Observing report 2013 Sunday 13th

Yes the skies where I live were clear, and I mean, very clear.

Below is a short summery of objects I observed through my new observation binoculars. During the wee small hours of 2013 Sunday 13th.

I couldn't sleep. So I got up at 01:30hrs and, after putting on some warm clothes. And getting some coffee. I took my big 15 x 70 B's for a celestial tour. I was outside from 01:40 for one and a half hours under one of the best skies that I have seen from Macclesfield.

Here is my brief report.

Arcturus.

Is very nice seeing this familiar red giant again.

M3.

Through the 15 x 70's M03 looked distinctly granular. It is good to see the first of the spring skies, bright messier,

globular clusters again.

M51.

I tried to find this famous spiral galaxy but failed. (Must try harder next time)

M65 and M66.

M66 was understandably the brighter off the two. But M65 was seen with averted vision.

Through the B's. There is a nice star pattern visible which looks to my eye like a small snake.

M44.

The Beehive cluster looked superb at 15x. And is ideal for these large binoculars. The field was filled with bees!!

M13. 

This was very granular and appears as a pale silvery ball. I saw M13 at 02:30hrs above my neighbours house.

Cor-Caroli.

A very nice double through these B's.

Alkiad.

Very bright. I looked at this, whilst trying to find M51.

Algieba.

This double in Leo was easily split. And looked very nice at x15.

Mellotte 111.

I could see Mel III with out optical aid, and had a good look. The B's are a good tool for this bright magnitude+1 OC.

Whilst in the area I tried to find NGC 4565. But failed.

I did see 17 Comae Berenices. This is a fine double and looks like Mickey Mouse.

I also had a brief tour through Virgo. I saw Vindimatrix together with Porrima. But I didn't see anything of the realm, off the galaxies!

To rap up the night, and because of cloud. I had a look for, and found. Messier's 81 and 82.

These were the show-piece objects for the morning sky.

I thought they looked good through your Paul Canon's Celestron 15 x 70 B's at Kelling. 

But from Kelling these two bright messier galaxies were low, and not overhead.

Both were clearly visible with M 81 showing what I thought was a distinct spiral shape. M 82 looked like a small

grey cigar.

I also had a brief tour of the three bright messier object's star are ideally suited for big binoculars.

M36-M37-M38. All off them were very clearly resolved. But Auriga was already sinking towards the West when I was looking at them shortly after 03:00hrs.

I came in at 03:15hrs happy.  And I tried to get the best off a good night's sleep.

December's update.

It's been a while since I posted anything on here. This is mainly down to a lack of enthusiasm and the rubbish English weather.

Since my last posting I been busy doing this and that, during brief moments of clear sky. The new telescope is performing nicely and I still have my 10" F4.8 reflector for sale (e-mail me if you are interested) I've imaged the Crab nebula recently. Here is the image of Messier 1.

Messier 1 was one object that. I had been waiting for since buying my Canon 1000D in March. It was taken through the C9.25 SCT operating at 2.35mtr at F10. The exposures were all 600 seconds, and the over all time was just under two hours.

I think it has been well worth the wait.

Here is another image.

This is NGC 1501. As you can see it is a small round planetary nebular which, I have to say I didn't know. This was captured on the 1st December at 1.4 mtrs at F6.3.

This nebula is easily visible with medium aperture telescopes. And is now on view all night and is visible in the constellation of Camelopardalis the Giraffe.

Two weeks ago I was given a little gift from my boss. So. I went over to the Stockport Telescope and Binocular Centre http://www.telescopes-binoculars.co.uk/

They are extremely helpful. I bought a nice set of 15 x 70 Visionary binoculars for astronomical observing and Solar observing when I can see it!

I want to begin to get to know the sky better than I do now so I hope these will help me. I'm also starting to miss visual observing again. But I hope to rekindle my love of deep sky observing with both these and my SCT from Tegs Nose where I go observing with members from Macclesfield Astronomical Society http://maccastro.wikispaces.com/

I am sitting here typing this whilst it is once again raining  out side. I don't know when I will get out side again. It has been like this now for weeks and we are all getting very brassed off.

Happy New Year everyone.

Under a Autumn Moon

Last night, was another of Macclesfield Astronomical Society's observing night's.
We meet on a regular bases at a local country park, 3 miles out side Macclesfield.

Although we are close to this large town. The skies are very dark, often peaking at magnitude +5.2 on good night's.

Last night's observing session was under a Full Hunters Moon. And was organised to co-inside with the opposition of the planet Uranus.

I arrived shortly after 19:30hrs to find the car park busy, with various members setting up equipment or, already observing. The sky was very clear and steady, which came as a pleasant surprise to every body, after the week-long monsoon we've just had.

This was the second outing for my Celestron C9.25, and what a joy it is to use.

Once assembled and the mount aligned on the North-Celestial-Pole. I happily toured the sky using planetarium software.

Because it was full Moon. I decided that I would spend my time looking at some unfamiliar open star clusters. I can't remember which one's I looked at, however I do remember looking at Messier 39.

Through my 24mm Panoptic x61. M39 looked like a jewel in the early autumn sky.

I soon tired off these star clusters and moved onto the ice giant's of the outer solar system.

Neptune. x61. Tiny blue disk. x113 (13mm Baader Hyperion) a slighly larger but still, none de-script blue disk.

Uranus. x61. Larger than Neptune, and appears Green. x113 the planet looks slightly bigger and you can see a tiny green sphere.

Later on, and once the Moon was higher in the South-East. took some DSLR images.

By 1am and after an excellent session. The sky turned gradually to solid cloud.  And the few of us who were left, called it a night.

It was an very good start to my 2012/13 observing/imaging season.

Deep Sky Wanderings

Since writing my last blog, I've been busy with holiday's and buying new equipment.
The equipment is probably why the weather here in England has been so wet lately.

Sorry about that.

During the middle half of September. I was very lucky to get the opportunity to visit, one of the countries premier star gazing event's. The Equinox Star Party at Kelling Heath, North-Norfolk.

My self and a imaging buddy, from Macclesfield Astronomical Society travelled down to Kelling on 2012 September 13 and stayed their until September 17.

During this time we were blessed with not one, but four of the clearest and darkest skies that I have ever seen, from this country.
Every night from 21:00, the Milky Way was seen. Not as a feint hazy patch of ghostly ancient light, when viewed from my home.

But as a brilliant white cloud arching overhead from Cassiopeia and Cygnus down through Aquila and on into Sagittarius.

The views we enjoyed with out optical aid were magnificent. NGC 7000 (North-America Nebula) was very clear every night. Together with. IC1396 in Cepheus. This is another huge region of hydrogen similar to the NAN, and it was very clear with out optical aid every night.

The unaided eye limiting magnitude, I estimated each night was magnitude +6.2. And to prove just how dark the skies actually were.
I found NGC7293 The Helix nebula, an easy object through 10x50 glasses and 15x70 Celestron Skymaster Binoculars.

NGC7293 is one of the largest planetary nebulae in the sky. But because the light is so spread out. You need very dark skies to see it visually. Through both sets of binoculars. NGC7293 was a ghostly oval shaped patch of pale light.

There was certainly plenty to see whilst we were their. The site was full to the rafter's with telescope's off all shapes and sizes.

It was interesting to see some of the big DOBs that I have read about, and seen advertised, but never had a close look at. I had the opportunity to look through a 18” and saw M92. Not as a misty granular ball. But as a glitter ball visible right to the core.

That was a wow moment. 

I took with me to Kelling my portable imaging setup. This comprises off the following.

T: William Optics Zenith Star 66SD

M: Losmandy G11

C: Canon 1000D modified

 My main interest is astro imaging. With this little portable set up I was able to  image,a load of stuff under those dark Norfolk skies.

Most night's we didn't turn in until well after 2am. But it was well worth every effort.

I imaged the following. 

M33,M45,NGC891,NGC1499.
Here they are.

M33



M45



NGC891



NGC1499



Since returning home from Kelling Heath. I have bought myself a new telescope.

I am now the proud owner of. A Celestron C9.25 XLT-CGE Schmitt Cassegrain. This telescope will be my work horse instrument from now on, and it will also be for keeps.

It will be used for visual observing and DSLR imaging. And I hope to begin re-acquainting my self with the Planets and the Moon.

I hope to try my hand also at web cam imaging of these worlds. But I think it will be a long time before I am as good as Damien Peach.

Watch out...

Recent Solar observations

It's been a while since I was able to update my blogg. The reason. Our lousy Summer weather.

I wish I could say balmy, but June, July and now August look like being a wash out. I hope we begin to get some decent weather come September, and perhaps we will have an Indian Summer!

When the weather as been more co-operative. I have been able to make some observation's of our nearest star. The Sun.

This huge nuclear furnace lying at 93 million miles is getting very active. With almost something new, rotating onto the white light visible surface every day.

I don't image the Sun, but prefer to draw what I see. I use a nice 65mm ED Nikon birding scope fitted with a BAADER WHITE LIGHT FILTER.

Using this equipment. I am able to get out and look at the Sun, at a moments notice. This is far better than dragging the big scopes out side, and spending valuable time setting up.

You will see here a small selection of drawings made over the past couple off week's. And they show you how active our Sun is.

August 04th

 July 30th

 July 29th

 July 24th

Solar observing July 7th 212.

I had another clear break in the clouds, and weather. So I was lucky enough to get out again, with my Nikon RA65 spotting scope.

The Sun is still very active, with many groups still visible.

We have a new group visible that is slowly rotating, onto the earth facing disk. This is AR 1519 and looks quite big.

AR's 1515 and 1513 are slowly disappearing of the Southern limb. There is considerable limb darkening visible, together with visible faculae.

The drawing was made as I say, in white light. I use a home made Baader solar filter attached to this little ED APO. And it works very well. This little set up is now my dedicated grab and go solar telescope.

I made this drawing under reasonable skies, between 1600 and 1605UT.

North is upper most, with East to the left. 

The Sun in White light.

This evening I have been very lucky to get out and look at the active Sun. I'm using a Nikon RA65 birding scope fitted with a white light Baader solar filter.

The Sun is once again, very active, with five AR's or active regions visible.

Sunspot AR1515 has grown into a behemoth. and it is now more than 10 times wider than Earth. Can you imagine that!
The active region is crackling with M-class solar flares and seems poised to produce even stronger X-flares in the days ahead.  At least one CME is en route to Earth, and ham radio operators are reporting shortwave solar radio bursts, roaring from the loudspeakers of their receivers. For more information. Stay tuned to http://spaceweather.com for updates.

There could very well be, an increase in auroral activity this week-end, and is it possible. That more NLC will be visible? Their still isn't evidence for a link between an increase in NLC and higher than normal Solar activity. And the jury is still out.

The drawing's I made. Were made between 1800 and 1810UT under very good skies, with excellent seeing.
As I am typing this. It is now pouring with rain. So I was very, very, lucky.

I wish we had North-American Summers

I'm sitting here, typing this, under lead coloured skies. It's cloudy, miserable and but warm.

On Monday June 25th. I was fortunate to be blessed with a very clear sky, and as I was on holiday. I decided to meet up with Paul Canon, for a night of imaging.

We travelled to our new location, Teggs Nose country park, which is only  three miles from where I live. But what a difference it makes. The skies are dark, with magnitude 5.1 stars visible to the unaided eye.

I wanted to test my little 2.5" William Optics Zenith Star 66SD, to see how good it is for CCD and DSLR imaging using my modded Canon 1000D. I will be using this telescope from  now on, because it is easy to handle but also. Doesn't require collimation as my Orion 254mm f4.8 does.


I decided to image NGC 7000 on that night. NGC 7000 or The North America Nebula. Is a huge hydrogen rich nebula, situated to the upper left of the bright star Deneb. It is huge, and only suitable for imaging with a DSLR or a CCD camera, with a big sensor.  And short focal length refractor or camera lens.

I used my little APO and Canon 1000D and took various exposures, to see how long I could go, before my skies were to bright.

The image here is the result of many short exposures with the longest, 300 seconds.

When you look at it. You can see why it's has earned the moniker of  the North America Nebula.

But I wish we could have their summers and their temperatures.

Details.

Observation data: J2000.0 epoch
Type	Emission
Right ascension	20h 59m 17.1s[1]
Declination	+44° 31′ 44″[1]
Distance	1,600 ± 100 ly (675 ± 30 pc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)	4
Apparent dimensions (V)	120 × 100 arcmins
Constellation	Cygnus

PEAK STAR PARTY 2012

Peak Star Party 2012

Following on from the huge success of Peak Star Party 2011, we are delighted to announce PSP2012, from 19 to 22 October.

Even Better Than Last Year!

We have been working hard to make PSP2012 even better than last year and can already promise:

• huge 20m x 20m (60ft x 60ft) marquee to host talks, workshops and stay dry, no matter what the weather!
• all weekend catering. Exact details tbc but we are hoping to run catering from 10am to 6pm, to include breakfast, dinner and snacks.
• Snack and drinks tent available at all times - hot and cold drinks and some snacks available through the night for day visitors

Astronomy Day Part 2

Saturday 20 October is Astronomy Day Part 2. The theme of Astronomy Day is "Bringing Astronomy to the People", and on this day astronomy and stargazing clubs and other organizations around the world will plan special events.
PDDS will be hosting a series of events through the Friday and will be working closely with local schools and other groups to show how astronomy can help make science fun and interesting. We are still working on the details but we are hoping to include solar observing demonstrations, planetarium shows, series of fascinating talks from eminent scientists in the region and more. All visitors will of course be welcome to take part in our already (in)famous bottle rocket competition!
If you are a science teacher in or around the Peak District or if you look after a group of Scouts, Guides or similar and are interested in bringing a group to Astronomy Day, please e-mail info@peakstarparty.co.uk for more information.

Bookings can be made at  http://www.peakstarparty.co.uk/

Recent image's and news

It's been quite a while since I updated my blog. For one, the weather hasn't been very co-operative with producing clear skies. And coupled with that. We still haven't seen Winter.

We've had the odd cold frosty night, which has allowed me to do some astro-imaging. But nothing like as many as I would have liked.

And when those skies are clear for me. We usually see a big fat Moon which, really doesn't help when imaging faint deep sky objects.

Last week-end January 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th. We had a very pleasant run of skies, that allowed me to take a good number of astro images.

These are all taken through, my little William Optics ZS66mm Doublet, and my trusty Atik16ic and 13nm HA filter.

I am now able to control everything from inside my house, through the use of two, 5mtr USB repeater cables and, a 5mtr RS232 mount control cable.

It makes it more relaxing, as I only have the telescope/mount outside, with everything else here in the warm.

My first image for you is no1 on Charles Messier's list of famous nebulae. The Crab nebula or M1.
Messier 1 is a supernova remnant in Taurus, and it was seen as a bright supernova in the year 1054 by Chinese astronomers.

This is my first really long exposure. Three hours comprising of 601 second exposures.

The second image is from Monday 16th, and is a one hour exposure using 300 second exposures.
This is part of IC410 which, is situated in Auriga, and is a huge molecular star forming cloud.
You will see in this picture, two object's that are named the "tadpoles"

The Tadpoles are composed of denser cooler gas and dust, and are around 10 light-years long. They are potentially sites of ongoing star formation. The wind and radiation from the cluster stars, causes their tails, to trail away from the cluster's central region. IC 410 lies some 12,000 light-years away,

My final image is again from Monday 16th, and is a three hour exposure. SH2-235 is a bright nebula in Auriga and is an object which, you don't see imaged.

I was able to begin imaging this object shortly after 1800hrs and didn't finish imaging it for another three hours.

SH2-235 is a kidney shaped HII region at the intersection of two giant molecular clouds. Causing intensive star forming. SH2-235 is 7000 lyr away and 130lyr across.

The Moon meets Jupiter + A Gibbous phase

The skies where I live, in Cheshire were clear for 30 minutes on Tuesday, early evening, around tea time. 

So I dashed out with my Nikon, to snap the Moon and Jupiter conjunction.

The image here is a composite, with one exposure for the Moon, taken with my 55-200mm Nikon Zoom lens (200mm)

And the image of Jupiter. Is with the lens open at 55mm.





















On the following night. Wednesday December 7th. The skies were mainly clear. But with a bigg fat Moon washing everything out, there really isn't a lot you can do.

So armed with my Nikon D40 and a heavy, and very solid, Soligor 254mm telephoto lens, I took this picture of the Moon at F11.

This is a very good lens, built in the day's when things were built to last.  It is a manual lens with a range from f4.5 to f32, and was designed to be used with film (m42) thread cameras and was built in the 1960s

This is a stack of 4 frames, at 160th second at 200 iso. Shot in continuous mode. with lens and camera, tripod mounted.

You have to try don't you.

IC1848 AKA Soul Nebula

I took this image of IC1848 aka Soul nebula. As a test too see, if I have finely nailed my guiding issues, once and for all.

After spending an hour or so, waiting for the sky to clear (it was supposed to be clear, on Friday, from 1800hrs) I was able to carefully polar align my G11 using my polar scope.

My thanks must go too. The helpful advice, from Chesterfield Astronomer, Paul Collins during PSP211

Paul very kindly told me, where I have been going wrong all these years with my polar alignment.
And in a nut shell, told me. "Stop buggering about, with pointing models, as these don't make any difference to my initial polar alignment".

The Soul nebula. is huge. And I can only get the central part, on the Atik16ic chip.

I am saving to buy a 314L+. And I hope to have this next year, if all goes well.

I think this is one subject, that will fit nicely on that larger chip with the 66mm William Optics, focal reduced x.5

Here is 1 hour & 22 minutes guided image. Taken through my, William Optics Zenith Star 66sd, and guided through my 8" with the QHY5 and PHD.

Focal reduced to 400mm at F2, to better suite my guide settings in PHD.

All exposures are in HA and taken using seven minute exposures.

This was taken on Friday tonight, before the cloud rolled in  

Type	Emission
Right ascension	02h 51m 36.24s
Declination	+60° 26′ 53.9"
Distance	7,500 ly
Apparent magnitude (V)	??
Apparent dimensions (V)	40.0'x10.0'
Constellation	Cassiopeia
Physical characteristics
Radius	-
Absolute magnitude (V)	6.5
Notable features	-
Other designations	LBN 667 - Cluster is IC1848

Messier 76. A Planetary nebula in Perseus.

At this time off the year, Perseus is riding high in the North East.

It is a constellation, full off interesting deep sky object's to see. Both visually and image.

On the evening of Sunday 6th November. I was fortunate to have a clear sky, but the Moon was so bright. 

So- I decided to try a spot of narrowband imaging.

My choice was the Little Dumbbell nebula.

This is an interesting nebula. And it is known by too names. The Cork, and Barbell Nebula.

It was discovered by Mechain in 1780, and included in Messier's catalogue as no 76.

M76 is faint, and some sources quote M76, as magnitude 12.1, whilst other's give a value near magnitude 10.

It is there for, quite an easy subject visually, for modest aperture telescope's.

The size of M76 is. 2.7 x 1.8 arcmin. Whilst its distance is 780pc or 2,500ly.

This picture was captured over a period of just under two hour's. And has been combined from fifty-five times two-minute exposure's.

I was using an Astronomik 13nm Hydrogen Alpha filter, attached to my Atik 16ic CCD camera. Which was attached to my Orion Optics 200-800 F4 imaging Newtonian. The guiding was undertaken with a QHY5 and Willam Optics ZS66sd, and PHD software. All this is attached to a Losmandy G11-Gemini L4.

I hope to gather more data, using longer exposure's once the Moon is in the morning sky. 

click the image to enlarge

Using a Nikon D40, for astro-imaging.

I have always been interested in imaging, ever since I owned a very good CCD camera, the MX5 in the middle half of the 1990's.

In 2006 I bought an Atik16ic CCD camera and in 2007- I bought a Nikon D40.

I always use my Atik for long exposure CCD imaging of faint, but also bright, Deep Sky object's.

But, until very recently, I have started to do some test's, to see how good my Nikon D40 compares, for Deep Sky, astro imaging, to the Atik.

For most people, the preferred camera of choice for this sort of work. Are camera's from the Canon stable.

Canon offer a very good range of DSLR's which all have, very good red sensitivity.

So naturally, these were the camera's of choice for imaging nebulae, together with other, fine DSO objects.

There first camera, being, the 350D followed later by the 1000D.

Nikon, on the other hand are not as popular, with digital astro imagers. But over the past year they have started to produce some very good camera's that are suitable, for this type of low light, imaging.

The Nikon D7000 is a very good example. But for some, this camera is expensive.

The Nikon D40 is a 6.1 mega pixel camera, that I use for day time shooting. And until very recently night time, astro imaging.

I am using this camera with an Orion Optics SPX 254mm F4.8 Newtonian reflector, with 1/10^th wave optics.

This set up is all mounted on what I consider to be. One of the best value equatorial mount's affordable.

The Losmandy G11, fitted with Gemini Level 4 GOTO.

On Friday September 30^th 2011, I was very fortunate to be able to image the night sky from by back garden observatory here in East Cheshire, using this equipment.

And for the very first time. I was able to use my Nikon D40.

Searching the internet, I have found very little imaging of the night sky done with this camera. And I wanted to see, just how good it was. Both for color response, but also sensitivity, to low light imaging.

My subject on Friday was the famous Dumbbell nebula or Messier 27.

During early autumn evening's. M27 is still at the zenith, and crosses the meridian shortly before 9pm, so it is there for, very well placed for imaging.

I was able to set my equipment up in reasonable time, to give the OTA plenty of time to cool down. The mount was polar aligned during the early evening, and whilst it was still light. I was able to go through my alignment procedure.

After spending a quarter of an hour. I was finally ready.

The skies above me were very clear, getting slowly darker. I was able to take some test shot's of Sadar (Gamma Cygni) to check for focus, and tracking issue's. I wasn't guiding, as I do not as yet have a suitable guiding scope.

Everything was looking OK. So with heavy heart I slewed the 10” and D40 onto Messier 27. And began taking 10 x120 second exposure's.

To avoid any vibration's, that could spoil each image. I used the self timer, and also a pillow case that I draped over the front of the OTA .

Film user's will remember the “Top Hat” method, where you cover the front objective, and wait for any vibration's to die down before removal.

This I did. And I was very happy with the raw, image's.

These image's were all stacked in Deep Sky Stacker, with final processing done in PS.

I am very pleased with the result considering my exposure's are all unguided.

And. I am also very pleased to see, how much detail, in M27 I was able to capture using this camera UN-modded.

Paul A Brierley

October 03^rd 2011.

I find the taking of CCD image's a big challenge, and with every image taken. I learn something new

Sun-day

If like me, you have suitable equipment for looking at our nearest star, safely. Then I strongly recommend you do so, today.

The sun is positively alive with Sun spot's. There are currently on view. Six large spot group's. And these were visible in my William Optics Zenith Star66 and a Baader white light solar filter, and 25mm Ortho.

 Warning.
The Sun is DANGEROUS. 
Never attempt any solar observing unless you are able to do so safely. Using a Baader solar filter attached to the FRONT of your telescope.

The Backbone of the Night

Last night, I together with a friend from Macclesfield Astronomical Society, went out onto the Derbyshire moors, with the intention to view C/2009 P1 Garradd.

Our observing site was a high plateau above the village of Pott Shrigley, which is on the Cheshire, Derbyshire border.

The skies last night were dark. And very transparent T=6 with the Milky Way clearly visible through Cygnus. I estimated the NLM at m+ 5.9.

Our observing tools were 10x50 binoculars. I still believe these minature telescope's, are still an invaluable tool in observational astronomy, and shouldn't be disregarded by beginners, who are thinking about taking up this hobby.

Here is my report.

M15, m6.3. Dim fuzz ball, but very easy none the less.

C/2009 P1 Garradd. Located the comet quite easily. Estimated magnitude is about m+8.6. The comet is visible towards the right of a pair of faint stars. HD 203699 m6.7, and the fainter HD 204215 m+7.2.

The comet is an elongated fuzzy patch, elongated North-South. It was easier to see with averted vision.

M11, m+5.8. Through the binoculars, M11 looked almost globular in appearance. It is bright and unmistakable.

M16, m+6.0. Very easy, and very bright. M16 is visible, with in, a very rich star field.

M17, m+6.0 Another very bright and easy nebula, which is visible in the same field as M16.

M24, m+4.6. The small Sagittarius star cloud, is one of those objects, that we seldom get to see from where I live in East Cheshire. Because I was high UP last night, It was unmistakable as a small fuzzy haze.

We also observed the Scutum star cloud with the un-aided eye.

M22, m+5.2. This is another seldom seen object. Tonight however, we were both treated to some excellent, wide field views, of this bright globular star cluster. M22 is round and looks slightly granular.

M8, m+4.6. Bright nebula, visible with in a small cluster of stars.

M20, m+6.3. Fainter than M8, but still visible through my 10x50 glasses. M20 is visible as a faint glow against the brighter milky way.

High up, above our heads Cygnus was flying over head. With binoculars and the naked eye. I was able to see NGC7000 and through binoculars. The brighter part's of the Gamma Cygnus nebulosity.

We were observing from 21:35 hrs until cloud rolled in at approx 22:30hrs UT.

One other observation that I made, which, I have yet to identifi. Were two satellites moving through the lower portion of Pegasus. These object's were moving at the same speed. And I think probably, in a synchronous orbit.

They were both seen to transit M15, and they were bright through the glasses. My estimation was m+7.0. I didn't record the time which is annoying. But I would guess it was about 21:45UT.

2011DF in NGC6801 and 2011DH in Messier 51

You don't usually associate CCD, or visual astronomy during these all two short night's. But. As I discovered only last night.

There is still plenty to see when full astronomical darkness comes shortly after 22:00 ut. And last night was know exception.

The skies where I live had been wonderfully clear all day, and I had received notice, about some recent supernovae that were visible. So I decided to set up, and enjoy taking CCD image's of.

Messier 51 and 2011DH (M+14). And then NGC6801 and supernova 2011DF (M+16).

 M51

NGC6801

Both of these object's were tricky, especially Messier 51 with it's near impossible altitude. I had to switch off the guiding, and take 4x30 second UN-guided exposures. Then regrettably I had to leave it. The angle of the G11, made imaging, impossible.

NGC6801 was also difficult but, not as difficult as I had imagined. This galaxy is tiny, and lies very close to Kappa Cygni, and is in a bad area of sky to find galaxies. I suspect if this galaxy were out side the plane of our home galaxy, it might be brighter.

NGC6801 is small and it is a type Sc Galaxy, in Cygnus , it can be found at.

Right Ascension (2000.0): 19:27:35.9 (h:m:s)
Declination (2000.0): +54:22:21 (deg:m:s)
m_b: 14.6 (mag) , m_v: 13.9 (mag) , SB: 13.6 (mag per square arcmin)
Dimension: 1.30 x 0.7 (arcmin) , PA: 44
Cross Identifications: UGC 11443, MCG 9-32-5, ZWG 281.3, PGC 63229, IRAS19264+5416 

Both Sn are arrowed, and both were imaged from my home here in Cheshire, with a Atik16ic and Orion Optics 200-800 F4 on a Losmandy G11. Guiding was carried out with a QHY5 TS, OAG, and PHD.

Car seat Astronomy by Christopher Hill

Here is a short but fascinating observation report, by a member of my local Astronomical Society, Mr C Hill of Macc Astro.

Car Seat Astronomy – Chris Hill

We have all heard of armchair astronomy but what about car seat astronomy?  Spring 2011 was awash with clear nights, but a strong easterly wind made astronomy sometimes uncomfortable.  Setting up a telescope and observing in the wind can leave you very cold, so on the last good night of a clear spell I decided to observe from the comfort of my car.

After the May workshop I parked in a quiet dark spot in the Goyt valley, which is situated between Macclesfield and Buxton. 

With the open drivers side window facing south. And the sunroof  open as well, I began making observations.   

With my 8x50 Opticron binocular I went hunting for the host of galaxies that are best seen in the spring.  Starting with Ursa Major through the sunroof I could easily spot M81 and M82 at right angles to each other. M51 looked like a pale disk through the binocular and M101 was also visible as a larger but fainter glowing disk.  However M108 and M97 (the owl nebula) could not be seen.

The globular clusters M3, M13 and M53 were easy to spot and a fine sight.  I could also see M64 (the black eye galaxy) clearly.  The Leo triplet (M66, M65 and NGC3628) could just be made out with M66 being easiest to spot.  The Virgo cluster was a bit trickier. While M100 and M85 could be made out I could not pin down M98 or M99.  In the area around M84 and M86 I could not make out any individual galaxies but the sky took on a mottled appearance.

I find that galaxies look quite different through a binocular than the usual view that you get through a telescope.  The core of a galaxy stands out in a telescope eyepiece but the faint outer regions can be elusive.  Through a binocular the core can be hard to spot while the outer parts stand out.  The best view of M31 (the Andromeda galaxy) that I have had was through a binocular. 

The sky was quite good with a limiting magnitude of 5.5 but there was some dust in the atmosphere.  Perhaps on another night more could have been seen but I was surprised how much could be seen from a car seat with a binocular.

03-05-2011  

Thank you Chris, for that excellent observing report. Chris has also very kindly submitted a DSLR image of Messier 51. Thank you again.

Gibbous Phased

What do you do at this time of the year, now the night's getting alarmingly shorter and shorter?

Well. I am now making regular solar observation's through the William Optics 66sd and Baader filter, and I am also observing the Moon and imaging it.

Last night for a bit of fun, I decided to use my little APO, and Nikon D40 for some quick lunar imaging.

Here is the result.

 

I've also been making observation's of the Sun using the same telescope, and below are a small selection of drawing's.

The Sun is now beginning to get active again, and with each day there is something new to observe. These drawings were made through my little William Optics fitted with a home made Baader solar filter. I find the use of a deep Orange filter, helps to increase contrast. And this makes any sunspots stand out.

So you see, there is still plenty of astronomy one can do during the long, dreamy, summer month's...

Our Moon

With the lighter night's, fast approaching. I've been tinkering with my QHY5 and videoing the Moon.

The Moon is one subject that, thankfully doesn't require a dark sky. And I have noticed before. How some of the best seeing can be found during the early hours, or, during the later part of the day. Around two hours before Sun-set.

The image's which you will see on here were all taken through a 10" Newtonian from the British company Orion Optics http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/ in Crewe Cheshire.

The OTA is mounted on top of my Losmandy G11 and I'm using a Red filter (W25) which is helping to reduce the effects of poor seeing.

The image is of Copernicus. Copernicus is a huge 93km diameter crater that is easily visible through small binoculars.

I took this image on 2011-04-12 on the 50th Anniversary of Yuri Gargarin and his solo manned space flight.

This image was captured around 19:45 hrs UT through a x2 Barlow. You can also see, in the same field the Carpathian mountains which is the small rocky out crop below Copernicus. Also in this image is Eratosthenes. Which is visible to the  right, with three peaks visible in the crater.

The Moon is a lovely object, and It is one subject that I will return to with this telescope now the night's are getting lighter, and I can't do any CCD imaging because of work.

Enjoy...