Society for Popular Astronomy

I raised this new topic but didn't observe the meteors in he end, despite clear sky all night.

Too tired. Yesterday was a nightmare of a day...

Yes, the moon occurred to me. However, as you say, we are mad...

A reminder that this shower will be peaking in the early hours of Thursday morning, at a predicted twenty per hour or more. And the weather forecast looks good!

Thanks for the tip off, Skybrowser. I'll walk up a nearby hill with my binoculars.

Hello Skybrowser, Yes, I've concreted all of the breeze blocks together. I figure that should be enough weight. You are right about the price of wood, even when like me you live at the edge of the Galloway Forest park! I've just used sarking for the cladding. Cheaper and longer lasting. I used sarki...

I haven't seen it yet, Skybrowser, but I'll be trying soon. I believe Mercury will also be putting in an evening appearance too, around about the end of the month.

I love its mellow hue.

Best wishes,

Nigel

Interesting observations, Mike.

I yearn for when Saturn rises to a decent elevation in our skies again...2024?

It's been a long absence.

Regards, Nigel

What sort of enclosure are you making? I keep pondering a run-off shed, but I'm not sure how easy it will be to make, and in particular how easy it will be to make one that doesn't blow over in a gale! I'll be interested to see what sort of view of the Virgo galaxies can be had in a big scope (14&q...

Had a nice hour with the 4 inch wide-field refractor last night, from 21:00 UT to 22:00 UT. I started with a few nice sights like the Beehive Cluster, M44, which was looking beautiful with the velvety background effect. Tilting the scope upwards towards the North Galactic pole, I enjoyed M53 globula...

I visit the Garnett Star regularly, too. Its colour through the 14 inch is particularly mesmerising, an indescribable hue of great depth.

A beautiful carbon-star

I gather from the net that nova outbursts can last anywhere from several days to years. I wonder how long this one will last.

Yes, great skills, Bob. I wouldn't be able to tell a `.3' in magnitude from a `.4' even if it was `about' and with `low reliability'!

Nova still there yesterday evening at around 21:30 UT. Quicker to locate this time as M52 was visible without the moonlight! The 9x63 binoculars give a perfect FOV for speedy location of M52.

Observed it for the first time at 02:45 UT this morning following a short bout of insomnia. I haven't attempted it before midnight due to a badly positioned tree at the end of my garden! I used my 9x63 binoculars. I agree with you, Bob, this field isn't that easy to find, M52 being invisible. I used...