Kon

Thanks John. I just read your report, fantastic!!, and I need to try some of your tricks there; although, I am not sure if the 8" Dob will be up for it. I could barely see the flame nebula with my filter so maybe more light gathering is needed? I also noted that your report is over 4 years old without further references 😟...... but good things come to those who wait 😃.

Most of the time it is greyish/green. I noticed frosty nights or after rain the seeing hugely improves and that's when i noticed the bit of colour (again it is a greyish/pink rather than screening in your eyes colour).

I recently purchased an Hb filter (ES) from a fellow SGL member @PeterW. I started with the Pleiades just to get my hand with it and surprisingly it was allowing for some nebulosity to come through. California nebula was my next target. I got in the area and I was surprised by the size of it. I had to move the Dob around to get the edges of it. No distinct features but just a 'block' of nebulosity. By then Orion was in the right place. I started without any filter. The M42 looked great. I could see some pinkinsh colour around the trapezium area as before whereas the trapezium was surrounded by a hue of green. The wings were nicely showing with distinct features, but no colour this time as my previous observation. I then popped the new filter and a new 'world' came through. The filter tamed the brightness of the trapezium and revealed nebulosity across the two wings rather than showing 'empty space or very very weak nebulosity without one'. The nebulosity made me realise that it extends much more than what I had seen before; it reminded me of the astro photos but in black and white. I thought since seeing is good to try for the horse's head 🐴. The filter nicely tamed the brightness of Altinak. I could see more nebulosity around it than without any filter; it has always been a bit of bluish hazy brightness. I panned around for the Horsehead nebula but I just could not see anything. I could not see much nebula either in the area. Is an 8" Dob not up to the job? Or do bortle 3/4 skies not ideal? I finished my session by looking at some clusters (no filter). The Persei double cluster looked awesome with all the stars and colours there. I spent a bit of time jsut being mesmerised. I had a look at NGC957 and NGC744 as well with nice resolved stars. Overall an excellent night and very pleased with the new purchase. looking forward to come up with more targets ofr the new filter.

I have the skyliner 200P Dob, and it's excellent! I was a total beginner like yourself last year when I got it. First few outings were frustrating when you have no clue about the night sky. I remember starting with a list on 2-3 targets and hardly managing one. But with perseverance and the help of finder (I got a RACI) and star atlashes and Stellarium I have seen the night wonders. My night easily has 5-10 targets now depending what I plan to see. Regarding eyepieces get used to the stock ones and maybe add something in the 15mm range and upgrade later. A Rigel or telraf will help with star hoping, and get Turn Left at Orion; the sketches resemble what you will see. For me part of the fun is the hunting of these dim smudges. A but like fishing, sometimes good some times oh well!

Fantastic report and session you had! NGC604 sounds like a great moment.

Good effort and milky way features. Try stacking and reduce your exposure time since you have a bit of star trailing (and reduce iso as you said).

@mikeDnightvery impressive! Thanks! Yes visually I have no problem seeing things, but when I tried to put them on a sketch the stars were all over the place, relative location and spacing. I kept also killing my night vision with the red light I used. I will pm you at some point for some hints if that's alright.

Thanks anyways, it would have been a bargain for the price.

These are amazing! Thanks for sharing (I tried to have a go at M57 in the summer and it was all over the place especially with stars); you should post more often in the sketching section. (and I should maybe try again)

No I am not sketching, I am terrible at it, but having some representation of what things might look with the telescope is a bonus. Eg take a diffuse nebula, you look at the EP and what the APs are doing and they are different beasts. I have found a few websites that show sketches of Messier and they are v good representation of what I see, so I was hoping a book with other nebulas might have something similar. Very true, I will take a look on all the suggestions from here and see if google books have some of the titles.

Thanks for the comment on the exposure. I used iso 800, I will try give it another try on the weekend with lower iso.

Just my Nikon D3200.

I was out looking at Venus tonight and as Nik said seeing is horrible for us; it reminded me of disco ball full of colour.Hardly any details, although the phase is showing really nicely.

That sucks. I hope that later in the year it might be more visible for you.

Looks great thanks, and N hemisphere will do for now; a move down south is not currently in my books despite the horrible weather we are having 😆

I had a try on getting a pic of Venus tonight. Venus was like a disco light so quite pleased it came out like this. 1min movie on eye projection, 8.8mm ES 82, 2x barlow. Stacked in Siril. what do you think is that a good Venus representation? Do I expect to get more? Stellarium for comparison.

I am looking to purchase a good book for DSOs similar to 'Turn Left at Orion', with charts and sketches. (I have an 8" Dob if that matters). I came across the 'Interstellarum Deep Sky Guide Desk Edition' and I have seen some nice reviews on it (I already have the 'interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas'). I am mostly interested in nebulas but of course other DSOs are of interest. Is that the best book for my needs or do you recommend others (I am very kin on sketches rather than astrophotography images, so I know my expectations)? Or feedback on the Interstellarum Deep Sky Guide Desk Edition from personal experience? Kostas

Great first report. Your excitement is really coming across. You will have a lot more of these moments as you are learning more about the night sky.

I just realise that he asked for a different version..... Read it in a hurry...oops 😬

Already discussed here. I do not keep a journal but tend to post in SGL, this is my 'journal'.

I have the 6.7mm and it is an excellent EP. I find it very handy with my Dob since the planets/moon stay in the FOV for longer. It barlows very well but that depends on seeing. I also have the 8.8 one, also excellent, when seeing is ok; I upgraded from the 8mm BST.

I had a go at getting Jupiter with my 8" Dob again. Jupiter on 22/11/21. Dob 8", eyepiece projection using a 6.7mm ES82, 2x barlow, NikonD3200. Stacked in Siril and sharpened in PSS (somehow my stacking kept failing there); there is an annoying red fringe on the right from stacking so i need to find a way to get rid off it. I like how the GRS is showing. Not the sharpest images and pretty much how it looked on the night, but pretty pleased to have an image of it.

An 8" Skywatcher Dob 200P.

Nice you managed to get some clear skies. I was out ealrier as well for a brief period since the moon had washed out almost everything.

And I thought I got a bargain at £100 from Aliexpress. As a new in the hobby, less than 1 year, I am finding that it is never ending process with eyepieces. I love my new wider FOV eyepieces but I wonder what a 100 degrees might be? It is only money after all 🤣.