Viewed Jupiter using the 10mm eyepiece. Image seemed very steady. All four moons were visible, two were very close together (Europa and Io), so much so that at first I thought I was seeing double.

The two main bands were very obvious and appeared to have a very mottled look to them. I also thought I could detect a very faint band towards the South of the planet. Made a sketch of what I saw.

Still not very dark, it was only just obvious that Mizar is a double with the naked eye. The temperature was dropping quite a bit and my breath was misting things up quite a lot (spectecles, eyepieces, etc...).

I guess that the Summer Triangle doesn't get a mention in many logs (who does log constellations and large naked-eye asterisms?) but it seemed worth a note because it's really nice to see this asterism rising before midnight (local time, UT +1) again. Ok, so it does mean that darkness is almost non-existent for me, but it does give that nice feeling that summer is well on its way.

While scanning the sky with the naked eye I happened to notice a rather bright satellite. As I followed its path it was interesting to watch it almost occult Izar in Boötes. I'm not sure that it actually did occult it from my position, it came so close that it was hard to tell.

Update: A poster called stella on the SPA 's forums, having read the above, was kind enough to figure out what I'd seen. Here's the detail:

I have identified the satellite that you saw on June 6.

It was the very large Chinese Long March rocket that was used to launch two satellites (Shiyan 1 and Naxing 1) on 2004 April 18.

At 22:18:50 U.T. it passed very close to Izar as seen from your site near Grantham. It is called 2004-12C and has catalog no. 28222, so you can predict future transits using "Heavens-above".

Decided to have a go at looking at M13. Started out with the binoculars. Located a reasonably fuzzy looking star forming a shallow triangle shape with two other stars in about the right location. Working on the assumption that I'd found M13 I familiarised myself with the field in the binoculars and then moved onto the telescope.

Using the 25mm eyepiece I positioned the telescope on Eta Herculis and then slowly moved the field to the right location. This took a little time to get right, I'm still getting used to working out how "push" directions relate to what movement you see in the eyepiece and, for some reason, I find this even harder when the object you're looking for is near the Zenith.

Finally M13 came into the field. With the 25mm eyepiece the first impression I got was that I was looking at a faint but obvious "splodge", not unlike looking at a rather faint comet. There was no hint of any individual stars, just a large cloud-like structure.

Switched to the 10mm eyepiece. Initially it looked just like it did in the 25mm eyepiece, only bigger. However, after staring at it for some time, and using some averted vision, the image seemed to start to flit from being the cloud-like structure to one of a large structure made from 1,000s of tightly-packed stars. A really incredible sight!

Tried the 6mm first. Jupiter showed up quite nicely. Based on first impressions and a quick at-the-'scope comparison I found that the 6mm gave a more pleasing image than the SkyWatcher-supplied 10mm with the supplied 2x barlow. Made a sketch of what I saw with the 6mm -- noted that I could see a faint star quite close to Jupiter (it obviously wasn't a Jovian moon as they were obvious and the star itself was in the wrong location for that).

Tried the 6mm with the 2x barlow. It was hard to get good focus with this combination. While the image was obviously bigger I couldn't see any obvious increase in detail on the planet -- but I was fighting a warm 'scope, a light sky and a lack of collimation (I must get round to this).

Jupiter looked excellent in the 15mm eyepiece. Although I could only see the two main bands (no hint of the mottling that I've seen on previous nights but see above regarding what I was working against) the image was bright, crisp and clear.

Finally got round to having a good look around the Moon for the first time since getting the telescope.

The first thing that really stood out was the top of the rim of the crater Reiner being highlighted even though the bulk of the crater itself was behind the terminator. Quite an amazing sight. I spent some time trying to have a go at sketching this but after a couple of false starts gave up. I need to do some more practice and, more to the point, I should probably plan my observing of the Moon ahead of time and make up a template or two of what I want to look at.

Spent some time taking in the ray systems of Copernicus, Kepler and Tycho.

With the 15mm eyepiece I got an excellent view of Aristarchus, Herodotus and Vallis Schröteri. With the 6mm the view was even better. Vallis Schröteri looked very detailed. I could also clearly see what appeared to be two small craters in what looked like higher ground to the North of Aristarchus. I noted that these craters appeared to be shown on my Moon map but they were not named.

After packing up, while heading back into the house, noticed a rather bright Iridium flare high up and around due South.

Got set up on the Western edge of the village. Did an initial scout around the general location of Venus with the naked eye and then with the binoculars but couldn't find anything.

Sun still up.

Sweeping around some more with the binoculars I finally found something. Wasn't sure if I was seeing Venus or Saturn. Was a lone planet so did wonder if it was Saturn but, at the same time, it seemed a little too bright.

Once I'd seen it with the binoculars I could just about find it with the naked eye.

By this point there appeared to be quite a bit of murk on the horizon and whatever I was seeing was just above it. The sky was very read in the general direction of Sunset.

Sun now set from my location.

It was Venus I was looking at. How do I know? Because I could now see Mercury at the 7 O'Clock position to Venus with the binoculars! Let me say that again in big bold letters: I could see Mercury!

This is the first time in my life that I've ever knowingly seen Mercury!

While Venus was now obvious to the naked eye and very easy to find there was no hint of Mercury to the eye.

Venus now a very obvious object to the naked eye but no hint of Mercury (wasn't at all sure if I should or could be able to see it with the naked eye at any point). Noted that there was lots of murk on the horizon now and it was starting to look like I might lose them into it.

Still no sign of Saturn.

Behind me, in the opposite direction from Sunset, I could see the Earth's shadow rising. This is the first time I've knowingly noticed this.

Mercury now very obvious and easy to see in the binoculars. Still no hint of it with the naked eye.

While looking around the sky noticed that Jupiter had popped into view. Had a look at it with the binoculars but no sign of any of the moons yet. The planet itself was obviously a disc.

Still unable to see Mercury with the naked eye. Both Mercury and Venus starting to get very close to the trees on the horizon.

Could just about make out one of Jupiter's moons with the binoculars.

Decided to call it a day for this session and head back home.