USER OBSERVATIONS Last updated: 4 June 2002

Subject:	Messier objects and the ETX70AT
Sent:	Monday, June 3, 2002 18:42:19
From:	ed.fides.carlos@comcast.net (Carlos Family)
I went to Towanda, PA this weekend and did some observing.   I had quite
a few Messier finds.  A big difference dark sky makes (vs near NYC/NWK).

On Friday I found the following:

M13 - easiest to find very bright (I've actualy seen this one before
many times together with the next 3)
M5 - easy to spot as well
M92 - close to M13
M3 - another bright one
M51 - This one was tough to see, very faint but I could make out the two
core with fuzzy cloud around them
M11 - 1:10AM - This is a new find together with the next two
M16 - 1:15AM
M17 - 1:17AM

On Saturday I found some already mentioned above (my version of a
mini-Messier-marathon):

M51 10:45PM - I reconfirmed this just to make sure I tought I saw it.
Confirmed!!!
M53
M57 - this was interesting. it was a circular fuzzy cloud with if
looking with averted vision I tought I saw the hole
M10 - new
M12 - new
M13
M92
M5 11:35PM
M3 11:38PM
M80 11:43PM - new start of many finds in Scorpious and Sagittarius
M4 11:47PM - new
M16\M17 11:50PM - new very close to each other
M8 11:52PM - new very nice.  the open cluster was definitely obvious but
the fuzzy cloud needs averted vision
M20 11:57PM/M21 12:00PM - new. these two are even closer to each other
M25 12:02PM - new
M11 12:05PM

The #827 right angle helped alot in finding the objects when the
Autostar losses alignment every now and then.  I'm actually not sure why
this happens.  I did use Polaris to position the scope north and use a
leveler to make sure the scope is leveled at 0degrees.  I found this
technique very useful and accurate instead of eyeballing or using a
compass.

Thanks
Ed

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