I had no particular plan but I knew when the skies are transparent like this, my chances of observing a few galaxies from my urban location should be possible.. While awaiting equilibrium I tried Eps Bootis, Cor Caroli and Mizar. Quite a strange move with a temperature-non- adapted telescope. Nice double stars. Around Mizar I saw a slight blue haze, a product of an
After cooling down I went for M53 and M3, both globular clusters. M3 could be resolved in some individual stars and a granulated glow. Nice to see that my latest upgrade on a slightly higher magnification on objects like this, worked out well. I didn't use the full maximum with the Leica zoom, 210X was enough. Higher magnifications made it darker. M53 did not show individual stars and looked like a mottled stain of light in the sky.
I rather ran quickly through M64, M84, M86, M87, M88 and M94. They obeyed the rules and were all there. Those galaxies are possible, even from the city, given a transparent sky. The slightest haze makes them disappear, except for M87 and M94 that is. Main target was M51, the Whirlpool. From observations not long ago I knew a bit more than two light stains could be possible. Almost the same as years ago with my 140mm OMC140. At first I saw only the two cores, surrounded by some adjacent mist. After putting on my hood and remaining concentrated permanently, two more smears of light appeared with averted vision. Slewing the telescope a bit and a bit of zooming helped even more. I was quite pleased with it. Here I was, city-dweller, observing M51! I made a rough sketch of it.
Immediately thereafter I thought of NGC4565, another challenge under urban skies. It was more than a year ago since I saw it. Under the clear and clean skies of the total Lockdown. I slewed to it and to my surprise it shimmered through. Not as easy as M51, but the Needle was there. I tapped my telescope on the side and put a thumb up: "Well done, lady!", I murmured. Maybe it was the
