Home Forums RAC Main Forum General Discussion Observing tonight? Re: Observing tonight?

#11193
Dean Johnson
Participant

    Last night Steve Remick and I got out. I got in 4 and a half hours. We went through the planet routine again, then I pointed out Gamma Leonis in Leo and he got his first double. He couldn't split it with his 25mm lense, but when he popped on his 2X barlow he split it easily. He was fascinated with his first double. Then I used my laser pointer to show him the area that M81/M82 reside in and he found it pretty easy. You should have heard the excitment in his voice! They both fit into the FOV better in his 8" Dob than my G8. Then I had him go after M13 in Hercules and he had a tougher time with this. He had his scope riding too high. I told him to drop a little and he got his first globular. It sure brought back memories…

    He left at 11 p.m. and then I collared 6 more Herschel 400's. NGC's 4665, 4753, 4754, 4762, 4845 and 4900. They were all very pleasing to look at, but the best were the pair of 4754 and 4762 which reside in the same FOV. NGC 4900 finished the night, and it has a very bright star right in the little cloud of nebulousity, and I was reminded of the night at Eagle Bluff when we saw the bright star in M53 that one night a few years ago in July. I hit the 70 hour mark for the year last night.

    I'm going to finish it this year! I feel like that actor on those USA prime credit commercials after he talks to the Chicago Blackhawks player Patrick Kane and then scores a goal on his little hockey game table. "Peggy, Peggy, Peggy!" Have AGNFA at Cherry Grove tomorrow, I wish I could be there, but the timing wasn't right.