Last night observing Report...Kerry Astronomy Club

DATE: 29th January 2006
VENUE: BANNA BEACH
TIME: 7.30pm til 11.20pm

Smaller than our recent observing sessions but every bit as good. This session started off with some constellation pointing to some beginners who have signed up for our introduction to astronomy course. We saw and explained the Zodiacal Light. A brief tour of some notable highlights followed including Saturn, The Pleiades, The Great Nebula in Orion, The Andromeda Galaxy and The Double Cluster. As we looked at these objects in Binoculars and telescopes we explained their nature, distance and scale. The cold finally got to most around nine or half nine leaving, just two members to brave the bitting wind,

Over the course of the next two hours a huge amount of objects were tracked down starting with a few Messier objects. M81, and 82 were targeted and a bonus of NGC 3077 (I think) was spotted, Next up were M51 and 101, which were hiding low in the murky atmosphere. Another look at M31, M32 and M110 followed which was a stunning sight. After gorging on galaxies, it was time to track down some clusters and Nebulae in the southern sky. M50, M46, M47, M48, M41, M93, M35 and NGC 2158, M67, M78, M1 and the globular M79 were spotted and bagged.

After Messier we moved on to a number of NGC'S. First up, the rosette cluster (2237/44), The Cone and Christmas Tree (NGC 2264), NGC 2215, NGC2232, NGC2185. Then Mike Scully pointed out what was the highlight for me, NGC2024 (The Flame Nebula). It was a stunning sight through the Dob, and is definitely one of those Objects that will be revisited again and again.

To round off the evening we had a quick look again at Saturn. Finally admitting that we could no longer feel our fingers, we left at 11.20 pm.

One of the other highlights of the night has to have been a visit from the Local Garda, approaching with headlights on full.... “What are them Yokes there Lads, There not rocket launchers or anything”. The temptation to start flashing the laser pointer around was overwhelming, but sense prevailed and we explained that we were amateur astronomers and would he care to look at Saturn.

Yet again, A thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Trevor --

I gotta know... did the Garda have any scientific curiosity? (Did he take you up on your offer or not?)

-- Jeff.

Sounds like a great night lads,
the garda visit brings back a memory from a long time ago when a club observing session also brought the local gards out to see if we were testing mortars :lol: Its only when they saw stars through the clubs 12" dob did they believe us.

Trevor --

I gotta know... did the Garda have any scientific curiosity? (Did he take you up on your offer or not?)

-- Jeff.

He took us up on offer, but did not get overly excited. He remained very professional throughout..

Trevor --

I gotta know... did the Garda have any scientific curiosity? (Did he take you up on your offer or not?)

-- Jeff.

He took us up on offer, but did not get overly excited. He remained very professional throughout..

Ahh, well, that's probably about as much as you can ask for. Well done!

-- Jeff.

That sounds like a cracking evening of viewing Trevor. Banna beach is a lovely spot for it aswell. I can't wait to join up with the club soon enough. The Garda story is funny aswell, considering the history of the beach.