The Hermitage Museum, an old Norfolk estate.
After working at the Hermitage Musem Homemade show yesterday I was tired so I set up the 80mm. I had an encoder hiccup but got it resolved.
The sky was thick with haze. I think it's smoke from perhaps the Midwest. Every night has been like that this week.
List: 22/09/17 80mm TMB
Gamma2 Delphini
(Double Star in Delphinus)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 8:30:51 PM
Comment: Struve 2727
8.8"
Beautiful 4th and 5th magnitude stars. The primary is gold and the secondary is pale blue. Widely separated at 8.8".
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 58%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm TMB
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
SAO 105766
(Variable Double Star in Sagitta)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 8:38:46 PM
Comment: Struve 2634
4.1"
Because of the thick smoke in the air tonight this pair of 7.5 magnitude stars were challenging to split but wth the 4.0mm Takahashi TOA at 150x I was able to do so
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 58%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm TMB
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
HD 189921
(Double Star in Aquila)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 8:42:31 PM
Comment: No Struve number
4.0
A tight pair of 7.2 magnitude blue stars
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 58%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 4mm Takahashi TOE
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
HD 189783
(Double Star in Aquila)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 8:45:29 PM
Comment: Struve 2613
4.1"
A pretty pair of gold star.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 58%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 4mm Takahashi TOE
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Saturn
(Planet in Capricornus)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:15:07 PM
Comment: Although relatively small even with the 3.3mm Takahashi TOE at 180x it still looked impressively crisp and sharp. Cassini's Division waa eaily seen but I could not see the Crepe Ring
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 58%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 4mm Takahashi TOE
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
29 Aquarii
(Variable Double Star in Aquarius)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:18:41 PM
Comment: No Struve number
3.8"
A pretty pair of orange stars
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 58%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 4mm Takahashi TOE
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
41 Aquarii
(Double Star in Aquarius)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:20:29 PM
Comment: No Struve number
5.2"
Interesting pair of stars, they are not only magnitude contrasting but also color contrasting. The primary is deep gold and the secondary is deep blue
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 58%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 4mm Takahashi TOE
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Messier 2
(Globular Cluster in Aquarius)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:26:36 PM
Comment: Surprisingly bright on this very smoky night. I couldn't resolve it though
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 58%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 4mm Takahashi TOE
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Messier 15
(Globular Cluster in Pegasus)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:29:46 PM
Comment: A wonderful globular cluster. Even on this night with smoke in the air I could just begin to resolve it
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Gamma2 Delphini
(Double Star in Delphinus)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:32:43 PM
Comment: Struve 2727
8.8"
Wow! A showpiece double star. The primary is light yellow and the secondary is pale blue.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
HD 205160
(Double Star in Pegasus)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:34:38 PM
Comment: Struve 2804
3.6"
A tight pair of blue stars but cleanly split
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
HD 189783
(Double Star in Aquila)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:37:07 PM
Comment: 4.1"
There are two pairs of double stars in the same field of view. This pair are an easier pair to split. The primary is 7.4 magnitude and the secondary is 8.1
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
HD 189921
(Double Star in Aquila)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:40:27 PM
Comment: There are two pairs of double stars in the same field of view but this pair are far more difficult to split. Even with the 3.3mm Takahashi TOE at 150x it was challenging. SkySafari states 4.0" but I suspect it is close now. In her 2006 Double Stars book Sissy Haas says a grand pair in a 125mm refractor. I suspect the pair have closed up some since
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
SAO 105766
(Variable Double Star in Sagitta)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:47:26 PM
Comment: 4.0"
I could just barely split these with the 5mm Pentax at 120x but was able to with the 3.3mm Takahashi TOE at 150x
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
HD 192424
(Variable Double Star in Vulpecula)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:49:29 PM
Comment: Struve 2655
6.1"
Easily split pair of very pretty 8th magnitude blue stars, and they lie close to The Dumbbell Nebula
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Dumbbell Nebula - M 27
(Planetary Nebula in Vulpecula)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:52:01 PM
Comment: I was amazed how bright this looked using the 10mm Pentax at 60x with the Orion UltraBlock filter
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Rho Herculis
(Variable Double Star in Hercules)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 9:57:55 PM
Comment: 4.0"
A very tight pair of stars. Challenging even with the 3.5mm Pentax at 170x because of the closeness and also the magnitude contrast. The primary is 6.5 magnitude and the secondary is 9.3.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Messier 92
(Globular Cluster in Hercules)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:04:16 PM
Comment: One of my favorite summertime globular clusters but I'm afraid tonight it's lost in the glow of light polluted and smoky skies
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Hercules Cluster - M 13
(Globular Cluster in Hercules)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:06:46 PM
Comment: Despite light polluted and smoky skies M 13 looks huge using the 10mm Pentax at 120x
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Saturn
(Planet in Capricornus)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:10:24 PM
Comment: Unlike earlier tonight this time I was able to faintly see The Crepe Ring using the 3.3mm Takahashi TOE at 175x, despite only fair seeing conditions. The view was pretty awesome with the 2.4mm Vixen HR at 250x but the 80mm was simply running out of light
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Saturn Nebula - NGC 7009
(Planetary Nebula in Aquarius)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:16:59 PM
Comment: After looking at the planet Saturn what better object to look at next than NGC 7009, the Saturn Nebula? it is quite large with the 5mm Pentax at 120and has high surface brightness. I tried the Orion UltraBlock filter but 120x in an 80mm telescope is too high power for effective use of the filter
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
65 Piscium
(Double Star in Pisces)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:23:50 PM
Comment: Struve 61
4.2"
A lovely pair of 5th and tblue stars, cleanly split
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
HD 223718
(Double Star in Andromeda)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:25:41 PM
Comment: Struve 3042
5.7"
Easily split pair of blue stars
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
HR 283
(Double Star in Andromeda)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:27:06 PM
Comment: Struve 79
8.0"
A gorgeous pair of stars. The primary is 6.0 magnitude and the secondary is 6.8.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Andromeda Galaxy - M 31
(Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:28:51 PM
Comment: First time this year seeing M31. As special as The Andromeda Galaxy is it's never a favorite object of mine. It's just too large to fit in a telescope field of view, even with a 20mm Pentax at 30x.
I have, however seen it look absolutely beautiful with 20x120 Big Eyes binoculars from Coinjock
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Sigma Cassiopeiae
(Double Star in Cassiopeia)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:32:59 PM
Comment: 3.1"
A gorgeous double star with magnitude contrast. The primary is 4.8 magnitude and the tiny secondary is 7.2.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
WZ Cassiopeiae
(Variable Double Star in Cassiopeia)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:36:15 PM
Comment: A rather faint but beautiful deep orange carbon star
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
WW Cassiopeiae
(Variable Double Star in Cassiopeia)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:38:47 PM
Comment: Deep red 9th magnitude carbon star. Best in my scope with the 10mm Pentax at 60x.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
VX Andromedae
(Variable Star in Andromeda)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:40:44 PM
Comment: 10mm Pentax at 110x
Deep red carbon star but at 8.5 magnitude (variable) it really is better with a larger telescope
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
Jupiter
(Planet in Pisces)
Observed: Sep 17, 2022 at 10:50:02 PM
Comment: Jupiter was the ideal object to wrap up an observing night. The Red Spot is not visible tonight but the cloud belts are always interesting. The NEB looks thicker than the SEB. It also is a bit redder, while the NEB ia browner.
Location: Virginia Beach SQM-L 17.9, 67° H 72%
Equipment: 80mm TMB f/7.5, 5mm Pentax
Seeing: 9
Transparency: 6
