Observing Tips And Tricks

[Mr Q]

Every now and then, I see one mentioned in various posts and thought a thread might be a collection point for those new, as well as experienced observers to share their tips and tricks for visual observing only.

To start the thread off:

Averted Vision - Looking slightly to the side of a faint object to bring out more detail/brightness.

Jiggling The Image - Helps bring a very faint object into view and increases some detail by tapping the OTA or slightly moving it.

Floating By - Let the faint object float through the FOV. The slow movement makes your eye "re-capture" the object over and over, which helps bring out hidden details and helps detecting the faint object.

Observe At The Zenith - Where haze and light pollution is less and faint objects can be detected easier.

I could list many more but its time for your tips and tricks to add to the list. I'm sure, beginners especially, will not want to spend time reading (and learning) a tip that's several paragraphs long so hopefully yours will be short and to the point.

Thanks in advance to all that contribute to this thread and I hope we all can benifit from these tips and tricks - whether we are beginners or experienced observers.

[John]

Good list

I'd add trying to relax at the eyepiece. I seem to see more when I'm relaxed and comfortable. Sitting while observing is nice.

[swamp thing]

Putting a black cloth over your head whilst observing is a way of keeping extraneous light out of your eye. It works, but you look like a complete tool.

[RikM]

Use an eyepatch, either to cover the non-observing eye while viewing (helps you relax) or to protect dark adaptation in the viewing eye when popping inside for a cuppa.

Very useful and a fetching fashion statement...skull and cross bones motif optional.

[ismangil]

Use an eyepatch, either to cover the non-observing eye while viewing (helps you relax) or to protect dark adaptation in the viewing eye when popping inside for a cuppa.

Very useful and a fetching fashion statement...skull and cross bones motif optional.

Yet to try it due to weather... , however I got a leather handmade one on eBay for 2 quid. In shops they're plastic and uncomfortable.

Perry

[Beulah]

To slightly improve contrast, flock the interior of your Newtonian.

I would like to add the hint of installing a dewshield for more than one reason.

Roll up a camping mat into a tube and install it on your OTA. I started using one last year to combat dewing but with the additional flocking material on the interior of the sheild, I found that stray light pollution at ground level (such as neighbour's window lights, etc.) was cut and contrast was improved further.

[Mr Q]

Here's another -

Observe extended objects (larger EGs, OCs, nebulae, etc.) while the OTA is cooling down for objects that need more detail. These extended objects still look good without any cooling down.

[ismangil]

Here's another -

Observe extended objects (larger EGs, OCs, nebulae, etc.) while the OTA is cooling down for objects that need more detail. These extended objects still look good without any cooling down.

Is it also true that precise collimation is not needed for such objects as well?

[swamp thing]

Is it also true that precise collimation is not needed for such objects as well?

Indeed Perry.

Years ago collimating tools were hard to come by and you had to just kinda "do as best as you can. Making your own, was often the only way. A lot of the older mirrors had no central spots on either, so this combo meant quite a lot of us made do with some very dodgy collimating indeed.

It made planetary images very mushy but for the fuzzies you could live with it.

[scarp15]

Stay with the object for a reasonable length of time, and as mentioned best if in a relaxed posture, perhaps seated. Also best if your eyes have had an opportunity to fully dark adapt.

[gliderpilot]

Instead of a cloth, wear a hoodie. You still get the benefits of shielding your eyes from lights without looking like a Victorian photographer.

Observe on the meridian - when objects are at their highest. This boosts contrast and improves seeing.

Use a filter to boost contract - planetary or deep sky as appropriate

Observe from a dark sky site if you want to see faint. Quality skies are worth inches of aperture. Avoid observing faint DSO when the moon is in the sky.

In a long observing run, take a break and recharge your energy levels with a brew and snacks. Do some bino scanning or meteor watching to rest your eyes.

Use a binoviewer or binoscope to minimise eye strain and enjoy the sudden depth of field.

Wear a ridiculous amount of clothing when winter observing to avoid the cold. I put numerous layers almost to it feels stupid and then put some more on. Don't forget your feet - I upgraded from walking boots to fleece lined, insulated fishermen's wellies and really felt the difference this winter. Thoroughly recommended.

Build an observatory. The benefits in having everything set up is a real boone. Furthermore, when you finish observing it takes 2 minutes to pack up and get to bed.

Move from the UK to a better climate (well it's good to dream!)

Hope that helps and best regards,

Mark

[Mr Q]

Once you do finally find an elusive object, come back to it several times in the near future. Each time it should be easier to locate/detect - thus reinforcing your confidence in searching for more elusive DSOs and increasing your success in finding them.

[Helen]

Have a plan so that you can do a bit of research on the objects you're looking at before you see them, that way your faint fuzzy becomes so much more eg a globular cluster 1 billion years old containing half a billion stars and 400 ly away.

Make a log, even if its only a scribble in a book, it'll bring iot all back when you re-read it.

Don't have a plan and just scan the skies and see what you find, and then use your finder in reverse to see what you've found.

Don't get so tied up with the equipment that you forget to look up and wonder at the immensity of it all!

Helen

[Mr Q]

Don't spend too much time trying to find any one elusive object. For me, it's about 10 minuets. After that, frustration sets in. So I go to another easier object, then come back to it later. Sometimes it may take several tries to detect the object - even several nights - patience is truly a virtue when it comes to star gazing.

[patomlin76]

Another one I've found valuable tonight is to choose one feature (usually a planet) and just concentrate on it for 15 minutes or so. You'll be able to teas out a little extra detail.

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[Steve Ward]

I find a comfortable eyepatch and keeping both eyes open helps enormously when at the eyepiece , much more relaxing than getting "face-ache" through keeping non-seeing eye closed for extended periods.

[Mr Q]

Observe just before dawn in the fall to catch some winter objects with warmer temps and steadier skies.

The same holds true for the spring. a chance to observe summer objects before summer haze sets in and trashes the sky's transparency.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

When observing diffuse emission nebulae, be on the lookout for dark structures. Dust lanes often have sharper boundaries than the emission nebula itself. I first noted the effect in the Rosette Nebula, where the dust lanes were easier to spot than the edge of the emission nebula. The trick has worked for me on elusive objects like the Cave Nebula, the Cocoon Nebula, the Flaming Star Nebula, and the California Nebula. In the latter two cases it was the darkness surrounding the object that alerted me to the fact that I was looking at the nebula.

[JamesM]

I would second Helen's point of planning your observing session. Try to mix in some familiar objects, some new ones and a couple that might be a little bit obscure to help maintain focus (...sorry couldn't help myself) during the evening. As an additional 'project', I like to spend some time on one constellation, getting to know the individual stars, the doubles etc. I often return to a planet several times during the evening as conditions change throughout the evening be it clearer seeing, a cooler scope and of course to check out for new features, moon positions etc. In addition, take the scope down through the milkyway on a free flight with no agenda. It's a fun thing to do as there is no pressure to find objects - just to marvel!

James

P.S Snacks are a great diversion but ensure you take a little extra to share! I think the current exchange rate is 4 Jaffa cakes for 10 mins use of Ethos?

[jflowers]

When the moon is out, don't complain that its washing stuff out, observe it! It really is a fascinating object

Though if you do have other targets, leave the moon till last, it really is bright and will ruin your dark adaptation.

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Copied from an old post of mine -

Some quick tips to squeeze the best out of your scope -

1) let the scope cool down, the general rule of thumb is to allow 5 minutes for each inch of aperture. Stick your scope outside for 30mins or so before you intend to view. It's perfectly fine to leave dust caps on etc during cooldown.

2) don't view over tarmac or over houses or cars, or anything that gives off heat. These things spend all day absorbing the suns heat (even on cold winter days), and give it off at night, creating thermal currents akin to the heat waves you see on tarmac in the blazing hot summer sun, they are just less obvious in the winter (until you magnify them through the scope.

3) view from the darkest place you can. Get away from the town/cities and head out into a rural area for the best experience. This makes a HUGE difference.

4) get dark adapted. It takes roughly 20 minutes of darkness for your eyes to adapt, and only a fraction of a second to destroy it. Your night vision is brought to you by a chemical called Rhodopsin, which builds up in your retina over time. It is incredibly sensitive to light, meaning it reacts well in low light, allowing you to see, but gets destroyed by brighter light. Even looking at your phone, or kitchen/lounge lights left on (if you're in the garden), or looking at bright objects like the moon/jupiter will prevent the buildup. So do yourself a favour, and at least just once on a moonless night, experience night vision at its best.

5) Spend time focusing. Sounds silly, but at higher mags, the "sweet spot" for focus gets smaller and smaller, and can be tough to find if your mount wobbles as you focus. Spend some time to make sure you got it just right.

6) Spend time at the eyepiece. I can't stress this enough. It takes time for your mind to build a detailed image of what you're looking at because it is either big and faint, or tiny and bright. My first few sessions on jupiter were basically a small disk, with 2 grey stripes on in. One night, i took a chair with me, and sat at the eyepiece for over an hour. After 20 minutes or so, a whole new world opened up to me. It wasn't a sudden thing, but i began to see small hints of swirls either side of the stripes. After 30minutes or so the swirls were definite, and i was seeing 4 stripes, and a heck of a lot of surface detail. Same with the orion nebula, though it wasn't quite so obvious - after a while i started to get hints of nebulosity through averted vision, unfortunately just as it was almost visible with direct vision i had to leave, but i have certainly learned the value of "learning to see".

[ObscuredbyClouds]

Observing tips ? Double and thrice check when observing the sun to make sure everything is right, including putting your solar filter on.

Ask Bizibilder

[Mr Q]

When observing a faint DSO, breath slowly and deeply to increase O2 saturation, that helps vision, alertness and concentration.

Can't detect that elusive, faint object? Once the field location is known to be correct, let the area slowly drift by your LP field of view. A slow moving very faint object is easier to detect than a stationary one.

[Mr Q]

Well, to keep the thread bumped up a bit, I have another helpful trick.

My scope came painted a pale blue (the OTA) and after several nights using it in near total darkness (bumping into it, etc.), I decided to paint the OTA a bright white. Now in only starlight, I can just see the scope and no more bumping into it or feeling around for the focuser.

This can also apply to EP cases or any other equipment that may be left behind after packing up or tripping over during your observations.

[knobby]

Copied from an old post of mine -

Some quick tips to squeeze the best out of your scope -

1) let the scope cool down, the general rule of thumb is to allow 5 minutes for each inch of aperture. Stick your scope outside for 30mins or so before you intend to view. It's perfectly fine to leave dust caps on etc during cooldown.

2) don't view over tarmac or over houses or cars, or anything that gives off heat. These things spend all day absorbing the suns heat (even on cold winter days), and give it off at night, creating thermal currents akin to the heat waves you see on tarmac in the blazing hot summer sun, they are just less obvious in the winter (until you magnify them through the scope.

3) view from the darkest place you can. Get away from the town/cities and head out into a rural area for the best experience. This makes a HUGE difference.

4) get dark adapted. It takes roughly 20 minutes of darkness for your eyes to adapt, and only a fraction of a second to destroy it. Your night vision is brought to you by a chemical called Rhodopsin, which builds up in your retina over time. It is incredibly sensitive to light, meaning it reacts well in low light, allowing you to see, but gets destroyed by brighter light. Even looking at your phone, or kitchen/lounge lights left on (if you're in the garden), or looking at bright objects like the moon/jupiter will prevent the buildup. So do yourself a favour, and at least just once on a moonless night, experience night vision at its best.

5) Spend time focusing. Sounds silly, but at higher mags, the "sweet spot" for focus gets smaller and smaller, and can be tough to find if your mount wobbles as you focus. Spend some time to make sure you got it just right.

6) Spend time at the eyepiece. I can't stress this enough. It takes time for your mind to build a detailed image of what you're looking at because it is either big and faint, or tiny and bright. My first few sessions on jupiter were basically a small disk, with 2 grey stripes on in. One night, i took a chair with me, and sat at the eyepiece for over an hour. After 20 minutes or so, a whole new world opened up to me. It wasn't a sudden thing, but i began to see small hints of swirls either side of the stripes. After 30minutes or so the swirls were definite, and i was seeing 4 stripes, and a heck of a lot of surface detail. Same with the orion nebula, though it wasn't quite so obvious - after a while i started to get hints of nebulosity through averted vision, unfortunately just as it was almost visible with direct vision i had to leave, but i have certainly learned the value of "learning to see".

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