Post by dewayne on Feb 5, 2005 12:57:19 GMT -6
2/4/05
Went out a little after 6 p.m.
I was out two hours.
It was an exceptional nite.
I would give it a 10.
I have had few nites in my two serious years in astronomy that were this good.
Temps in the 40's.
No wind.
Seeing was incredible.
Only the brightest stars were twinkling.
It was so clear that M42 appeared like an out of focus star naked eye.
It was so nice I decided to do something I seldom try at home, and I was rewarded for it.
I pointed the scope to the west.
The neighbors across the street had few lights on.
I decided to try for M33 - The Triangulum Galaxy - which I had not found yet.
It took about 10 minutes but I found it.
The core was brighter than I would have expected for a Mag 7 object in my skies at home, but like I said it was an exceptional nite.
That was only the beginning though.
I swung over to the Double Cluster.
What a treat.
I found it in my 35MM 2" EP.
It looked great.
But the real reward came when I switched to my 40MM EP.
The stars were like little little pinpricks of white illuminated from behind against a black piece of paper.
I don't know how to describe it other than I felt like I was a space ship looking out the window. It was absolutely incredible.
I have looked at the Double Cluster plenty of times before, but never like this.
I was mesmerized. I looked at it for about 45 minutes.
Then it was off to NGC 457 in Cassiopea. Another piece of eye candy. I spent about 20 minutes with it.
It occured to me if seeing was this good I better swing over to Saturn.
I was rewarded for that too.
It was brilliant.
I went from 34X to 120X. I put my variable polarizing filter on. The Cassini Division jumped right out at me. I swear I could see some bands, but that may have just been wishful thinking.
I took her back down to about 75X. What I gave up in size I made up for in clarity.
Before I packed it in I took a look at M42/M45/M34.
Last nite was clear too, but nothing to report that comes close to last nite.
Went out a little after 6 p.m.
I was out two hours.
It was an exceptional nite.
I would give it a 10.
I have had few nites in my two serious years in astronomy that were this good.
Temps in the 40's.
No wind.
Seeing was incredible.
Only the brightest stars were twinkling.
It was so clear that M42 appeared like an out of focus star naked eye.
It was so nice I decided to do something I seldom try at home, and I was rewarded for it.
I pointed the scope to the west.
The neighbors across the street had few lights on.
I decided to try for M33 - The Triangulum Galaxy - which I had not found yet.
It took about 10 minutes but I found it.
The core was brighter than I would have expected for a Mag 7 object in my skies at home, but like I said it was an exceptional nite.
That was only the beginning though.
I swung over to the Double Cluster.
What a treat.
I found it in my 35MM 2" EP.
It looked great.
But the real reward came when I switched to my 40MM EP.
The stars were like little little pinpricks of white illuminated from behind against a black piece of paper.
I don't know how to describe it other than I felt like I was a space ship looking out the window. It was absolutely incredible.
I have looked at the Double Cluster plenty of times before, but never like this.
I was mesmerized. I looked at it for about 45 minutes.
Then it was off to NGC 457 in Cassiopea. Another piece of eye candy. I spent about 20 minutes with it.
It occured to me if seeing was this good I better swing over to Saturn.
I was rewarded for that too.
It was brilliant.
I went from 34X to 120X. I put my variable polarizing filter on. The Cassini Division jumped right out at me. I swear I could see some bands, but that may have just been wishful thinking.
I took her back down to about 75X. What I gave up in size I made up for in clarity.
Before I packed it in I took a look at M42/M45/M34.
Last nite was clear too, but nothing to report that comes close to last nite.
