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25 October 2003

First observing log-recording & one of the earliest memories

This was the first observing log of objects seen that I recorded.

I was quite new into observing with only around 6 months of experience, having used my friend Sathya's 6" dobsonian telescope. So as a result observing was restricted only to Messier objects, objects usually from which beginners learn observing. These were the nostalgic days which will never repeat. How much ever your present or future is successful and you blissfully enjoy it, the emotions of the past will always overpower it, as they are your first steps into astronomy and you view the Universe from a different perspective. This is at least the case with me, such are the memories that they can even bring tears in my eyes. The first days of astronomy will always be the most important to me, and that too our observing site was in a jungle area, so it was a double treat by Mother Nature showered upon me, the darkest skies in mystic surroundings.

As a result of just having started observing, I didn't have a big group of people who could accompany for observing with me. It was usually only one or two. As a result, this time it was Sathya, the owner of the telescope and another person named Vinay who kept contact with us only for a few months. And our site was a new site, not our usual one in South Bangalore, Sivanhalli. This time it was on Mysore Road around 20 km before Bidadi town. It was a diversion of around a kilometer or two from the main road, the main road could even be seen from the place. It was mainly an open area with a tarred road. The skies were fantastic here inspite of being quite close to the main road and being not very far from Bangalore city. For a few months until lights began increasing and the sky began to be redder in color, we used this site apart from our regular southern spot, Sivanhalli, 12 km from Bannerghatta National Park.

We arrived to our Mysore Road spot in Vinay's car. We setup our telescope at the spot, the 3 of us. For me at the time, seeing any deep-sky object except M31 and M45, was a feat of achievement. We observed M13 globular in Hercules which was setting and that too in slightly red city lights, the road was to the west of our site. We must have seen M57 (Ring Nebula) and M56 globular nearby. That was the time when I focused mainly on open clusters including the Double Cluster and other Messier objects, as they were targets for beginners. The Northern Milky Way was at it's glory !! Also we must have seen few bright Sagittarius globulars. I'm making this observing report out of my memory after 2.5 years in June 2006, so I don't recollect exactly what we saw except for some special events.

This was the first time I focused to one of the brightest objects I had seen, M27 (Dumbbell Nebula) and what an insatiable view it was !! No eye could have missed it, the brightness of it was just superb. The first words to, by default come out of my mouth were something like "Oh My God !! Oh My God !!" and probably I uttered it around 10-15 times continuously for some time. On the contrary, this was also the first time I saw the faintest object for that time, NGC 246 planetary nebula in Cetus. This was at the extreme limit of visibility for an untrained eye, and I just felt that something is there.

Currently me being probably the biggest comet maniac, I'll always remember that day for a special event never to be missed. Periodic comet 2/P Encke was to pass 2 degrees close to Andromeda Galaxy. Now I had never observed a comet in my life before and had no idea how they looked, how much was 2 degrees and where to look for, I blindly attempted it for some time. I had never observed even the companions of M31 galaxy, so I was very doubtful of finding it. However viewing it would have been a blessing. Some days after this event, the comet was reported to be split into few pieces due to internal pressures. (Sky&Telescope magazine covered an article sometime then about viewing it and it's breaking up) The 2003 return was the comet's 60th observed return. (Source : cometography.com) It was maybe quite a bright object for it's 2003 return, around 8th magnitude on that day. A fantastic visual and photographic event lost. Have a look at the image below as to how close these two objects were on that day, and still I missed it !!! We returned back at dawn long before sunrise after fog started growing in.

The earliest moments from 2003 until before 2005 are forever etched in my memory compared even to the present memorable observing sessions, and if possible, I will rather jump back to time and stay there forever and get lost, among those first enchanting days....

MESSIER OBJECTS SEEN:

M77, M31, M110, M52, M103, M45, M42, M43, M38, M36, M37, M41, M57, M56, M29, M39, M27, M71, M17, M22, M15, M30

 
Comet 2/P Encke and Andromeda galaxy very close to each other - image from Cartes software