Post by epk on Apr 12, 2010 11:52:20 GMT
I'd a spectacular night in Gallowayon Saturday 10th, when I made the trip down there with Nick Martin and Paul Cameron from Ayrshire AS.
It started off with a beautiful sunset, and I managed to get some photos of an impressive sun pillar which appeared as the sun was setting.
We arrived to find Colin from Renfrewshire AS already there, and we watched Venus and Mercury together as darkness fell.
We'd been afflicted with almost total cloud, despite the forecast of 90% clear skies, and after ten o' clock the skies miraculously started to clear from the North, and we were completely clear by about half-past.
I'd got the 16" Lightbridge set up, and Bill Ward arrived complete with mega coat as I was finishing.
I discovered that my cool-down fan wasn't working, however...one more glitch to fix.
From then on the night was excellent. The skies were dark, not perhaps as much as I hoped, but the true effect was only visible once observing began.
I was seeing far more detail than I'd ever seen before, and the DSOs were much brighter than I was accustomed to.
Here's a rough list:
M81 and M82 (Galaxies-Ursa Major)
M81 was spectacular. It reminded me of M31 viewed through a 6" Newt. The extent of the galaxy was remarkable, and we could see faint dust lanes.
M97 (Owl nebula- Ursa Major)
I could at last see the "eyeholes" in the Owl, and it was very well defined.
M101 (Galaxy-Ursa Major)
The spirals were visible..a first for me with this usually disappointing object.
M106 (Galaxy-Canes Venatici)
M108 (Galaxy-Ursa Major)
M109 (Galaxy-Ursa Major)
M51 (Galaxy-Canes Venatici)
Again, a spectacular night for M51, with plenty of detail visible even at lowest magnification.
NGC 4449 (Galaxy-Canes Venatici)
NGC 4565 (Galaxy-Coma Berenices)
The object of the night for me, the central bulge was very clear, giving it the double-fried egg appearance. My view was as good as a photograph.
NGC 4244 (Galaxy-Canes Venatici)
M65 (Galaxy -Leo)
M66 (Galaxy -Leo)
NGC 3628 (Galaxy -Leo)
Bill was interested in seeing the Leo Triplet, so we'd a good look at it.
M3 (Globular cluster- Coma Berenices)
Simply stunning views of the cluster.
M13 (Globular cluster- Hercules)
Again, very nice indeed.
NGC 869 (Cluster- Perseus)
NGC 884 (Cluster- Perseus)
I'd a last look at this, as it is sinking into the sunset, and it'll be a while before I see the Double Cluster again.
M104 (Galaxy -Virgo)
Disappointing. The South Virgo/Corvus region was the only region to be affected by high cloud, which ruined DSO visibilty in that area.
S Virginis (Carbon star- Virgo)
Again, I'd wanted to show this to Bill as he is very interested in stellar spectroscopy, but unfortunately didn't have any equipment with him.
I also found some new stuff that impressed me:
NGC 2420, a beautiful open cluster which I accidently stumbled upon in Gemini.
NGC 3077, a galaxy in Ursa Major close to M81 and once thought to be a Seyfert.
NGC 5866, the Spindle Galaxy in Draco
NGC 4236, a very large irregular galaxy in Draco
Finally, I had the galaxies NGC 5005 + NGC 5033 in Canes Venatici together in the same field, a very nice view.
I'd a wonderful night, and it's something I'll simply have to do again.
Eamonn P Keyes (vice-chair Northern Ireland Amateur AS)
It started off with a beautiful sunset, and I managed to get some photos of an impressive sun pillar which appeared as the sun was setting.
We arrived to find Colin from Renfrewshire AS already there, and we watched Venus and Mercury together as darkness fell.
We'd been afflicted with almost total cloud, despite the forecast of 90% clear skies, and after ten o' clock the skies miraculously started to clear from the North, and we were completely clear by about half-past.
I'd got the 16" Lightbridge set up, and Bill Ward arrived complete with mega coat as I was finishing.
I discovered that my cool-down fan wasn't working, however...one more glitch to fix.
From then on the night was excellent. The skies were dark, not perhaps as much as I hoped, but the true effect was only visible once observing began.
I was seeing far more detail than I'd ever seen before, and the DSOs were much brighter than I was accustomed to.
Here's a rough list:
M81 and M82 (Galaxies-Ursa Major)
M81 was spectacular. It reminded me of M31 viewed through a 6" Newt. The extent of the galaxy was remarkable, and we could see faint dust lanes.
M97 (Owl nebula- Ursa Major)
I could at last see the "eyeholes" in the Owl, and it was very well defined.
M101 (Galaxy-Ursa Major)
The spirals were visible..a first for me with this usually disappointing object.
M106 (Galaxy-Canes Venatici)
M108 (Galaxy-Ursa Major)
M109 (Galaxy-Ursa Major)
M51 (Galaxy-Canes Venatici)
Again, a spectacular night for M51, with plenty of detail visible even at lowest magnification.
NGC 4449 (Galaxy-Canes Venatici)
NGC 4565 (Galaxy-Coma Berenices)
The object of the night for me, the central bulge was very clear, giving it the double-fried egg appearance. My view was as good as a photograph.
NGC 4244 (Galaxy-Canes Venatici)
M65 (Galaxy -Leo)
M66 (Galaxy -Leo)
NGC 3628 (Galaxy -Leo)
Bill was interested in seeing the Leo Triplet, so we'd a good look at it.
M3 (Globular cluster- Coma Berenices)
Simply stunning views of the cluster.
M13 (Globular cluster- Hercules)
Again, very nice indeed.
NGC 869 (Cluster- Perseus)
NGC 884 (Cluster- Perseus)
I'd a last look at this, as it is sinking into the sunset, and it'll be a while before I see the Double Cluster again.
M104 (Galaxy -Virgo)
Disappointing. The South Virgo/Corvus region was the only region to be affected by high cloud, which ruined DSO visibilty in that area.
S Virginis (Carbon star- Virgo)
Again, I'd wanted to show this to Bill as he is very interested in stellar spectroscopy, but unfortunately didn't have any equipment with him.
I also found some new stuff that impressed me:
NGC 2420, a beautiful open cluster which I accidently stumbled upon in Gemini.
NGC 3077, a galaxy in Ursa Major close to M81 and once thought to be a Seyfert.
NGC 5866, the Spindle Galaxy in Draco
NGC 4236, a very large irregular galaxy in Draco
Finally, I had the galaxies NGC 5005 + NGC 5033 in Canes Venatici together in the same field, a very nice view.
I'd a wonderful night, and it's something I'll simply have to do again.
Eamonn P Keyes (vice-chair Northern Ireland Amateur AS)