Open clusters

With a RH of 82% accentuating the light pollution, my original intent of galaxy hunting was scrapped after I found M65 and M66 were barely visible. Instead I concentrated on open clusters. I observed M67 in Cancer and M48 in Hydra, two clusters I have often neglected. I then went over to the M35 in Gemini, and M37 and M38 in Auriga.

I also used the UHC filter to observe NGC3242 "Ghost of Jupiter" planetary nebula in Hydra for the first time. It looked bright in spite of the LP which is especially severe to the South. I also observed NGC1931 in Auriga, near M38. It is amazing how the nebula stands out when the filter is used. I used a magnification of x80.

Saturn is still putting on an amazing show. The Cassini division, cloud bands and darkened polar regions were all visible. The moons Titan, Rhea, Dione and Tethys were visible as was Iapetus some distance away to the East.

At one point, looking up from the eyepiece, I saw a bright meteor, yellowish white with a yellow orange short shimmering tail, relatively slow moving parallel to a line joining Castor and Pollux.