Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

Help needed to spot first object


Recommended Posts

I need some tips, I have been out pretty much every night this week I have been to trying to look at m57 without any success I know its there im looking in the right spot just below Vega between the 2 stars but cannot lock on to it.

I am using a Konus 200mm scope I have it set up correctly with the finder scope now aligned correctly and I have now fitted a red dot finder as well which is also now correctly aligned with the scope.

Collimation seems to be correct I think it is just me and maybe my inexperience that is letting me down, any tips or hints of what I am doing wrong would be gratefully appreciated, or if anyone can point out something else to look at that may be easier to find that would be good also.

I need to hit that first object then I am sure I will be able to spot the other things that are out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Jake,

Do you realise that M57 is really quite small in a low power eye piece.

For something a little easier have a go at M13 a nice globular cluster in Hercules or Albireo a great double star in Cygnus.

To help you find these and anything else you want I would suggest you download Stellarium a great free planatarium program.

Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeh, go for something bigger for your first time once you know what to look for it will be easier to spot the smaller ones M13 was my first (just last weekend) and i wasnt dissapointed. when I had seen the fuzzy smudge of it at low power I then went on to spot M51 the same night

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got interested in astronomy in the winter, when you're completely spoiled for choice. The rest of the year, particularly spring, I feel, things are a little harder, although I found M57 in my 150P rather quickly, but only once everything had got dark enough. At this time of year at my latitude, you need to stay up to about 11:30 to catch this nebula.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But spring is galaxy season! Multiple galaxies in the same FOV in the Virgo cluster. And summer... There's loads to see in summer! There's all the stuff in the summer milky way, for starters: loads in Cygnus and particularly the Sagittarius nebulae: the swan, the triffid, the lagoon, the eagle... There are more planetary nebulae and globs in the summer (check out Scorpio, for instance). How about NGC 6445 and 6440? Those are a glob and a planetary nebula in the same low-power FOV. A little later in the summer, M31 comes back into view along with M33. There are some other nice galaxies in the area also, such as NGC 7331. Stephan's quintet is near there too, although that needs darker skies. The double-cluster is coming back now. In August NGC1514 reappears. That's a pretty interesting object--check it out on the wikipedia. Don't forget NGC 253 in sculptor: it's low down but quite impressive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

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

  • 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.