but on a night of good seeing it will do well in  your scope. M33 is the same, and that's best seen in Bino's. My scope just about looks clean through it.

 

While you are in the area, have a look for M51, I always go and have a look for that, if I can't see that then M101 won't be visible.

[Guest zidder]

You did well to get any galaxies from your garden with the moon about. Good effort on that. M101 is face on to us, so can be difficult to pick out, but on a night of good seeing it will do well in  your scope. M33 is the same, and that's best seen in Bino's. My scope just about looks clean through it.

 

While you are in the area, have a look for M51, I always go and have a look for that, if I can't see that then M101 won't be visible.

I had a go at M51 but could not find/see it. I have had lots of goes at M33 nearly put my foot through the scope in frustration  never did get it

[Doc]

M33 you need dark skies and it's huge.