Sunday, August 5, 2012

August 4th Binocular scan


NOTE: Please click on the hyperlink on an object (e.g. Andromeda Galaxy) for more information.

At 2230 GMT, I looked outside. The conditions had changed little since earlier, with cloud scattering moonlight. I bin scanned the sky, the first object being Melotte 20, which rarely disappoints. There were some clear patches around Aquila, Cygnus and Lyra, so the Coathanger (Collinder 399) showed well. The Wild Duck Cluster (M11) was poor, as was M13. I couldn’t see M29 or M39 but I managed to split Delta and Epsilon Lyrae in the same field of view, something I’d never noticed before!
Now something I’d never noticed before was that Mizar showed the “peanut” effect of a double star that didn’t quite split. I checked again, no doubt! Well Albireo splits easily enough  (and did again on the night) and Mizar is just under half the separation. Nu and 16/17 Draconi showed well, too.
When it cleared again around Perseus, I checked for meteors  I couldn’t see M34 but the Andromeda Galaxy(M31) showed a hint of what it could look like under better conditions. I also revisited the Moon a few times and enjoyed the detail.

No meteors to report for #Meteorwatch but it was an interesting session under far from ideal conditions and I couldn’t believe that an hour had passed when I came back in.

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