got down to mag 4.5 (Bradford)

Spent some time in the backyard so to get dark adapted and better gauge the skies.

Just could not compel myself to take out more gear—binoculars or the ETX. Still, I put on long johns, the winter coat, and grabbed the adjustable height chair.

Not sure why but my right eye was acting up. Watering, irritated. My eyeglasses kept fogging. Strange, I had had no issues earlier in the evening.

Busy place! People moving cars about, doing stuff in their kitchen. Stray cats performing death defying stunts. At least the neighbours to the south had gone to bed.

The Moon was up during this exercise but I was able to avoid direct exposure by staying behind the straight-again coniferous trees. Either there were cloud streamers from the south-east to west or I was seeing Moon beams!

Created an observing list in SkySafari so I could record what I saw.

In Leo...

ρ - 3.8
ι - 4.0
93 - 4.5
σ - 4.1
72 - 4.6
Subra or ο - 3.5
κ - 4.5
λ - 4.0

In Virgo:

ν - 4.0
Zavijava or β - 3.6

Tried to spot 22 Leo in the head. That would have been a 5.0 mag star. No joy, unfortunately.

So, I was able to push deeper than last night, well past mag 3.9. I suspect I'll be able to get to mag 5 or fainter in better conditions and without the damnable Moon. Not bad.