Mag 17 Quasar

[nightvision]

I was just reading about a Mag 17 Quasar that is visible in the northern sky. Will my 12" dob reveal something at Mag 17 if conditions are good?

I think it would be a mind expanding experience to see photons that have been travelling for 7.8 billion years!

The Quasar is 0957+561 in Ursa Major, its a double image of the same Quasar due to dual-route gravitational lensing.

Tony.

[lukebl]

17th mag really is too faint even for a 12". You could try 3C-273, which is a 12.9 mag quasar in Virgo.

Mind you, it's really close at 'only' 2.4 billion light years!

[DarkerSky]

Your 12" scope is likely to get down to somewhere around Mag 15. There are several quasars brighter than this you can go for. here are four of them - A Fist Full of Quasars | Washed-out Astronomy

[acey]

It has been seen in a 14.5" scope and may be do-able in a 12" for an experienced observer at a very dark site with a very good finder chart (it would be seen as a single faint speck of light). But there wouldn't be much point attempting it until brighter quasars such as 3C-273 have been successfully seen.

The following link describes it as easily seen in a 16" but not easily split (the separation reportedly being about 6 arcseconds).

Quasar

[nightvision]

Thanks to everyone for the input, I will certainly be taking a look at the closer Quasars, should make for an interesting challenge.

[nytecam]

Your 12" scope is likely to get down to somewhere around Mag 15. There are several quasars brighter than this you can go for. here are four of them - A Fist Full of Quasars | Washed-out Astronomy

Thanks for the link - clear[ish] tonight in SW London and got all 4 listed bright quasars - 3 in SE sky but 1 very low in north [Hercules] over London in LP Will post my 'finder' snaps soon

[nytecam]

My quasar vid @

Hope you like it - pics taken recently:hello2:

[MrTreyLynch]

My quasar vid @

Hope you like it - pics taken recently:hello2:

You have just obtained a new YouTube subscriber! Lol

[nytecam]

Thanks for that my 4 quasars + lynx quasar below:hello2:

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice images. I just bagged 3c273 visually, and I might try the bright one in UMa.