ith a braced telescope, I finally got a good look at the Pleiades (or M45), the closest cluster to us (at a mere 445 light years out). It was amazing – a set of hot binaries burning blue, and a number of other stars in a more orange range. I didn’t see the nebula that is supposed to be around them but I’ll probably be able to see it with the scope in a few evenings.

Also lowered the brace and picked up Orion coming over the horizon, making out its nebula (one of my favorite sights).

Its amazing – this is my second Messier object, and I found it without trying too hard with the binocs. But I gotta say that the brace really helps – just sat in my chair with the nocks braced against the inside of my knee and it worked just fine.

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