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(IAAC) Obj: M42, Sh2-276 (Barnard's Loop), NGC2237 & NGC2239 (Rosette), M41, M45, M31, NGC 869 & NGC 884 (h & chi Per), M44 - Inst: 10 X 50 Nikon Lookout III Binoculars
[Reposted with permission.]
Observer: Penny Fischer
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 7 p.m. EST
Location of site: 40 N. (Lat , Elev )
Site classification: Suburban
Sky darkness: 4.0 <Limiting magnitude>
Seeing: 6 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 10 X 50 Nikon Lookout III Binoculars
Magnification: 10x
Filter(s): None
Object(s): various
Category: nebulae, clusters, galaxies
Class:
Constellation: Ori, Mon, CMa, Tau, And, Per, Cnc
Data: mag size
Position: RA : DEC :
Description:
**LOVE UNDER THE STARS**
--
Took the binocs out briefly tonight for some Valentine's Night Observing.
The skies are fairly dark here tonight and the transparency is quite good,
of course the costant problem is getting away from the lights, but I found
the darkest part of the backyard to look at my objects of affection....the
deeper the better :).
--
First up of course was the Orion Nebula, nebulosity appeared to be present
in a large portion of the sky surrounding the constellation, and with
averted (or maybe shaking optics) could have seen Barnard's loop. At least
two of the Trap stars were visible through binocs tonight.
--
Next up I turned towards the Rosette Nebula and cluster, and tonight it was
surrounded totally by nebulosity. Further south I went to M41, this open
cluster looked decidedly globular tonight under binocular magnification.
--
Moving back across the sky to Auriga and Taurus, picked out the clusters of
Auriga easily, they melded into a blanket of stars that culminated with the
Hyades in Taurus. It was quite a contortion to try and find M1 tonight, as
the onstellation Taurus is almost zenith at this time of the night, and I
was unsucessful in finding that supernova remnant. I did however, get a
stunning view of Pleiades. While in the area, I found the Andromeda
galaxy, which in binoculars tonight showed a large extended area around a
much brighter core and it looked quite galactic tonight with the core
bulging out from the middle.
While in the area still, along my tour of the sky, I picked out a favorite
pair I love dearly and deeply, the double cluster in Perseus. The clusters
were resoleable but small in the binocs, but some stars glittered through
the dusty nebulous clusters looking like sprinkled confectionary sugar on
cookies.
--
Not to leave the northern part of the sky unattended, I swung over my
viewing to that direction. I found my favorite cluster of all...the
Beehive, which
shimmered with its understated beauty of dim yet brilliant stars in a quite
symmetrical configuration.
--
I spent about a half hour hunting down these objects of my affection, but
even love knows bounds :) and the cold drew me back inside for a cup of Hot
Chocolate...
--
Have a great Valentines Day Everyone and Happy Viewing!
Penny
--
** This observing log automatically submitted via the Web from:
http://www.visualdeepsky.org/enter-log.html