First Galaxy seen.

[steelfixer]

Finally after all the trials and tribulations I have been having with my 'goto' set up last night everything worked perfectly.

I opened the obs roof at about 8.30pm and started by inputting as many stars as I could reconise into the alignment set up.

By 9.30pm I had nine stars logged and synced to enable me to get a 3 star alignment anywhere in my visible sky.

Using my new 5x Antaris barlow lens and a 20mm EP I spent an enjoyable hour just wandering from star to star amazed at the incredible clarity I was now able to see using the new kit.

Whilst waiting for Jupiter to emerge from behind the next door neighbour's chimney I decided to see If I could get a look at a galaxy.

I selected Andromeda on CDC and with great excitement peered through the finder.

To my delight there just off center was a large grey smudge.

I centered the scope and looked through the EP at what I can only discribe as the most amazing thing I have seen to date.

Although still faint I could clearly see the structure and I just sat there in total silence gazing in amazement at this trully spectacular sight for over ten minutes.

I now look forward to seeing even more and trying to capture them on video.

First one down and countless more to go.

Graham.

[hemihaggis]

hmm , good to see you have it all working and guiding from your goto now , but i take it you were using the x5 barlow with the 20mm ep i think that is why you have a large smudge ! i think with a 200mm scope about the most power you could use on a planet would be around the 7-10mm mark, a 20mm with a x5 barlow is ....... massive magnification !!!! (someone help me here ... a .836mm ep ??? ) , on glaxies med - high power looks best ,around 12 - 32 mm with no barlow .

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

That does sound very high, especially for Andromeda.

[steelfixer]

The smudge was through the finder scope.

Through the EP it was clear, still faint but totally clear.

I had the barlow in not only to test it but to do some ccd image work on jupiter. I just could not resist leaving it in with the EP.

Please correct me if I am wrong but I make it 300 times magnifacation.

Focal length 1200mm divided by EP 20mm = 60 times mag times 5 for the barlow gives a total of 300 times mag.

I believe that is still well under the scopes limit, but like I said I could well be wrong.

Now that I have finally found it with the clouds permission I will have another look tonight without the barlow.

I will tell you this the double of Mitzer and its mate looked incredible.

Thanks

Graham

[swamp thing]

Well done Graham, your first Galaxy of many.

Regards Steve

[hemihaggis]

usually the rule of thumb is the lens size x mag ..in your case that would be x200 ,but you will find out what works best for you , the most mag i put on jupiter through my 10" F4 meade is x101 and i stay at a fairly dark site . for andromeda i use a 26mm= x 36 mag:icon_salut:

[steelfixer]

Hi Hemihaggis.

Thanks for that I will try again with just the EP if these clouds ever lift tonight.

I did make one mistake in that the EP is a 25mm not a 20mm.

thanks

Graham

[steelfixer]

Hemihaggis.

I have attached an image I got from Jupter last night using this set up.

It is not the best as the seeing was rearly bad with a lot of turbulance but it gives you an indication of what will be possible in good conditions.

Thanks

Graham

[hemihaggis]

Hi Hemihaggis.

Thanks for that I will try again with just the EP if these clouds ever lift tonight.

I did make one mistake in that the EP is a 25mm not a 20mm.

thanks

Graham

Excellent pic , is that with the webcam ?

[Swift]

Belting pic, Graham! Pretty much tallies with what I've seen of Jupiter these past few nights. Checked out M31 myself a couple of hours ago, I recently bought a 40mm Vixen NPL eyepiece to try and get as much of the galaxy as possible into the field at 30x. Still nowhere near all of it, but the view's great nonetheless - it was my first galaxy too, and I'm sure we're in good company!

[steelfixer]

Hi Hemi.

yes that is with the SPC900.

I am just waiting on FLO to deliver a new adapter and ir filter for the samsung then I can rearly see what this will be caperble off.

thanks

Graham

[steelfixer]

Hi Swift.

Amazing first sight isn't it.

I must admit I was stunned with the size of it let alone trying to get my head around the shear number of stars involved in such a structure.

graham

[hemihaggis]

Hi Hemi.

yes that is with the SPC900.

I am just waiting on FLO to deliver a new adapter and ir filter for the samsung then I can rearly see what this will be caperble off.

thanks

Graham

exellent stuff , i also have a samsung , but i cant get enough back focus on my scope to focus , so i ethier going to machine down the extension on the focus tube or buy new focuser ,

[todd8137]

congrats on heres to many more

[steelfixer]

thanks Todd.

Hemi could you not try a barlow to decrease your back focal length.

[hemihaggis]

mm i dont know steelfixer , i cant focus my dslr either , i can almost get it to focus fully inwards , i just need another turn on the focuser

[Nathan_Pembs]

Saw my first galaxy last night too, also Andromeda!

[steelfixer]

I read somewhere by putting a barlow in it increases the focal length so effectively gets rid of the back focus issue.

You will have to start a thread on it.

There is sure to be people on here who can tell you what you can do.

[steelfixer]

congrats Nathan

brilliant sight isn't it.