Telescope Reviews: Observing Log 11/21/03

Observing Report 11/21/03
Equipment: Heep ('umble 4.5" DS Newtonian on EQ mount, 900mm, f/8)
Eyepieces: 20mm, 10mm, 6.7mm Meade Plossls
Location: Goodwood, Ont. (approx. 44n, 79w)
Time: 0230 - 0730 UT
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The York Simcoe Amateur Astronomers observing session was at a farm owned by one of the members. There were seven of us altogether, although there were only five scopes. Two were Meade 8" SCT's on fork mounts, one a Megrez-80 on a simple camera tripod, an 8" Orion dob, and 'umble Heep. A new member, also was on hand with his 10x50 bino's. He had wisely decided to defer the purchase of a scope until after having done some comparative observing.

My planned target list included some pretty obscure and challenging objects, at least for a 4.5" scope: I wanted to get NGC 7331 before Pegasus disappeared for the year; also M74 and M77, both of which, I've heard, are pretty faint. Also wanted to try for M76. M74 and M77 are getting close to the western horizon by 9:00 PM local (0200 UT), and M76 is pretty near the zenith by that time. I have trouble viewing near the zenith, it gets difficult to point the scope.

So much for plans: intermittent high clouds hampered the viewing; was forced to view between the holes. Besides, by the time I got there, Pisces and Cetus were already speeding towards the western horizon, and the clouds didn't clear out until 0400 or so.

So most of my targets were in the south and east this night. I wasn't complaining; there are so many beautiful objects in winter. I started with M37 in Auriga. What a gorgeous sight from a dark location! I had seen it from my light-strewn front yard, but it look like little more than a smudge. Here, I was able to discern at least two dozen stars in a hazy background; almost like a miniature M11.

Saturn was my next stop ... I showed it to Jamie (the new member), who had never seen it in a scope before. You can guess his reaction. If your first view of Saturn doesn't blow you away, check your pulse.

Spent much of the evening being struck dumb by M42, which from a dark site is beyond description. (So much so that I forgot to check out M36 and M38.) It nearly filled the EP at 90x, and the hints of colour that had mere suggestions before were clearly discernable, a greenish-turquoise at the centre and a deeper blue along the edges. M42 was particularly stunning using a friend's Meade 6.7 UWA ... it was like looking out a porthole in a spaceship. I could literally get the entire sword in the EP. I gotta get me one of these!

Later in the evening, I used a buddy's 32mm to hit the Pleiades, always a beautiful sight. (Gotta get me one of these, too!) Used the same EP to good effect on M35, which is another of my favourite clusters. But I still couldn't locate NGC2158, its small companion. Had made plans to view the Clown Face nebula in Gemini ... It's supposed to be the brightest planetary out there ... but forgot. The clouds began to roll in again by 0600, so I didn't get more than three hours at the eyepiece. I might have remembered if I'd stayed up longer.

Later in the evening, I wanted to check out M33, but again, couldn't locate it. But I did locate the cluster Messier forgot: NGC 752. What a gem in a low-power EP. Dozens of stars resolved. Easily the equal of M35. By this time Sirius was high in the southeast, so I made an attempt at M41, which I had tried to find last winter from my front yard, but couldn't. This time I just pointed the scope about 5 degrees due south of Sirius, and there it was ... quite a bright cluster, showing about three dozen fairly bright stars in a loose configuration.

But the highlight of the evening was M1. Had tried to find it last April; no luck. This time I used the method suggested in Turn Left; lined up Zeta Tauri at the top right corner of the finder, and it was sitting in the middle of the EP, an elongated, shapeless glow. Not much to look at, but so far, the only supernova remnant I've seen.

Now, I just hope it doesn't take a year to find M2 ...

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Clear nights ... dark sites,
Darren