On Friday, August the 31st at 23:15 British Summer Time the ST80/AZ5 combo was all set to go. Seeing seemed it might be OK if it wasn’t for the serious transparency problem, humidity was a respectable 80%. I waited it out for a bit and thought I was in with a chance.



It seemed pleasantly warm (I’m starting to warm to this global warming) and I decided to leave the dew gear inside until I needed it. My patience was duly rewarded and eventually I could see more stars! I spent an inordinate amount of time on the Veil Nebula, conditions were poor and I decided for a leisurely scan of the Summer Triangle, which seemed to be rapidly clearing to the naked eye.



Well, when I say ‘clearing’ I really mean ‘resembled dim hazy points of light’. M29, NGC 6882, Collinder 42, Albireo and Stephenson 1 inter alia all sparkled nicely at 28.5x with my 14mm ES 82°, which is really starting to grow on me. M27 was nicely discovered with my 15mm TS Optics 58° HR combined with a broadband OIII filter.



Naturally I turned to Cassiopeia/Perseus, although by this time the Moon was again not doing me any favours. The fuzzy blob that was now the Andromeda Galaxy suffered with the lunar illumination, but was still visible.



I was particularly impressed that I found M52, with a bit of observing seat yoga and a reflex sight, as it was so near to the zenith (luckily I’m on pain-killers).



I just couldn’t ignore the searchlight Moon any longer and broke out the 6mm Vixen NPL and Bresser single polariser carried especially for instances like this. I also carry a small selection of Barlows and viewed the big shiny bright white thing at 66x, 133x, 150x and 167x. Naturally it was sharpest at 66x but even at 150x it was looking good. 167x was definitely pushing it with the poor transparency though and the best was 133x overall.



The Sea of Serenity looked good and the whole Montes Apenninus region was quite clear. After a while I realised that it was now September and way past the dew event horizon. The reflex and OTA objective were dry as the proverbial bone, although the Orion 9x50 RACI had a smidgen of condensation right near the edge of the objective. Either way; it didn’t affect it in use. September seemed to herald more dodgy transparency and around 02:30 I decided to pack up. Before I did though I just couldn’t help splitting the Double Double in Lyra at 150x with the 6mm NPL and Baader 2.25x Barlow. Well, you would wouldn’t you?

 

Oh really ? Mmmmkay! This is your 'hero' no doubt?

Serial Cat-Killer.pdf


How do you look in an orange-jumpsuit and handcuffs?

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I dunno, if the cats are on my property, when they shouldn't be, I don't think they'll have a leg to stand on.

 

LOL

 

damn a serial cat killer.. with a 30 000 reward on it's head.. serious stuff.

 

Oh no. I've infected you. LOL! Well partially anyway. I love hunting, but I also love my cats. If I could only hunt 1/2 as well as my cats.

 

I've had the super rare and ultimate honor of seeing a wild panther. Truly the most magnificent creature I've ever encountered. Even if it was ever so brief. The ultimate American cat. Maybe one day I'll make it to Africa. That would be a dream come true.

 

I only shoot things that crap on my lawn lol.

 

When I was graced with 2 enormous Maine Coon-Cats, 18lbs & 26lbs, if I spotted a mouse in the house I would let loose with the words: 'Cats! Mouse!' and they'd both be at my sides left & right. Eyes scanning in my direction of vison.

And that was the end of another mouse. I loved how they'd learned to work/hunt as a team.

 

I saw the Merthyr Moggy once early one morning in the Cynon Valley, if that counts.

 

A nice video/audio here, an encounter between a cougar and a black bear.

 

Black bear, around here anyway, are usually pretty shy. I love bear. Tennessee has started super heavy fines for people who feed them, and I am glad. I would love to have a sustainable panther population. Even if I never see another. My oldest boy loves near Cases Cove, TN. Bear heaven.

 

Very cool video you've found there, Nebs! I have great respect for both (or all three) critter's - Bear, Panthers, and that drop-dead gorgeous Lynx! Where I used to live, I was surrounded by a natural forest. And a mile or three away a criminal was destroying every piece of conservation-land by greasing palms of corrupt politicians in my old town. Building "McMansions" like they were using a cookie-cutter. And this displaced all of the wildlife that called these lands' 'Home.' So they looked for anything 'Green' and followed the Sun to the West and.....

They landed in my forest that I fiercely protected. This often met with trouble with our local Fur-People that claimed this rare oasis. Any that got hurt knew to come to me for assistance. So they would walk out of the woods and they'd sit down with me just to be social. Once my two-legged friends' got over the shock and and became used to find me, and then themselves, sitting down to dinner with a Skunk and a Racoon tribe. But newcomers took some time to get used to this peculiar situation. Such as a Red-Fox and her Kits. One night I found myself in between Mama Fox and her Kits. That took resolve on both of our parts to assure each of us we were not threats. I just sat-down close to Mama-Fox and talked to her about this situation. And she, too, sat-down and accepted me. Soon she called to her Kits, that were hiding, and she formerly introduced them to me.

The now 'normal' forest I protected was back to it's peaceful ebb and flow.

 

I wish I had super powers to protect the forest against the municipal crooks. The forest always finish last, but you get inside, to bread, listen, look, that's better therapy then any antidepressants therapy.

Glad your forest is back to normal and you had such great contact with these animals, were you feeding them or something?

 

Now and then I'd share something I had-was having. But not a steady thing. I once gave the Racoons' a bowl of spaghetti I had left over from a dinner-party. I was curious to find out how'd they deal with this strange, stringy thing. They were all covered in it in no time! It was a very comical sight! ROFLMAO!

I was fond of cooking outdoors' in the Summer, and lots of my friends were showing up. They all got used to having Racoons sitting next to them and chattering away with each other - and us. But what we were cooking wasn't of interest to the local 4-Legs. They were just being enjoying socializing, same as us. But one of my Maine-Coon's fell in love with the resident Woodchuck - who I'd named 'Rudy.' Maya, the gi-normouse Coon-Cat, would go down into Rudy's tunnel-network and spend the night down there with him. In the day following, she and Rudy would be together on a lawn, Maya washing Rudy with her raspy tongue. It was a touching scene: An inter-species Love-Affair!

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Another 'Rudy' - not Maya's.

People know so little about the REAL World all around them.....
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I love coons. They are comical. I had one that was just about tame. (I know that's a bad idea, but...)
Anyway. I love the skunk/coon picture. I have a skunk right now that likes to sleep on my AC unit. Wierd, and I have no idea why, or what to do about this. When the AC comes on, and he is there. We all know it! He hasn't ever sprayed, thank God, but that is my fear.

 

I doubt you need worry. Skunks only spray in case they are threatened, and your Skunk seems to be, from your description, not feeling threatened at all - and knows it. If your Skunk friends' are the Silver-Backs, they just naturally exude a bit of their store of butylmercaptan - the 'stink-stuff.' Gold-Backs are nearly odorless. Both live in the same locations. The 'Goldies' tend to grow larger.

He (?) is likely drawn to the vibrations and sound of the motor in the A/C - Unit. Many critters find surprising means of relaxing. Cats are drawn to the odor of petroleum - so it's always a good idea to look UNDER your car before driving away. There may be a very relaxed Feline snoozing-away under it.

Enjoy! You've got some very nice neighbors!

 

And speaking of 'Intra-Species Love-Affairs' - here's one for you.....

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May you dream of this cozy, little domestic picture, Mak!

 

Where did you get that GIF of Stu? lol

 

Thanks, and I would agree. I have a small Whitetail buck that will come out and watch me mow the lawn. He will actually follow the lawn mower. Now sure what his story is, but he walks with a limp. My cat will actually walk up to him, and they will sniff each other. I put out peanuts for the deer. I hunt, but not within a mile of my house.

Same crazy deer, slept beside my truck one night. The next morning I surprised it. I think we both had heart attacks.