Favourite Observations of 2019

Yet another sensational report from you, Finbarr.
Thank you so much for each of your contributions.
It will be rather difficult to improve on it in 2020.
If I was to ask you for your top observation of 2019, which one would it be?
Not that it matters of course.

Well done on finding Barnard's Star and on catching those fireballs!
That Total Lunar Eclipse and the Mercury Transiting the Sun must be on everyone's favourite list.

Happy New Year to you, Finbarr!

Aubrey.

Thanks Darren and Aubrey.

It has to be the Mercury transit Aubrey. Fifteen years I've waited to capture even a basic image... thwarted by low altitude and cloud for the Venus transit of 2012, and Mercury 2016 was even more frustrating as the haze just wouldn't thin sufficiently. I've read plenty about the heroic attempts from the 17th and 18th centuries to observe these events so to finally capture one has to be right up there. Who knows what circumstances will prevail for the next one in 2032...

But holding the Limerick meteorite has to run it a very close second. As a Limerickman its always been a source of pride that the biggest witnessed fall in the British Isles happened not 20 miles from where I'm typing this right now. And the story of its subsequent history is quite colourful also; the main mass could easily have been lost to history similar to the fate which the second biggest specimen appears to have suffered.

Happy new year Aubrey, Darren and all.

Finbarr.

February saw me commence on the Herschel 400 and to date I have logged 146 objects.  This is about what I expected after the first year and I will hope to log a similar number this year.  This is a long term project, three years at least.  I have not plunged into Virgo or Ursa Major at this point, they are both daunting prospects.  Setting out on this journey is not an observation as such, but still something of a moment in the year.

Paul

Great to hear from you, Paul!
Thank you for your brief report.
So I find myself asking you: which one of the Herschel 400 is your top favourite?
Not to worry if you can't pick one.
Just keep observing throughout 2020.

Happy New Year to you, Paul.

Kind regards from Aubrey.

My all time favourite deep-sky object, the Perseus Double Cluster, is on the list, so it was an easy choice.
Paul

Hi Paul,

Many thanks for your post. I believe the Hershel 400 is quite a challenge, so fair dues for taking it on. I am mightily impressed that you've already managed to observe 146 objects - that's some time at the eyepiece! 

Very best of luck with the rest of the objects. Keep us posted as I'd love to hear more about this project.

Clear skies,

Darren.

BTW, Great choice with the Double Cluster in Perseus!