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[dewayne]

I got a new toy last night (6/16/04).
One of my fellow Peoria Astronomical Society members who works at Caterpillar got me a copper wire spool to rest my Orion XT8 on. It works beautifully. No more hunching over the scope.
About 2:15 a.m. this morning (6/17/04) the clouds cleared to the south, north and west. I was itching to try out my new base.
I was rewarded by bagging six more Messiers.
My session only lasted about 45 minutes. Clouds rolled in from the west. My list of new Messiers follows.

#23
M16
2:30 a.m.
6/17/04
Orion XT8
Viewed at home at 120X/48X/34X/30X.
The nebulosity stood out well. Could resolve the star cluster nicely.

#24
M17
2:30 a.m.
6/17/04
Orion XT8
Viewed at home at 120X/48X/34X/30X
The nebulosity stood out well. Stars not obvious as in M16. Nebulosity not nearly as defined in shape as M16.

#25
M23
2:40 a.m.
6/17/04
Orion XT8
Viewed at home at 48X/34X/30X.
Easily resolved. Nothing remarkable.

#26
M21
2:47 a.m.
6/17/04
Orion XT8
Viewed at home at 48X/34X/30X.
Easily resolved. Nothing remarkable.

#27
M22
2:54 a.m.
6/17/04
Orion XT8
Viewed at home at 48X/34X/30X.
Easily resolved. Nothing remarkable.

#28
M25
2:58 a.m.
6/17/04
Orion XT8
Viewed at home at 48X/34X/30X
Easily resolved. Nothing remarkable.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Easily resolved. Nothing remarkable

Boy...ain't that the truth!

I am quite impressed on you knocking 'em down left and right. I haven't done a Messier search since I was a kid. You, my new Chicago Astronomer friend have inspired me to start from square One and begin checking them off!

Glad you made good use out of the spool.

[NatureDevil]

Someday I'd like to do that. I am exploring my options right now on telescopic inventory on which I could aquire.

The good news is I have some friends helping me out with it. I'll update as things go on over the next few weeks.

NatureDevil