The secondary mirror, focuser, and eyepieces were packed in the carry-on luggage.

Over the course of three nights, the Dobsonian was set up not far from the observatory—within sight of the Mercator Telescope—at an altitude of approximately 2,300 meters above sea level.

And I even managed to take a shot through the Dob using my Ixus :-)

From that location, you can look deep down toward the southern horizon; in practice, observations down to a declination of -61° are possible.

Observations were made on Sunday, September 16, at the Mirrador del Jable above El Paso, at an elevation of approximately 4000 feet above sea level.

Local conditions:

During the first half of the night, the wind blew from the southwest, and the observing site was sheltered in the lee of the Roque.

After midnight, the wind shifted to the northwest, and the Dobsonian telescope was buffeted violently by gusts.

At times, however, the air became almost calm again, allowing for observations at 450x magnification.

When the wind was strong, I had to stick to the minimum magnification of 60x. On Thursday, September 20, the wind blew almost constantly from the northwest.

On Thursday, September 20, the wind blew almost steadily from the northwest.

Nighttime temperatures ranged between 7 and 10°C, while humidity fluctuated between 20% and 40%. I retrieved these figures after my observation by checking the 24-hour weather data history on the NoT website.

Observer Oliver S. from Mainz recorded an SQL value of 21.6 during the night from Saturday to Sunday. With my glasses on, I was able to spot a magnitude 6.7 star in Ursa Minor. Other observers might be better at this.

My observing gear:

The Swabian-Palmerian 16 inch telescope—an f/4.5 Newtonian reflector in a flight-ready Dobsonian configuration. Nicknames include: *Zitronenfalter* (Lemmon Butterfly), DHL-Dob, ADAC Telescope, and *Gelber Engel* (Yellow Angel)... The telescope weighs a hefty 50 pounds when ready for observing, including a FeatherTouch focuser and Telrad finder.

(I wanted to have these with me :-))

Eyepieces: Kokusai Kohki Widescan III 30mm; Meade Series 4000 UWA 14mm, 8.8mm, 6.7mm, and 4.7mm.

Specifically for planetary observation: Baader Genuine Orthos (9mm, 7mm, 6mm). Celestron Ultima 2x Barlow.

Filters: Astronomik UHC, Baader OIII, Castell H-Beta (all 2-inch).         Binoculars:

Old Asahi Pentax 8x40 with a 9.5° field of view.

The report summarizes observations made over the four nights mentioned.

Only on the morning of September 16 was the equipment dismantled after sunrise.

This was due to the 90-minute, 63-kilometer drive—full of twists and turns—from the holiday base in Puerto Naos to the preferred observation site on the Roque de los Muchachos.

Before Scorpius disappeared behind the Roque, I turned to one of my favorite objects: the Bug Nebula (NGC 6302). At 130x magnification, the planetary nebula appeared split in a one-third to two-thirds ratio, resembling a footprint. At 300x and 450x, the object looked like a figure-eight with frayed ends at the poles.

Next, I moved up to Antares and NGC 6144. At 130x, they appeared within the same field of view, with the globular cluster already showing signs of resolution (a grainy texture).

I located M6 and M7 with my binoculars, as well as the magnificent star cluster NGC 6231 at the foot of Scorpius.

The highlight, Messier 8, is stunning in the wide-field eyepiece at 60x magnification, and equally impressive at 200x. At this higher magnification, the structure of the Hourglass Nebula is clearly visible.

At 60x magnification and without a filter, Messier 20 clearly reveals its dark dividing lane; this magnificent object is a must-see on La Palma.

The "inkblot" in Sagittarius—the dark nebula Barnard 86—is an impressive sight; it truly looks like a hole in the sky!

The dark nebula Barnard 92 also stands out strikingly against the small Sagittarius Star Cloud (Messier24).

A tiny star sits right in the middle of the dark nebula. Nearby, a small open star cluster shines beautifully amidst the sea of ​​stars.

The Omega Nebula (Messier17) and the Eagle Nebula (Messier16)—along with IC 4703—are unmissable; thanks to the increased altitude above the horizon on La Palma, these objects appear more impressive and show greater structural detail.

After a detour to Messier 11, the planetary nebula IC 1295 and the globular cluster NGC 6712 are visited. Both objects are easy to locate at 60x magnification, and at 130x, they still fit together within the same field of view. The planetary nebula appears as a small ring, while the globular cluster looks somewhat "nibbled" at the edges.

The following pair of objects—the greenish planetary nebula NGC 6818 and the galaxy NGC 6822 (Barnard's Galaxy)—can both be seen at 130x magnification, positioned at opposite edges of the field of view. I find Barnard's Galaxy, a dwarf galaxy, looks best at 130x. NGC 6818 appears simply as an oval-shaped brightening; I then target the planetary nebula at 300x and 450x, revealing dark structures within the oval nebula.

High up in the constellation Aquila, I locate the planetary nebula NGC 6751. At 60x magnification, it appears as a small, greenish disk. At 300x, a ring shape and the central star become visible, while 450x reveals irregularities within the ring.

NGC 6804 is an oval planetary nebula with a diffuse edge and a star adjacent to its northern side; the central star is visible at 200x magnification and above, though higher magnification unfortunately yields no further detail.

NGC 6781, the Snowball Nebula, is a large, rounded bubble of gas; it is brighter along its western edge, while the center of the nebula is somewhat darker.

NGC 6778, spotted as a tiny, indistinct smudge at 130x, surprises the observer with its rectangular shape at 300x.

In the constellation Microscopium, the galaxy NGC 6925 is easily found at 60x using a 16-inch telescope. At 130x magnification, a spindle-shaped object with a 3:1 elongation is visible.

The tour takes in the beautiful globular clusters M75 and M72, as well as M30—my personal favorite due to two chains of stars extending northward, which make the cluster appear as if it is standing on stilts within the field of view.

The Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009) is the next object. Striking for its vivid green hue, it is impossible to miss at 60x magnification. At 300x, I can make out small spikes on either side; these become more clearly visible at 450x.

The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is captivating when viewed at 200x magnification with an OIII filter, revealing abundant detail in the bright shell halves and ten stars within the nebular bubble.

The galaxy M77, located in the constellation Cetus, is visible at 200x magnification, showing a bright center and spiral arms. Its elongated neighbor, the galaxy NGC 1055, also appears within the field of view.

Next, NGC 246—the Skull Nebula—is targeted. Inside the nebular bubble, which is interrupted at one end, four stars and dark structures are visible.

M74 in Pisces is next. At magnifications of 130x and 200x, the galaxy's spiral arms are beautifully visible in a face-on view.

Uranus is located. At magnifications of 300x and 600x (using a 6mm ortho eyepiece with a 2x Barlow lens), I see a blue-green planetary disk with white marbling.

Next, we head down to a declination of nearly -40° in the constellation Grus to the planetary nebula IC 5148. At 60x magnification, it appears as a faint, indistinct object. At 200x, a large, faint ring is visible, situated next to a brighter star of magnitude 8–9.

The next object is the Hickson 90 galaxy group in the constellation Capricornus. Spotted at 60x, four galaxies are visible at 200x. Two of the objects are difficult to separate, appearing more like an elongated blob; right next to them is a round galaxy, and slightly further away, an edge-on galaxy.

At 60x magnification, I find Hickson 91 to be a faint, indistinct smudge. At 200x magnification, three galaxies are visible: the brightest has a very bright core; next to it is a small, round one; and a bit further away lies an elongated, cigar-shaped galaxy.

Hickson 92 is an object Oliver specifically wanted to see. I center the galaxy NGC 7331, and "Stephan's Quintet" is clearly visible alongside it in the field of view at 60x magnification as four small, faint blobs. Three additional galaxies can be seen right next to NGC 7331, on the opposite side. We then examine the galaxies in detail at 200x magnification.

I then slew the Dobsonian to NGC 7479, located at the southwest corner of the Great Square of Pegasus, and at 200x magnification, I see a beautiful, textbook-perfect barred spiral galaxy with two hook-shaped spiral arms.

The highlights of the autumn sky—Messier 15, 31, and 33—cannot be left out.

We also didn't overlook the planetary nebula Jones 1, easily locating it with the help of an OIII filter. At 130x and 200x magnification, we observed a delicate, horn-like shape.

In Cassiopeia, we easily spotted IC 63—appearing as a distinct arrowhead-shaped outline—and IC 59, a wavy nebula next to the star Gamma. Moving the bright star out of the field of view made the nebulae easier to see.

We observed the outlines of the Pacman Nebula (NGC 281) using a UHC filter and subsequently admired the dark structures of the Iris Nebula (NGC 7023) in Cepheus without a filter.

I swung the Dobsonian toward the northern part of Cygnus and traced the dark nebula B168; there, at the end of the dark lane, the Cocoon Nebula (IC5146) simply stood out—visible at 60x magnification without a filter.

For Germans, Cetus culminates unusually high in the southern sky, signaling that it is time for the bright galaxies of the deep southern autumn sky.

The galaxy IC 5271 in Piscis Austrinus is quite easy to locate. At a declination of approximately -35°, I find a cigar-shaped galaxy with a magnitude of 11.5. A magnification of 130x works best.

The Grus 1 galaxy cluster: At a declination of -37°, a chain of four brighter galaxies lies within a 1.2° field of view. I scan the area at 130x magnification. IC 1459—the northernmost—is an oval galaxy of magnitude 10 with a bright center; NGC 7421 is an oval galaxy; NGC 7418 is fairly round; and south of it lies IC 5253. This is another round galaxy viewed face-on, with a bright center positioned slightly off-center.

In the constellation Sculptor, I target the galaxy NGC 7507; a small, round object with a very bright core appears.

In the constellation Grus, at a declination of -43°, I locate the galaxies NGC 7582, 7590, and 7599 as a beautiful trio. The latter two are spindle-shaped objects oriented east-west, with the more northerly one offset slightly to the west. To the east of these, oriented north-south, lies the beautiful galaxy NGC 7582, in which I can just make out faint dust structures. All three galaxies have a magnitude of approximately 10 and are situated within an area the size of the Moon's diameter.

On the border between Sculptor and Phoenix, I find the bright galaxy NGC 55. At 130x magnification, a beautiful, slender, edge-on galaxy is visible—filling more than half the field of view—that appears asymmetrical in brightness. The bright center seems offset toward the northeast, followed by a darker structure—perhaps a dust lane? Then, brighter stellar regions follow. It is as impressive as NGC 253, though only about half as wide. At 200x, one feels immersed right in the middle of it.

NGC 253, the Sculptor Galaxy! At 200x magnification, it more than fills the field of view, with many dust structures visible along the broad band. Magnificent to view on La Palma through a 16-inch Dobsonian!

NGC 288, a bright globular cluster that resolves well; at 200x, tiny stars can be seen flickering in front of the core.

The galaxy NGC 247 is best viewed at 130x magnification due to its low surface brightness. It fills about one-third of the field of view and presents a mottled appearance along its central axis.

In the southern part of Sculptor, I locate the galaxy NGC 300. It is a very large, face-on galaxy with low surface brightness. A brighter foreground star lies not far from the galaxy.

The galaxy NGC 625 can be found in the constellation Phoenix as an object with a 3:2 elongation. At 200x magnification, it appears as an edge-on galaxy—perhaps with a slightly mottled texture?

NGC 613 is similar in size but far more striking; it appears as a beautiful face-on barred spiral, featuring a visible central bar with two hook-shaped spiral arms attached. It is a magnificent sight at 200x magnification! A brighter foreground star lies to the east of the galaxy.

The constellations Eridanus (the River) and Fornax (the Furnace) are rising ever higher, and it is worth scanning this region of the sky around 3 a.m.

NGC 1291 appears as a bright, oval galaxy with a very bright center. Magnification of 200x reveals no further details. An elliptical galaxy?

The Fornax Galaxy Cluster: NGC 1316/1317—a bright, elongated spindle shape with a small, round galaxy nearby; NGC 1399—a small, bright galaxy with a very bright center; NGC 1531/1532—a small galaxy right next to a large, elongated spindle (an interacting pair); NGC 1365—a beautiful, bright barred spiral galaxy (spiral arms visible at 130x magnification!).

At 60x magnification, a total of seven galaxies—including NGC 1399—are visible in the field of view!

NGC 1300 in Eridanus is quite large and has low surface brightness; the elongated bar is visible with direct vision, while the spiral arms are visible with averted vision at 200x.

At 200x magnification, the planetary nebula NGC 1360 appears as a very large, oval, 1:2 elongated nebular bubble with a diffuse edge and a bright central star. The southern half is somewhat fainter and more diffuse. Its appearance lives up to its name, "Comet PN."

Planetary nebula NGC 1535 (Cleopatra's Eye): Displays a greenish hue and an oval shape at low magnification; at 450x, a fainter outer shell becomes visible. A central star is visible in the center. The inner shell appears somewhat irregular.

The Orion Nebula rises sideways over La Palma!

Next, IC 418—the Spirograph Nebula—in the constellation Lepus is targeted. At 60x magnification, it appears almost stellar; at a higher magnification of 300x, it reveals itself as a small, oval planetary nebula with no other discernible structures.

The Orion Nebula. Around 5 a.m., the center truly displays an ice-blue hue! . The blue is surrounded by a greenish glow, while the "wings" at the upper edge are magenta, curving back to meet each other. Components E and F of the Trapezium are visible at times.

Unfortunately, there are frequent strong wind gusts, but the transparency is excellent! It is perfect weather for observing the Horsehead Nebula!

Barnard33 can already be located within the curtain of IC434 using the UHC filter. With the H-beta filter, we see very distinct structures of the Horsehead. The Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) is beautifully visible, even without a filter.

A sweep toward Perseus using an H-beta filter easily reveals NGC 1499, the California Nebula; two brighter filaments of nebulosity are visible. I am pleased; the Castell H-beta filter works very well.

Using binoculars, I attempt to spot the Witch Head Nebula (IC 2118) in southeastern Orion, and I can make out an elongated patch of brightness within the diamond-shaped asterism in the target area. 

With the 16-inch Dobsonian, this object—spanning about 3 degrees—is visible without a filter. The nebula's structure becomes more distinct when sweeping the telescope back and forth.

The wind is calming down again, and I am trying my hand at the Keyhole Nebula, NGC 1999. At a magnification of 300x or higher, a small dark structure is visible next to the star within the reflection nebula.

In the east, the fairly bright zodiacal light in Taurus intersects the Milky Way and continues as a clearly discernible band. The Gegenschein can be located within this band between Pisces and Aquarius. The closer twilight approaches, the easier it is to spot the Gegenschein.

At the request of my observing companion, I center M46 and the planetary nebula NGC 2438 in the field of view. The planetary nebula is clearly visible within the open cluster without the use of a filter.

The bright Venus ruins our dark adaptation. Our shadows are visible on the road in the light of Venus.

We conclude our partially shared deep-sky observing session on the Roque, more than satisfied. Building the yellow Dobsonian and bringing it up this mountain was truly worth it.

Around 6:30, the wind dies down, and I turn my attention to Jupiter. At times, magnifications of up to 300x yield rewarding results. I am fascinated by the wealth of detail in the swirling clouds and the range of colors, from light brown to blue-gray. I am very pleased with the image quality provided by the mirror!

We enjoy the play of light as dusk deepens. By 8 o'clock, it is light out, and the Dobsonian is already stowed in the trunk of the rental car.

Around 9:30 a.m. I arrive in Puerto Naos for breakfast with my wife and two friends.

There is plenty to talk about regarding the night spent with the 16-inch Dobsonian up on the Roque.

La Palma, we’ll be back!