WoW!! I have aperture fever for sure!

I had a great time observing at Fremont Peak Sunday night. Rich lent me his 15" obsession for work on my Messier certificate, thanks Rich! I like using a Telrad, but I feel like I am cheating because I don't star hop. You just point the scope and look, why hop from star to star? This was the first time I have observed from Coutler Row. It is a nice area, although there isn't as much room as the SW parking lot.

I didn't get very much done. Instead of quickly hopping from one object to the next, I took the time to try different eyepieces and draw beautiful pictures. I only checked off six Messiers, but I feel like I made wonderful progress!

I started with my favorite planetary nebula, M97. The best view in Rich's scope was at 132 diameters with the 13mm Plossl and Orion ultra block narrow band filter. Like the time at Bonny Doon, I kept thinking I was seeing three eyes instead of two. I thought that maybe it was wishful thinking and I wasn't really seeing anything. So I carefully drew the Owl and the two darkest spots, along with the nearby stars. My plan was to check the picture on my Messier poster to see if I really had the two eyes in the correct spot. I didn't draw the third spot that was below the two eyes, where a mouth might be. I compared the Owl in Michelle's 18" and Jeff's 14.5". All had beautiful views. I think I could be very happy with a 14.5" scope. Too bad I didn't have a 12.5" to compare, but I think I need aperture!

Next, Michelle called be over to see NGC3877. WoW! I am really impressed. I could see the brighter core of the edge on galaxy, but the supernova is far brighter! Thanks to Bill for informing us! This is my first supernova.

Then I found the elongated spiral galaxy, M108 in Ursa Major. At 107 diameters I could discern a bright star in the center and at least three other stars. At the same magnification, the edge on galaxy M109 in Ursa Major looked more like a smudge.

It was darker in the west now, so I thought I would get the globular cluster, M79 in Lepus before it set. I still need four other Messiers that are setting quickly, but they were behind the peak or off in the trees somewhere. The scope was practically lying on the ground for M79, but I did make a quick sketch at 54 diameters just before the cluster sank into the trees. No time to try more magnification!

I went on to locate a couple of nice open clusters, M93 in Puppis and M50 in Monoceros.

This was just before the amazing Delta rocket launch from Vanderberg. WoW!! I am impressed! It glowed very orange with a bright orange trail. I just observed naked eye.

I was also impressed with the Sombrero galaxy in Virgo, M104. I compared views in Bruce's and Rich's scope. I never knew that the dust lane is a dark band. I was like, "yes, I see the dust lane, but what is that dark black steak?" NGC4631 is also a nice elongated galaxy. I asked Michelle,

"What is that little spot next to it?" She looked it up and sure enough there is another NGC, number 4627.

The Whirlpool M51 in Canes Venatici is soo pretty! I again compared views in Rich's and Bruce's scopes. Both are very nice. It is an incredible spiral galaxy, but I haven't picked my favorite spiral galaxy yet.

Just as I was getting ready to leave, we looked at the Owl again. It had risen closer to the zenith and my eyes were more dark adapted. WoW!! It was beautiful. I felt that I wouldn't need to check the photo to confirm my observation when I looked at the gorgeous view in Bruce's new 18". I even saw the central star right between the eyes! I just ignored that annoying dimmer third eye. Imagine my surprise when I checked the photo today and found that there are three spots! I guess I should be more trusting of my own vision!

Thanks again to Rich for letting me use his great scope, and thanks to Mike, Michelle, Bruce and Jeff for sharing great views!