Cosmic
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Dark SiteManaged to get about 2.5 Hrs good observing skies at the Dark Site last night. Views to the South and East5 were superb, East was a bit problematical due to the lights from the roundabout. The North was a mixture as a gradient from black at the zenith to deep azure blue near the horizon.
As I had to collimate the scope and having forgotten my Laser collimator I decided to try the Cheshire Collimator with a red light shone through the hole at the side. I was able to obtain perfect collimation in under 2 mins, a star test with 10mm eyepiece in 2.5 barlow slightly out of focus gave me for the first time ever perfect concentric circles so I was well chuffed!
Saturn was paticularly well viewed and Titan, Tethys and Rhea clearly seen also banding to north and south as well as crisp ring shadow across the centre of palnet. An absolute Joy 12" Dob 12mm Plossl and 2.5 barlow.
Lyra and Hercules resplendent with M13, M92 and M57 a real delight.
We really must get a gathering of members for one of these nights and perhaps have a messier binocular challenge.
let me know what you feel about that.
Cosmic
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