#531 - 12 Months of Messier April Edition

Amateur astronomers Chris and Shane dive into the April edition of their 12-month Messier series, reflecting on the challenges of observing in Saskatchewan’s harsh climate—where winter cold, spring mud, and late evening light conspire to limit opportunities. Despite these hurdles, they recount a triumphant night at their observatory, where strong winds and clouds initially threatened to cancel the session, but ultimately yielded stunning views of M36, M35, the Owl Nebula, and the Leo Trio, including M65, M66, and NGC 3628. They highlight the transformative power of the observatory’s windproof shelter and share a breakthrough with an occulting eyepiece experiment that helped reveal faint objects like Leo I. The episode also unpacks the latest gear news from NEIF, spotlighting Explorer Scientific’s new 72-degree eyepieces, Takahashi’s surprisingly affordable 114mm F7 triplet, and Skywatcher’s innovative vented 200mm Cassegrain with integrated cooling—each a potential game-changer for visual and imaging astronomers alike. A listener’s observation about seeing green and salmon hues in M42 under low power, and a puzzling shift in telescope performance during Jupiter viewing, lead to deep dives into human physiology and atmospheric seeing effects. The hosts conclude with a heartfelt appreciation for the fleeting moments of clear, warm skies—and the joy of rediscovering the spring sky after months of winter’s grip.