Oh you just keep getting better!

Well, well. Once again we've been out with the Mega-beast. However, the AstroGods (sic) have been at it again, so seeing as we had such an awfully good session the previous night, we therefore paid with a lot of fiddling and funny results this time around.

However, all was certainly not lost.

Things started with difficulty - focus is remaining as an issue (really must make a Bhatinov mask!) and upon inspection of diffraction rings whilst out of focus, it appears we have a collimation issue to boot.

Regardless of these however, we plunged on, the trusty NEQ6 beeping and whirring as it sped its way around the cosmos above. Even after a couple of nights of use, what really strikes me about this piece of kit is its fluidity of movement, its graceful execution of this mind-bogglingly complex task. Whilst it may seem simple for a human to point a telescope at a particular part of sky, one must remember that this mechanised observer has no eyes and yet predicts the position of over 50,000 celestial objects using only a simple clock and a couple of motors. Impressive stuff.

Our first target then, at the request of my cousin: M104, the Sombrero galaxy, a real looker, at least when Hubble's taking the pictures. At a distance of around 30 million light years, this is no next door neighbour, and not a simple target, even for the Gigantoscope we've been using. Undeterred, we aligned the scope (turns out that if the result of the alignment "may be poor" it's pretty damned good. If it's "successful", it may be poor) and set off for the reaches of the Sombrero, and the faint fuzzy dropped neatly into view. After a frustrating focusing furore we were ready for the pictures, and here's what we got:

50 frames of 45 seconds each, unguided at ISO 800 and 20 dark frames. We attempted flats but they failed, so maybe next time.

M104: The Sombrero Galaxy in Virgo

Not an amazing shot, but the best we can do without guiding. Still though, you can see the huge dust belt that circles this lovely galaxy and the bright core within which lies a gargantuan black hole similar to that in our own galaxy. I really look forward to returning to this target when guiding becomes available.

Now, onto the winner of the evening. If you've read yesterday's post, you'll be familiar with my glowing appraisal of M13 the Hercules Cluster. Well, now you can see for yourself why I adore this cosmic jewel-haul quite so much. Once again, bad focus and collimation, but still it's a beautiful cluster.

21 frames of 45 sec at ISO 800, once again with 20 darks:

M13: The Hercules Cluster

Around 300,000 stars litter this glorious cosmic landscape, with the stars like twinkling dust on the velvet of night. I think it's plain to see why I set so much score by this cluster, and I'm delighted that I can finally show you something which I'm reasonably content with!