After what seemed to be a wonderful and clear winter and early spring, summer has been very cloudy. For the first time in ages there was an opportunity to get out the reflector.
The scope had a pretty good layer of dust over it, as did the operator. I found Hine-i-tīweka/Kopu Nui (Jupiter) at dusk – even in the light we all saw three moons.
The difference in viewing from winter was incredible. While still literally breath-taking, there was much less detail visible.
I let out a gasp when I first saw it, but ultimately Comet Leonard was frustrating. It eventually turned up and was a wee smudge in the sky through the scope. To me it was not visible with the naked eye, despite it being moonless and at the time mostly cloudless.
I did not want to disappoint the kids so told them it was not a ‘good comet’. I have yet to see a comet that lived up to expectation (Halley ’86 set the standard).
It was time to find something else to look at.
Since we’ve had the scope Orion has not been in view in the Southern Hemisphere. I got a major thrill a few weeks ago when I glimpsed it through the cloud, and was excited that I might get the chance over the next few months to attempt to photograph the famous nebulae.
I flipped the scope to the east to take my first look at Orion. I was amazed by the nebulae; sure you can’t see the horse’s head, but I wasn’t expecting that. I wasn’t expecting to see the fuzz of a nebula, and yet, there it was. Seeing these incredible sights is always viscerally life affirming, and to use the cliche, awe inspiring.