After several weeks of clouds, the skies were really nice yesterday evening, however, high winds seemed to threaten the viewing.  Nevertheless, set up the 10" LX90 about sunset and true to the nice weatherperson's word, the winds subsided just after sunset.  Aligned the telescope and slewed to Saturn.  Although close to a bright moon, Saturn and its moons was very clear.  Could identify Titan and Rhea.  Substituted the eyepiece – used the new 2” 17mm T.V. Nagler with 2x Barlow (about 300x magnification).  Saturn was extremely brilliant.  Couldn’t discern any ring separation, but could see some cloud bands on the surface.  Slewed to M-3, beautiful globular – removed the 2x Barlow and viewed with just the 17mm e.p.  Slewed to M-106 – could see it with averted vision.  Tried to image it with the 40D, but mount wasn’t stable enough.  Gave up on imaging with the LX90 and viewed a number of double stars.  Started in Canes Venatici.    Looked at 2CVn (SAO-44097).  Very nice separation with the 17mm e.p., then moved to STF-1645 (SAO-44187), good separation, but colors weren’t discernable.  Moved to Bootes.  First viewed Izar (SAO-83500), got separation for this close binary, but colors not good.  Went to STT-126, good wide separation and good color, and finally went to STF-1888 (SAO-101250), and got good separation.  Went next to Coma Berenices.  Viewed 24 COM (SAO-100160) nice yellow and blue binary, but unable to see NGC object close by.  Viewed BU-800, could separate two, but never able to view the triple.  Went next to 32+33 (SAO-100311), nice widely separated and great color.  Finally, went to Ursa Major – viewed STF-1469.  Got good separation, but can’t confirm that I saw the nearby carbon star.  Then slewed to M-13 in Hercules high in the eastern sky.  That sight was fantastic – nearly filled the entire fov, much larger and brighter than M-3 viewed earlier.  Had the glp mounted on the telescope and used it to help find M-13 in my 10x30 binoculars – just a fuzzy spot through the binos, but interesting.  Rigged down the LX90 about 11:30 pm.

Thanks for the report, NCTiger, well written, and it sounds like you had a great night.  I remember my first look at M13 with my 10" scope.  It was an ohmygod moment.

 Great report NCT, isn't it nice when the weatherman gets it right? Thanks for sharing your outing, and for including the eyepieces used and corresponding results. That was a great session you had, and I look forward to my next evening out.

Woke up a little before 3:00 am this morning (May 17th) and saw clear skies. Temperature about 45° and a very slight breeze and nearly full moon low in the western sky behind some trees. Set up the 80mm Stellarvue Nighthawk II with 2” diagonal, 2” Barlow and 2” 17mm T.V. Nagler eyepiece (approximately 56.5x magnification). Alignment perfect and slewed to Albireo – good separation and colors were great. Went to 52 Cygni (SAO-70467) – close binary, couldn’t separate, but could see blue color off to side of yellow primary. Then went to Ru Cygni – another close binary, couldn’t separate, but could see the primary was a red carbon star. Last double I checked in Cygnus was 16 Cygni (SAO-31898) – easily separated the binary, but not able to confirm that NGC-6826, the blinking nebula, was in the fov. Next went to Struve 1659 in Corvus, a triple, triple system, but this target was too low on the southwest horizon and behind trees. Looked for Comet C/2005 L3 high overhead in Hercules, but that area of the sky had become obscured with clouds – had to wait several minutes for the clouds to move on. Comet might have been a faint smudge in the fov, but really can’t confirm that I bagged it. Viewed Izar for a few minutes – with averted vision could discern two colors, but never got separation. Final target was M-13, very high overhead. Very nice view, but no details could be picked out. More clouds passing overhead, so I shut down a little after 4:00 am.

Clear skies again in the mountains of western North Carolina last night.  Set the 10" LX90 up in my front yard so I could get a view of Constellation Corvus.  Several interesting aspects of setting up in my front yard:  first, the ground slopes severely - had to work at getting the tripod level.  second, the view of Polaris is obscured, had to guestimate the direction of true north.  third, the lights - three of my nearest neighbors leave outdoor lights on out front, and there's a streetlight about 100 feet from my observation point.  I was able to locate such to minimize the effects of those lights.  fourth, and this turned out to be the most troubling, my dogs can't help me with my set up and observing.  The side  and back yards are fenced - so they're usually there to help me.  With me observing in the front they were forced to stay indoors - my wife didn't appreciate their constant howling while I was outside away from it all.

My guestimation of true north must have been pretty good because my gotos were spot on all evening.  First target was Saturn with the 33mm eyepiece - as usual breathtaking!  Then I changed to the 17mm eyepiece and went to the targets that had led me to set up at this location:  #1 was Struve 1604 in Corvus - great triple asterism, a nicely formed triangle.  Next to Struve 1659.  WOW!  a triangle within a triangle: the Stargate Asterism.  And my last target in Corvus, Delta Crv, or Algorab,good separation.  Checked out M-104, the Sombrero Galaxy nearby - not much more than an oval fuzzy in my moderately light polluted suburban skies, but saw it none-the-less.  Gave a look-see for Supernovae 2007uy and 2008d in NGC-2770, thought I found them, but this morning referred to the Microsoft Worldwide Telescope and realized I was looking at two nearby stars.  Will try again in dark skies.  Checked out a few more doubles and the always impressive M-13 before shutting down to try to quiten the dogs.

What a great hobby!