TheSkySearchers

4/3/21

Hello Again Friends,

The weather cooperated again nicely, and I got back out for another night of observing.

My scope and gear were still in the car so all I had to do was get the wife and dog settled in bed and I was out the door. I returned to the same spot by the baseball field but was a little more prepared with a blanket to shield my eyes from ground lighting.

I was hoping to have gotten out early enough to try to catch the nova in Cassiopeia, but I just missed it diving below the trees. Taking a little stock of the sky I noticed that toward the north the sky looked noticeably darker. This is because I was looking out of the light dome from Greensboro rather than looking through it.

I chose a quick list of brighter objects in Ursa Major using Sky Safari and went to work. I also spent a little more time on each target and utilized more than one eyepiece.

M109
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.6
At 83x magnification it was averted vision only. Faint oval shaped smudge. Target popped into existence when moving my scope but wanted to disappear with direct vision. Best viewed at 120x using 12.5mm ortho
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)

M97
Planetary Nebula in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.8
Starting at 83x, circular smudge of light faintly visible directly, but pretty obvious in averted vision. Switched to 120x with a slightly increase in visibility. Averted vision now revealing a faint mottled texture. Best viewed at 167x using 9mm ortho
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)

M108
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 9.9
This guy wanted to be a challenge. Near invisible at 83x, but came into existence in averted vision at 120x. Tried increasing magnification to 167x, but no change. Just a faint slim oval shaped ghost that came and went.
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)

M81
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 6.7
Easily located as a tiny smudge through my 9x50 RACI. At 83x the core was directly obvious, but with averted vision I could make out an extended glow surrounding the bright core. Object felt like it was revealing a slight spiral structure, but this could have just been averted imagination instead. Increasing magnification improved the core, but the best view was going a little wider at 83x. Fun object just to stare at and ponder if right now someone/thing else is looking back with the same thoughts.
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)

M82
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mag: 8.0
Another obvious target and a good one to explore for a while. Skinny oval shaped glow, slightly broken up across the middle. Increasing magnification to 120x gave a slight improvement.
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)

NGC 3077
Spiral Galaxy in Ursa Major, Mg: 9.9
Not an easy one to pull out but, but I did manage to get an averted vision hint of something there at 120x magnification.
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)

Mizar and Alcor
Double Star in Ursa Major, Mag: 2.22 & 3.88
This one is always a fun little split. Both stars had a blueish/white color with an obvious magnitude difference between the two
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 9mm)

M3
Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici, Mag: 6.2
It’s been quite a while since I’ve viewed a globular and this one didn’t disappoint.
At 83x magnification this object was directly visible as a circular splotch with a definite grainy texture. Increasing magnitude to 120x and then to 167x I was able to pick out some individual stars.
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)

M53
Globular Cluster in Coma Bernices, Mad: 7.6
Easily spotted at 83x magnification. Similar in appearance, but slightly smaller than M3. Object had the same grainy texture of thousands of stars.
(Equipment: Z12 with ES 82° 18mm, KK Ortho 12mm & 9mm)


Kind of a mixed bag tonight of Galaxies, Globs a PN and even a double star! I figured this was as good a place as any to end close my session and head on home.

Thanks for sticking around and reading my report.

Man, that was a fun read !

Excellent descriptions and comments. Actually, very descriptive notes!

Your observing experience reflects your experience. Thanks Craig for the fun read!

Nice 2nd outing. I think many folks use "averted imagination" to tell themselves that they haven't seen what they truly have?

A very nice report is here, Prowler !
Thank you.

Great write up

I'm in the Charlotte light dome just south of you.

Congrats on another successful session Craig! I am also trying to catch the nova in Cassiopeia but small observing window and local skyline makes it hard.

Thanks everyone!

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 1:18 am Nice 2nd outing. I think many folks use "averted imagination" to tell themselves that they haven't seen what they truly have?

This is one reason why I don’t like to closely study astro photos of objects before I observe them...maybe I should though?

prowler75 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:39 pm

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 1:18 am Nice 2nd outing. I think many folks use "averted imagination" to tell themselves that they haven't seen what they truly have?

This is one reason why I don’t like to closely study astro photos of objects before I observe them...maybe I should though?

My experience with young new observers tells me that folks dismiss what they're seeing because it jumps out and says HUZZAH HERE I AM! Mileages vary, but IMO knowing where to look is half the battle. I just want to encourage you to believe what you think you see. Then you can gradually see more. Training the eye to see more is easier if you don't discourage yourself, again IMO and not trying to tell you how to observe. Just something to consider.

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:05 pm

prowler75 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:39 pm

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 1:18 am Nice 2nd outing. I think many folks use "averted imagination" to tell themselves that they haven't seen what they truly have?

This is one reason why I don’t like to closely study astro photos of objects before I observe them...maybe I should though?

My experience with young new observers tells me that folks dismiss what they're seeing because it jumps out and says HUZZAH HERE I AM! Mileages vary, but IMO knowing where to look is half the battle. I just want to encourage you to believe what you think you see. Then you can gradually see more. Training the eye to see more is easier if you don't discourage yourself, again IMO and not trying to tell you how to observe. Just something to consider.

Thanks for that perspective nFA! You make a great point about knowing where to look being half the battle. There are many objects that look completely different from prior observations just because I know where the details are and how to look at them. M33 is a perfect example for me of something that was nigh invisible at first, but changed to a detailed favorite just because I now know how big it really is in my eyepiece.

Great advice! This is something I want to explore more.

Now that was a delightful 2nd outing Craig. I see the 12 inch must've gotten its feelings hurt from the first round and pushed the 8 inch out of the way!

You did a wonderful job of getting your observer's legs back under you and then some. Keep of the great work buddy and look forward to some more action from your end.

And nFA is correct, averted imagination can work both ways. It can trick us into thinking we saw something we did not, but conversely it can make us doubt what we have indeed seen at times.

Hi Craig. Wow, this was a fun read report and you really grabbed a nice basket of Messier objects on your second session. Thanks for your well written and most informative report Craig, and I hope that you get a chance for a Round 3 soon.

kt4hx wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:18 pm Now that was a delightful 2nd outing Craig. I see the 12 inch must've gotten its feelings hurt from the first round and pushed the 8 inch out of the way!

You did a wonderful job of getting your observer's legs back under you and then some. Keep of the great work buddy and look forward to some more action from your end.

And nFA is correct, averted imagination can work both ways. It can trick us into thinking we saw something we did not, but conversely it can make us doubt what we have indeed seen at times.

Thanks Alan!
Yeah, the 12” is not conducive to apartment living. The 8” appreciates the love though. I’m definitely looking forward to my next outing!

Makuser wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:09 pm Hi Craig. Wow, this was a fun read report and you really grabbed a nice basket of Messier objects on your second session. Thanks for your well written and most informative report Craig, and I hope that you get a chance for a Round 3 soon.

Thanks Marshall!
Hoping for a round three soon too.

Nice read.
Great report!
M108 is one of the more difficult to find ones under my urban skies. Well done!

Great session Craig! Hopefully you will be able to continue with these observations if the weather is good.