There’s been a run of cloud that’s been most frustrating, but two days ago we were granted a window at last, and I had three (very cold) hours with the 8″ S/C and a friend’s 4″ refractor (also with a go-to). In fact, it’s clear tonight, so I may go out and do a binocular tour, (we have an observatory session planned for tomorrow night also).
What did I see on Friday? I didn’t keep notes, so I’ll rely on my memory.
First, the ‘greatest hits’ of the Dumbbell Nebula M27, Ring Nebula M57, Bodes Galaxy and its companion, Albereo, Mizar, the other Cygnus double (two gold, one with a blue tint?), M36, M13, M92, M42, M31 and M31, and a very, very very faint M110 (the first time I can profess to have seen it. This was through the 4″). M39, (anvil-shaped ‘star field’ in Cygnus).
More obscure objects were the clusters, NGC 457 (the ET cluster), NGC7086, just ‘above’ M39 and NGC1664, (which is the subject of next Monday’s lecture, so it was cool to see that). Venus was setting on the way there, Saturn still in the sky, but too low for the scope. The Andromeda Galaxy, by the way, was right overhead. By 9pm we had ice on our telescopes, amazing. I expect it was the low mist freezing.
I Need my Space 