Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

M 57

alan potts

By alan potts
in Observing - Reports

Recommended Posts

alan potts

alan potts

Posted
Posted

Well I managed this about two years back I believe for the first time and the last two nights have been good enough to try again and that is to glimpse the centre star of this distant object.

Last night and the night before were eveinging of exceptional clarity, after looking at it for about 10 minutes I really believe I could make out M13 and M31 was an easy target without scope, even when my Son turned the kitchen light on and then left it on.

So 2 hours on M57 armed with the 12 inch and its 3 and bit meters of F/L with the 12mm 10mm and 6mm Delos's the latter giving a whopping X508. I find even with a Moonlite focuser that act of getting anything sharp at these magnifications is rather testing to say the least. The star which I believe is Mag 13.5 to the side of M57 always helps and that was there to be seen all the time, clear and razor sharp, no, but there nonetheless. After about 20 minutes and using averted viewing I was sure I was able to see a faint glimmer of the centre star which is listed at Mag 15.3,close to the very limits of the scope. Increasing the power up to a massive X500 plus confirmed after 10 mins playing with the focus that it was indeed the star. I would never tell anyone that it appears as a normal star, it is much more of a tiny brighter patch in the nebula but there it was. I know going back we were all trying with lesser appertures and I sort of lost track of where we got to, if anyone did pull this off with less than 12 inches it would be nice to know.

I am hoping it will be a little easier when I get my 18 inch and I will get a better more diffined view but looking for this with a driven scope it always going to be much easier than nudging, something I have still to learn.

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 27
  • Created
  • Last Reply
alan potts

alan potts

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Paul,

In all honesty at these magnifcations I think the word detail is pushing it, the power just enables the scope to see fainter objects, it only makes a .3 or.4 of a magnitude difference but you need all you can get when trying such things. I much perfer about X200 tops for this target which I did with the 14mm Delos but at no time did I have a sighting of the center star at this power, well not with my eyes. The nebula though looks sharper and more detailed in my books though but no real colour, maybe the whole thing being a little blueish , massive power blurs the edges somewhat and I don't like to use it, not even on something like the Moon, which is a fair bit brighter than M57.

As far as detail in anything goes I tend to think less is more many times, though it would never do for us to all think the same.

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Paul73

Paul73

Posted
Posted

Thanks Alan

Interesting answer. I have always found that M57 seems to take everything that you can throw at it. However, everything that I can throw is a relatively puny 250x. :).

Glad that I am not missing out due to lack of magnification.

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DeepSkyBagger

DeepSkyBagger

Posted
Posted

Nice catch, Alan. I've seen the central star in M57 a number of times, but never in anything less than a 12". I use it as a guide to the sky's transparency. You're right about the magnitude of the central star, it's 15.3, but the star next to the planetary is a little brighter than you say, it's around 12.8. I have seen it with a 4" reflector.

I looked at M57 in July this year with a 12" reflector at x450. I glimpsed the central star with AV, which was very pleasing. From my log: "An astonishing view at x450. The colours were quite bright - greenish in the ring and blueish inside. Of course, I may be influenced by photographs. With colour vision as bad as mine it's hard to tell.  I just glimpsed the central star with averted vision."

Patrick

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John

John

Posted
Posted

Good spot Alan :smiley:

I've tried a few times for this with my 12" dob but so far with no definitive result.  My skies seem to limit me to around mag 13.7 with the 12" so perhaps it's just out of reach here ?.

There is a mag 11 star quite close to the nebula and a mag 13 one embedded in the outer side of the "donut" I recall from last time I viewed it. 

I'll give it another go soon with the XW 3.5mm which gives 454x which might tip the balance when it's reasonably well overhead. Thanks for the incentive :smiley:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
alan potts

alan potts

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I really think my sky here is a bit better than most when it is on song so to speak. I have not had much to sing about this year but last night and the night before were the sort of skies where I am sure an 18 inch and a 20 inch would do this with ease. As I have said it it not an in your face object in a 12 inch, quite the opposite it's difficult and really takes time to study however I am supprised the extra 8 inches didn't bring it to life, one of those nights I guess.

As for the tiny galaxy near by I will try that another night. I am sure it will be on one of the software programs I use to steer the LX. I did not report on it but I had a good session on M33 last night as well that was really clear which in itself is unusal, I always have found it rather disappointing but it is another that needs the best skies to shine.

It is a funny old night tonight patchy would be a good word but clear and still.

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
alan potts

alan potts

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I do hope not, though green is a good colour to go as long as you are wearing black.

I feel I have done very well with the 18 inch even though I do not have it yet, it will land here even with a fair sized 200 Eu shipping cost, 50 Eu more than a 16 inch OO dob of 1/8 PV, I think that is a bit of good luck, OK I may have to stand on a small step for some things with it being F 4.34 but I can live with that.

Holiday here would be flights, about 250 return with Easyjet out of Manchester or Gatwick. and about 35 quid a night in a fairly nice hotel, maybe a bit less. A meal in a reasonable place is about 10 quid without wine, with would make it about 15 quid for two. Depends how much you eat of course but in any case it would never really cost more than 10 quid each if you pigged out. So for a price of one 20 inch Dob you could stay here well over a month.

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
alan potts

alan potts

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Estwing,

Parts are forecast for snow tomorrow, mountains will get a covering for sure.

IC 1296 and SkyMap

Going back to DeepskyBaggers point on the very small galaxy IC 1296. I spent an hout last night with a slack hand full of eyepieces looking for this and swiched over to Sky Map Pro as it covers stars down to at least 15 magnitude.

Well I found the M57 without issue and got to where I think the galaxy should be but if I am honest I was rather lost with all the stars that I could see that I could not see on the map software. I was fairly sure I was accounting for the left is right SC illness and vica versa, even switched it over in the program but had a heck of a job finding what was what apart from M57. Now I was using 21mm E and the 13mm E all of which would have IC 1296 in the same FOV as the M57.

If it was where I think it was there was a very faint area that looked a bit like a faint double star but I am not experienced enough  to know whether this was the galaxy, I rather think I have to do some more work on this and that I was not seeing the IC 1296, maybe I was not even in the correct place.

There was a lot more in the FOV on the 13mm Ethos than I could see on the Sky Map Pro, the problem was I could not find how to switch in the marker for the field of view in the program which would have helped, also the magnitude settings were done a long time ago on the different levels maybe I put a 13.5 mag limit in . I feel time has to be spent to set up the software better for the task in hand. I also had a feeling the centre star was winking at me, rather it was laughing at me, but I was not totally sure. The seeing was again outstanding with at least mag 6 overhead, even Mars took X304 with the 10mm E without much in the way of a complaint and that is far form ideally placed, in fact you could say that for the last month or more.

This is a really good hard test not made any easier by lack of computer skills, I will not give up yet.

Alan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DeepSkyBagger

DeepSkyBagger

Posted
Posted

Alan,

You may be searching too far away from M57. IC 1296 is diametrically opposite the 12.8 mag star on the edge of M57. It is less than 2 long dimensions of M57 away from the planetary, just 4'. It will be in the same field of view as the planetary until you hit about x600. 

Having said that, it is a very difficult object, so I wouldn't be dismayed by not seeing it at all!

Patrick

Link to comment
Share on other sites
alan potts

alan potts

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for that advice Patrick. I do not believe you can upload images and other stuff until you have editing rights which I think comes at 250 posts.

From the scale point of view I sort of knew it was close by as there is a scale on the lower right of each page of Skymap and I recalled the 4 minutes that you gave me and I know that is not very much. Having said all that I believe I was looking too far away. I don't see a chance tonight as it is hammering down outside 35mm since 0800hrs this morning, next time will be at least Satuday but I will keep it in mind and try again.

It may even be a difficult object when I get the 18 inch as that will be unguided and I always think that makes things easier.

Alan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DeepSkyBagger

DeepSkyBagger

Posted
Posted

Well, I'll just have to post some more stuff then.  :smiley:  Stu's Sky Safari images show what I mean pretty well, though. The star marked GSC 2642-0433 is the obvious 12.8 mag star.

I've been thinking about this, and I have to confess that I don't think I've ever really looked for this object myself. Another one for the tick list!

Good luck,

Patrick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.