observing 7-15-03 and FIRST DSO

Finally some clear skies here in south eastern PA.
Monday night 7-14 was beautiful, but wouldn't you know I had already
made other unbreakable plans! But Tuesday was just as nice.

Out to the feild at 8:00 and there by 8:30, set up and let the scope
cool as you people have mentioned (Orion 5" newt named Blind Dog).
Started with a few doubles including Mizar and polaris.. Check out
Deneb, arcturus, and a few others..
Getting dark now at 10:00 so onto Vega and Lyra.. Check out the Double
double and Just able to make out all four at 90x. Move up to 225x to
check seeing.. Right on the money.. Never seen it this clear!
Now for the baine of my existance, a DSO! Still a newbie and only been
trying to find things since the end of april..
Grab my printed charts and decide to take my time star hopping this
time.. I used the charts like a road map with the finder, NEVER
looking through the EP this time.. Hop my way through lyra and center
between the two end stars.. Goto the 25mm EP and something looks
fuzzy.. I just cleaned this darn thing.. After studying it for a few
seconds I notice the "donut" that I have heard all about....
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My FIRST DSO.
Jumped around like a kid at christmas for a second, then jumped to 90x
again. Still there, faint but there! I studied him/her/it this way for
a little while after logging it in my notebook, and moved up to 225x
(my max).. Just barley there, but it filled the entire pin hole exit
pupil of my 4mm plossol...
After taking some notes and memories, I decide to move on to something
else (getting cockey now) and, WHAM here's the 100% coud cover.. But
at least the astro gods were nice enough to show me my first jewel.

Thanks for all the good reading and tips over the last few months. If
it weren't for this crowd my Orion would have been for sale by now for
CHEAP!

"Tom Markert" wrote in message
...
Finally some clear skies here in south eastern PA.
Monday night 7-14 was beautiful, but wouldn't you know I had already
made other unbreakable plans! But Tuesday was just as nice.

Out to the feild at 8:00 and there by 8:30, set up and let the scope
cool as you people have mentioned (Orion 5" newt named Blind Dog).
Started with a few doubles including Mizar and polaris.. Check out
Deneb, arcturus, and a few others..
Getting dark now at 10:00 so onto Vega and Lyra.. Check out the Double
double and Just able to make out all four at 90x. Move up to 225x to
check seeing.. Right on the money.. Never seen it this clear!
Now for the baine of my existance, a DSO! Still a newbie and only been
trying to find things since the end of april..
Grab my printed charts and decide to take my time star hopping this
time.. I used the charts like a road map with the finder, NEVER
looking through the EP this time.. Hop my way through lyra and center
between the two end stars.. Goto the 25mm EP and something looks
fuzzy.. I just cleaned this darn thing.. After studying it for a few
seconds I notice the "donut" that I have heard all about....
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My FIRST DSO.
Jumped around like a kid at christmas for a second, then jumped to 90x
again. Still there, faint but there! I studied him/her/it this way for
a little while after logging it in my notebook, and moved up to 225x
(my max).. Just barley there, but it filled the entire pin hole exit
pupil of my 4mm plossol...
After taking some notes and memories, I decide to move on to something
else (getting cockey now) and, WHAM here's the 100% coud cover.. But
at least the astro gods were nice enough to show me my first jewel.

Thanks for all the good reading and tips over the last few months. If
it weren't for this crowd my Orion would have been for sale by now for
CHEAP!


Tom,

Congratulations!! Drinks are on the house!! ;o}

You're hooked now. One DSO down. . .thousands to go!! I would like to hear
about your next find.


Martin