Observing with the Mak from Cooks Falls NY

The family is in Upstate NY for a week. I took the Mak 102 with the 0.63 FR, the Baader Zoom, the finderscope and laser - it all fit nicely in the carry-on bag. The tripod, however, I had to check-in. The sky looks great, it's a Bortle 3 like Sonoma. I'm observing from the driveway, there is no light post on nearby neighbors so it's quite dark (once everybody at home goes to bed). The Mak is quite impressive with a dark sky. Also it's nice to be able to pick it up to move it around to catch low targets etc.  A nice evening.

Observations:

  • Double double - Lyra - could not split the close doubles
  • M57 Ring Nebula
  • M56 Globular Cluster - Lyra
  • Albireo double star - Cygnus
  • M71 Globular Cluster - Sagitta 
  • M27 Dumbbell Nebula - Vulpecula
  • M13 Great Hercules Cluster
  • Polaris - could not split double
  • C1 Polarisima Cluster - faint but visible
  • M51 Whirlpool Galaxy - Canes Venatici
  • Located but could not see C27 Crescent Nebula - Cygnus
  • Located but could not see C34 Veil Nebula - Cygnus
  • M39 Open Cluster - Cygnus - only main stars
  • M29 Open Cluster - Cygnus
  • M12 Globular Cluster - Ophiuchus
  • M10 Globular Cluster - Ophiuchus
  • M5 Rose Cluster - Serpens
  • M14 Globular Cluster - Ophiuchus
  • M107 Globular Cluster - Ophiuchus - hard - needed averted vision
  • M80 Globular Cluster - Scorpius
  • Located but could not see C4 Iris Nebula - Cepheus
  • M103 Open Cluster - Cassiopeia
  • C10 Open Cluster - Cassiopeia 
  • M81 Bode's Galaxy - Ursa Major
  • M82 Cigar Galaxy - Ursa Major
  • M31 Andromeda Galaxy - quite low (less than 20 deg alt)
  • M32 Galaxy - Andromeda
  • M110 Galaxy - Andromeda - very faint
  • M15 Globular Cluster - Pegassus



    • Cygnus and Lyra