orions_boot

It is worth checking planning permission of which ever building that is.  Whether or not there are conditions on the use of lights.

There is a business where I live which is constantly in breach of a condition not to have lights on when it is dark.  I am currently battling it through the planning authority.

On 04/11/2021 at 21:19, Paz said:

 

The Baader zoom eyepiece is optimised for the high magnification end of its range and the compromises are made at the lower end of its magnification range, so it is easier to beat the Baader with a fixed eyepiece at the lower magnifications than it is at the higher magnifications.

 

I have been looking at 68 degrees EP.  It seems the options could be to buy a 24mm EP to replace the stock EP.  It can also help at lower magnification.  With a Barlow it will produce an exit pupil and magnification suitable for some sample DSO nebula I checked on the FLO tool.  Is there anything wrong in using the Barlow to get the correct exit pupil rather than buy a specific EP?

23 hours ago, Paz said:

 

The Baader zoom eyepiece is optimised for the high magnification end of its range and the compromises are made at the lower end of its magnification range, so it is easier to beat the Baader with a fixed eyepiece at the lower magnifications than it is at the higher magnifications.

Another thing to consider if the field of view is too narrow is whether it is the field of view that is really what is annoying or something else, for example at narrow fields of view the thing that annoyed me at first was actually the tracking workload and having to constantly move a scope to follow an object, so that was one of the first things I went to work on to improve my experience at high powers.

Dear Paz.  Thanks for your detailed response.  I have quoted above the points that seem to add some learning to what I knew but didn't understand.  This will give me something to think about.

10 hours ago, Alan White said:

I think your best move would be to seek out your local astro club or society.
 

Good point and I hadn't even considered that.  Thank you.

2 hours ago, Oldfort said:

 

For some reason your post doesn't quote correctly.   I have bought a new book "Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders: From Novice to Master Observer (DIY Science) " I will look further into the website you quoted.

Thanks for that.  I have read that and entered a rabbit hole on the internet.  I am not sure I am any the wiser now 😬 but certainly confused.

Hi all.

With the help of this forum I got my self kitted up about a year ago.  I would appreciate some assistance where I go now with equipment if anywhere.

I have a 10" dob, bader zoom and the Barlow, 35mm 2" ep and the stock 25mm ep.  I upgraded the straight finder to a RACI and have added an oiii filter (a cheap brand) and an astronomik UHC filter (1.25").  I also bought a Rigel finder.  I even upgraded my sky moving from Bortle 6/7 to Bortle 4.  I use The Observers Sky Atlas and David Chandler Planisphere.

What I have determined is I prefer to look for DSOs.  I am not too bothered about stars.  I do enjoy seeing Jupiter and Saturn and once or twice I have tried the moon.  However I am quite happy to spend an hour finding one or two difficult DSO and be content with that.

I mostly use the zoom scope but I don't like the narrow view.  I also don't like the more I zoom in the darker the image becomes.  Is this normal though?  The 35mm has its uses but is not consistently used.  I have only used the Barlow for planets and the moon.

I would appreciate some views on what if anything I could look in to buying that might help me now I know what I like doing.  Thank you.

Sometime last year I bought a 10" bresser dob with help from this forum.  I had some good times in my back garden with a perfect south view despite being town centre.  Unfortunately over the winter there was a large and permanent increase in light pollution.  So much so it was never actually dark and I gave up using the scope.  

I have since moved as planned to what the internet tells me is bortle 4.  The view from my back garden is primarily N/NE which I can see down to 5degree above the horizon without obstruction in almost complete darkness.  If I shuffle around I can also get about 15degrees south albeit with light pollution domes.  If I can work out how to transport my dob on foot I can also go to a completely open area in every direction about 500m from my front door.  Overhead I can see some detail of the Milky Way.  So all in all a new world right on my doorstep.  

I was out of the hobby so long I forgot I had bought an astronomic UHC filter which I found in my kit unopened.  

The first two nights since moving I have spent working out how to use everything again.  I have now got naked eye objects like the double cluster.  The fact I can actually see stuff just by looking is making finding objects a lot easier.  M31 was always a struggle now I can find it instantly.  Through the EP the main difference is M110 is easily seen too.  

I like nebula so I tend to focus on that using a zoom EP.  M27 is a grey blob on the finder scope.  Through the EP I tried sticking an Oii and UHC on and comparing.  I couldn't really see any difference.  Both ways I can see the 'apple core' and the fainter 'bubble' around it.  M57 however was different.  The UHC filter gave a bright outer right and a black middle.  Oiii gave me the ring but also inside I could see very faint the central star.  I also managed to fit in a look at Jupiter and four of it's moons.  There is a lot of haze in the direction so the seeing was poor but I could make out the banding and define the different colours, in moments of clarity.

Add to all that all I can really hear is some strange bird or animal calling now and again.  Being able to sit out and observe is certainly good for mental health and appreciating whats around.

Hi all

I was contributing and visit this forum last year.  I took an enforced break from astronomy.  Sometime during the winter of 2020 and early 2021, there was a big influx of artificial lights in my town in the only view I had (south).  Possibly an increase in activity in the docks area resulted in them needing more lights to be on all the time.  At best the clear outside tool rated my sky at Bortle 6.  However it was never dark no matter what time of night and it got to a point where it was so bright I couldn't find anything any more.

Last week I completed a house move to Bortle 4 area.  The first 2 nights were very dark but also I was very tired so no observing.  Looks like the weather is picking up from now on, and I will return to contribute again 👍

15 hours ago, Pixies said:

Checked out the Eskimo nebula this evening and I do see it as green, but I wonder if that's my expectations playing tricks with me.

 

It is green for me and I don't expect anything, so I think you saw green.  I didn't even know what it was supposed to look like until I saw it first then looked at the internet.  Shows blue with an oiii filter.

I have not seen many DSO but the only one I have seen that isn't pale grey and white is 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo_Nebula

See if you can find that perhaps?  It is dark green unfiltered, and blue through a oiii filter for me.

I got the astro essentials one and seems pretty decent to me.

I got out last night.  Looking back at my logs the last clear night I was able to get out was 22nd Nov 2020!

Got sight of:

Eskimo nebula: no filter this time.  Averted vision could see the nebula as green and direct vision the star within only. With oiii filter last time it was blue.

Hubble variable nebula: also no filter and appears white/grey.

Christmas tree cluster

Crab Nebula: almost missed it.  It was probably about as faint an object as my eye will detect. However it is pretty big.  Absolutely no detail just an elongated oval of smudge.  Looking in to buying a UHC filter which might help?

Rosette Nebula: Couldn't see the nebula but saw the saw cluster.  Again a UHC filter may help apparently?

M36/M37/M38

Lambda Orionis system: Don't usually bother checking out double stars but since the sky was so bright I tried it.  Probably try a few more.  Very little separation which made it worthwhile when I could make it out.

@MattG if you upgrade the finder scope as suggested then I can send you bolts free of charge to fit the new shoe you would also need to buy.  

Message me if you do go that way send me your address I will send on the bolts.

10 hours ago, Don Pensack said:

1) Yes, because a good UHC filter will pass the hydrogen emission from the nebula and reveal a larger size to most nebulae.  If you only view planetary nebulae, or the Veil, stick to O-III.

Pass on the Explore Scientific filter--it is too wide a bandwidth to be useful.  Literally twice as wide a bandwidth as the good UHC filters.

Stick to Astronomik, TeleVue Nebustar , Lumicon, DGM NPB and ICS for a UHC filter.

Thanks for making this so simple to understand.  I had not considered the type of nebula I am looking at.

Sorry to bring up an old thread but this seems to be THE thread for filters.

Despite reading all of it I still haven't answered my question for my self.

I have a oiii filter.  Relatively bright sky internet estimates bortle 6.  I know oiii is different to UHC, but given how bright my sky is, is there much benefit in buying a UHC?  I was looking at the explore scientific 2" so it fits all EPs I have and may buy.

On 13/12/2020 at 09:47, icpn said:

I would look at the AstroAdventures site in Devon. If it is clear then it is awsome skies https://www.astroadventures.co.uk/

 

Probably more chance of clear skies than Keilder 🙂

 

 

Thanks, have you been before and can comment on the standard of the accommodation?  

4 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

A true, succinct, and very Zen statement which could usefully be on every new telescope, just under the bit about not looking at the Sun ...

When you look at the ring nebula and all you get is a very small dim grey circle with a hole in it, yes it isn't bright green and red but

you are looking at something as it was 2500 years ago at an inconceivable distance that you can only see because it is so massive 

Taking all that in to account there is only so much tweaking and sharpness you can get before you have to settle for what you have as a fuzzy grey blob with a hole in it.

I haven't seen anything higher than a cloud for about a month now.

Had this and the conjunction written on the calendar but doubt I will see anything

Hi all

I have planned and executed all sorts of holidays all over the world but never astronomy.  I would appreciate any input to help me work out the best time to visit the area I have my eye on.

 I am looking at Kielder area specifically a village called Falstone.  Considerations I believe should be around the moon phase - so looking for a new moon?  And not too far in to the spring/summer - is this about right?  Looking at a moon calendar w/c March 13th or April 12th 2021 for 10-14 days could be ideal.  Is this a good time of year for stargazing?  I have checked accessibility at the accommodation and there is a ground floor converted barn so easy enough to wheel in and out a 10" dob.

Is there anything else I should consider or even another area that could be better than Kielder?  

1 hour ago, Jasonb said:

One thing I'm definitely struggling with is not knowing what to expect. Is what I'm seeing (in terms of quality of image) what I should expect from this scope/EPs, or should it be better with some adjustments or something.

 

Speaking as another newbie this is the key bit.  It took me a few sessions to be able to have some certainty that I had seen my target.

In order to assist I found you need planning and prep with research.  Set out a list of a couple of objects to find.  Plan how to find them.  Research written/sketch/photographic sources of what the object looks like.  Find it and take a good look, then come back and have another read about the object.

The problem is until you look through a telescope you haven't looked through a telescope.  Photographs are a different kettle of fish.  Looking at sketches is more helpful.  Read observing reports and how people described something and what EPs they used.  If you look at my post history it might give ideas of simple plans to look at a few objects, from the POV of a newbie.

If you want more doubles have a look at Andromeda quite a few kicking around.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_Lyrae

Worth a look if you want more doubles for your money

It's gone again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-55179983

Interesting colouration where I assume the probe has ruffled the surface in picture 4.  Almost looks damp.

I am looking at getting one of these.  

I have a Cannon 550d, cannon 50mm prime, the stock 18-55mm and Cannon EF 70-300mm.

My question is what do you use to line up the camera to the target?  Is there something like a finder scope, red dot finder, or just keep looking through the screen until you see it?

https://www.space.com/china-chang-e-5-lands-on-moon-to-collect-lunar-samples

https://earthsky.org/space/china-moon-mission-change-5-sample-return

If anyone finds more pictures somewhere please post them.  I have only been able to find one picture and two videos.

I am no expert but possibly that is not enough magnification.

I don't have your scope but I know in the one I do have, if the eye piece power is too low I get less detail.  So seems to make logical sense you might have the same problem. 

IF you go here

http://astronomy.tools/calculators/magnification

You can put the focal length of your scope and the mm of the eye piece to see the magnification.  If I have done yours right the magnification is 62x with the 10mm ep.  On my scope I don't get too much detail on Jupiter/Saturn/Mars below 100x and about as much detail I can get around 180-250x depending on the day.

Forecasted for clear sky from 1300hrs until tomorrow morning, I decided to try a session getting outdoors early and seeing what difference it made to things.  Working from a 10" dob with a Hyperion zoom and 2.25x Barlow I started with our own solar system and then went for M31.

1530hrs~ Moon - With a twilight blue background it was a lot easier to view the moon.  It's apparent brightness was significantly reduced so it was easy on the eye.   I particularly enjoyed what appeared to be mountain ridges and the crater of theophilus and the other two in the chain next to it.  It was nice to go up to 350x magnification and back out to study the little mountain in the crater.  Sea of serenity I could see the Bessel crater and bright streaks of lighter grey cutting across it.

1600hrs ~ As soon as Jupiter popped up I switched my sights.  Last time I looked I could see the great red spot.  Tonight it wasn't there so instead I was looking at beige and brown banding.  All four of the main moons very brightly visible.  There was a fair bit of shimmering in the atmosphere.  There was no point going above 250x and somewhere between 180-250x was the sweet spot.  

1620hrs~ Saturn now visible.  Saturn being my favourite I have had a look every night I have had.  Tonight however was a different story.  This was the most outstanding view I have had in the past few weeks.  The sweet spot was 180x-200x with some turbulence however there was brief moments of amazing clarity.  For the time I saw the Cassini division.  The rings were an off white and the body was a pale yellow with some darker contrasting yellow in it.  Gradually the moons came in to view which was also a first.  Titan was the most obvious, followed by Dione and Rhea all over a period of 20-30 minutes.

1700hrs Jupiter and Saturn were moving too low behind the houses so I went for Mars.  I looked a few weeks ago and have amazing clarity seeing the southern ice cap and various surface markings.  Tonight and yesterday it was terrible.  Very poor seeing in this direction and no matter how much I tried I couldn't get a view worth bothering with.

At some point I then noticed Andromeda constellation was significantly lower and a bit easier to look at than when I usually get outside.  Normally I am struggling trying to point the scope straight up but tonight it was a lot lower.  I spent 30-40 minutes trying to find M31 first from memory, then from a chart, then pulling out the binoculars.  By this point I found I had been tracking from the wrong star.  Luckily however that meant I could see Almach in my scope purely by mistake.  Very nice contrast of blue and gold.

M31 - having found with the binoculars I then found it at 53x.  A large bright core with a fuzz around it which I was very happy to see.  As a bonus M32 was hiding in plain sight.  Basically M31 but on a smaller scale.  It is great to see two galaxies for the price of one.

About 2,5hrs later I realised my body temperature had plummeted and called it a day whilst I could still walk.