Major Wow moments tonight

[stevetynant]

Tonight - I went out to my back garden which faces North and thought I'd just check out my new Xcel LX 25mm lens and have a go with my setting circle and Wixey.

After a while I couldn't get anything working with the setting circle but eventually sussed out a workaround (I think I may have printed the numbers on the circle clockwise where I would have been better doing it anticlockwise)- after I had realised this I thought as it was getting on I'd give it one last go - I'm so glad I did. I'm not cetain being new to the hobby whether using these circles is politically correct or not but I know I would not have seen what I did tonight without it - this was like seeing Saturn all over again for me- the only shame is looking North gives me more light pollution than looking South - but anyways tonight for the first time saw M92,M13 M81 & M82 - absolutely fantastic - so pleased and now know whats possible- can't wait to get to a dark site so I can get even better views (may even take Friday off this week if the forecast is good and head into Mid Wales Thursday night)

My only problem is I can't take Stellariumwith me so hopefully will be able to use one of the android apps to help.

Anyway - despite a bit of fiddling with numbers- setting circle major success and several wow moments tonight

[mike.brightmore]

Nothing wrong with using setting circles or even GOTO in my view. Its what you see through the eyepiece thats important. Once you know what you're looking for and what it looks like it is much eaier finding it for yourself.

[Jon Sales]

I use Sky Safari Plus on my Galaxy S2.

There are a few others I use too quick are good but if you don't mind paying then get Sky Safari.

[swamp thing]

Personally after driving to reallly dark locations the last thing I would do is start trying to use phone or tablets to find stuff. It'll ruin your dark adaption. I have sky safari on my iPad but the last place I'll use it is when hunting for dim objects at a dark sky site.

The red light they emit is directed straight at your eye. You are far better off with a dim red torch and a paper atlas. It may not be tech but it works. And it works better.

Regards Steve

[stevetynant]

Jon -the only thing I notice with the Apps on Android - I've got Skeye and Google Sky are that when you move the phone to scan the area of the object your looking for, you can't hold it still enough to get an accurate Alt/Az reading - is there a way around this or is sky safari so much better in this respect before I shell out?