TheSkySearchers

I took my 6" dob back out for another session tonight.

I was out between 7 and 9 pm.

I started with Jupiter again, but it was very low, about to go behind the trees. So I left it to go to another target.

My next target was the Pleiades star cluster. It was beautiful with lots of stars visible in my 25mm eyepiece. I then zoomed in with my 10mm eyepiece to see more details and even more stars. I couldn't see the nebula around the stars but I don't think it is visible easily without filters.

My next target was the Orion Nebula because it is just something that is always nice to look at again. It was visible much better without the Moon around.

I then moved on to looking at 4 different comets.

The first comet was 19P/Borrelly. I saw this one on my last session and I wanted to see it again. It appeared much brighter without the Moon nearby as expected. It was easily found once I located the stars around it. Nothing special, just a grey fuzzy blob, but it was clearly visible.

The second comet was 104P/Kowal 2. It was nearby Borrelly, so I went to it next. This one was not easy to find, it took me a few minutes to find it. It was very dim at magnitude +10.1 pushing the limits of my telescope, but once I finally located it, I was able to confirm it by switching eyepieces to the 10mm and in that one it was more clearly visible.

The third comet was C/2019 L3 (Atlas). This one was more easily visible once I located it through the large amount of stars around it. It is sometimes easier to find something like a comet if there are fewer stars around. There were so many stars in this area that I had trouble locating specific ones to look for to help me find it. It was easy to see once found though. I used the 10mm eyepiece to see it better, but it was clearly visible in both.

The last comet was 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It was in the constellation Cancer. In my search for it, I found the Beehive cluster, so I looked at that for a moment. It was full of stars and a nice target to look at. So many stars there.
After I got done with that little distraction, I went back to my original mission of finding the comet. I continued to locate guide stars to starhop to it. And eventually got to the area of the comet. It was very dim and not easy to see, but in the 10mm eyepiece it was easier. Still very dim, but it was clearly there in the eyepiece.

Those 3 new comets put my lifetime total number of comets found up to 16.

After I was done with the comets, I moved on to a much brighter target. The southern star, Canopus. One of the most southern stars that I can see from my location. It was actually behind my treeline, but I saw it while it was in between trees. It was twinkling alot from being so low in the sky, and had a good spike around it because of how bright it was.

My last target was another solar system object, Uranus. It appeared almost star-like, but I could barely make out that it was a disc.

Throughout all of this, the temperature outside was getting colder and dropped below freezing, so I was constantly wiping condensation from the eyepieces and the finder scope to keep a clear view. Not exactly fun, but it was worth it.

I hoped you enjoyed reading about my latest scope session. I wish clear skies to everyone. Unfortunately, my clear skies are about to end here, and won't be back for a while according to my weather forecast.

If you have good dark skies the Pleiades nebula is visible without filters in a 4” scope. Try again when transparency is better. You should be able to catch it. Concentrate on the region of Merope that’s the easiest.

My transparency at the time I viewed the Pleiades was not the best. It actually got better toward the end of my session.

As far as dark skies are concerned, I live in a bortle 4 zone. On moonless nights, I can see all of the milky way easily, and there are tons of stars in the sky.

I might need a better location for transparency as well. My setup location at the time was in between 2 vapor lights that are on our property. One is blocked by my house and the other is blocked by a tree, but I can still see light from them.

I will setup again later in a different place with a focus on some deep sky objects instead of mostly comets next time.

Shelby wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:35 am My transparency at the time I viewed the Pleiades was not the best. It actually got better toward the end of my session.

As far as dark skies are concerned, I live in a bortle 4 zone. On moonless nights, I can see all of the milky way easily, and there are tons of stars in the sky.

I might need a better location for transparency as well. My setup location at the time was in between 2 vapor lights that are on our property. One is blocked by my house and the other is blocked by a tree, but I can still see light from them.

I will setup again later in a different place with a focus on some deep sky objects instead of mostly comets next time.

When I saw the nebulosity with a 4" it was from Bortle 4-5 a near neighbor back in VA had a very bright security light that was intermittent. When the light was in off mode and transparency was above average I could get the nebulosity quite wee with no filter and the BCO eyepieces. I was using my VMC 110L. If transparency was just average or worse, it didn't matter whether the neighbor light was on or off. You'll get it I'm sure.

Great report Shelby and congrats on viewing the three new comets and so many DSO's. I don't think Canopus is visible from my parts but being more southerly it is for you. That's nice that you could see it. Congrats also on winning the VROD for the day.

Good work!
Three comets in one session, not many can match that!
Congratulations on the well deserved VROD!

Fantasting hunting of the comets!

Clear skies,
JG

Hi Shelby. A very nice observing report with the 6" Dob telescope. You grabbed three beautiful Messier objects and four comets during your session. Thanks for your well written and fun read report Shelby and congratulations on receiving the TSS VROD Award today.

Nice report Shelby. I keep my eyepieces in a small cooler with a hand warmer. Works like a charm against condensation.

Nice comet hunting Shelby! I believe you meant C/2019 L3 (Atlas), right?

Nice report and well done catching those comets! Congrats on the VROD!

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:05 pm Nice comet hunting Shelby! I believe you meant C/2019 L3 (Atlas), right?

Yes, I did. Can't believe I put that down wrong. I have corrected it in the original post too.

Thanks for all the congrats everyone. I had fun out there last night, and I will be doing it again as soon as I have time and clear skies. Forecast is calling for rain tommorow and clouds for the next few days, so that won't be anytime soon.

Great session and comet captures! Congrats on the VROD award!!

Dave