07/03/2010: visual observing session

07/03/2010 by yesyes.

Finally, after weeks of waiting, 2 rare things coincided; clear sky and me having time to grab the telescope.

It was an exceptionally clear night and I used it to do some pure visual observing. No camera anywhere near me to distract me from the beauty of the heavens…

This was also the first time that I did some planning before going out with the scope. I’ve prepared a list with the following objects, all of which I have managed to see that night.

NCG884/NCG869 - The Double Cluster
M3 - globular cluster
M100 - spiral galaxy
M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy
M104 - The Sombrero Galaxy
M82 - The Cigar Galaxy

In addition to all the objects above, I’ve also found and seen these by more or less randomly selecting objects from the database of my goto controller:

M81 - Bode’s Galaxy (right next to M82)
M44 - The Beehive open cluster
M63 - Sunflower Galaxy

I’ve also tried (and succeeded) splitting the double stars Mizar and 38 Gem

Note to self: Do not write down the to-observe list with a red pen on green paper and then try to read it with a red light torch.

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