M45 the Pliedes

First 'guided' stab at this but the night was a distaster the camera wouldn't work the mount kept sinking in the quagmire that out back garden is at the moment and then all the lenses dewed up - basically 3 hours of fiddling for 2 lousy subframes when I really was aiming for about 20!!

This is a lovely open cluster in taurus and easily seen with the naked eye just above the Bulls horns looks like a mini 'plough' shape - these are new hot stars that are lighting up the gas around them - this is the cloudiness and is referred to as a reflection nebula as the gas is not producing the light.

I'm sure you will be kind but I am far from happy with it.

I hope the camera problem isn't terminal - but I was a grumpy bunny at 1 am

 

As they say: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again...

It's a good starting point! I was out looking at that one last night... it's one of my favorites i have found so far. Also looking at Orion's "fuzzy bits"... M42 - The Orion Nebula - cool!

Was not crazy enough to be out till too late though...

 

ooo did Dawn get to look at the fuzzy bits as well?

 

nah... she was hiding inside in the warmth

 

Did you see any detail in it at all? I find it takes wuite a while at the eyepeice before anthing 'pops out at you'

Many congratulations by the way you are making pretty speedy progress sir!

 

The Pleiades i can see quite well (not the blue nebulosity though). The Orion Nebula is a bit too dim for me to see on the higher magnifications. On the lower magnification (aprox x70 with a barlow lens) i can make out the cluster of a few of the brighter stars in the nebula with a hint of the nebula cloud around them. Good enough for me

 

lowest possible mag is the best - wouldn't use the barlow TBH - the thing to look for are the 4 hot stars inthe heart the trapezium

 

it was lovely and clear at 1.30 this morning, would have been a great time to get the scope out but sadly neither of us was in a fit state i think they're great pictures Chris

 

That's the trouble I have. I struggle to keep my eyes open after 10pm.

 

i think i'm a summer astronomer too

 

unfortunately it doesn't get dark in the summer

 

oh

 

in the summer there are several weeks when we don't even get 'astronomical twilight'

 

well maybe when it's just not -2!!! how do you keep warm? i had a microfibre fleece and a north face puffa type coat that is usually really warm - used it for up cairngorm when we go up there and i was freezing withing 15 mins

 

How do you stay awake???

 

Keeping warm isa challenge for sure - thinking of getting some serious polar stuff

usually wear tshirt 2 jumpers coat scarf hat and fingerles gloves and thermal socks - its nearly as appealing an image as the wetsuit one

 

Its exciting

 

And how do you stay awake the next day at work when your classroom is the warmest room in the school?

 

coffee with a dash of coffee, and a coffee chaser!

you should never have too much blood in your caffeine system

 

I can't just nip off to the toilet when I feel like it you know...