having trouble finding things to observe

[BigDeadPixel]

Hi All

I posted in the welcome section for the first time about a week ago. I described how I saw mars and saturn on my first night and was blown away.

I have however since then not been able to locate much else in the sky. I have seen the thin crescent moon (which was AMAZING) and I have also managed to locate NGC 5139 which is beautiful beyond words.

My question for you guys is how best to locate objects in the night sky (southern hemisphere) and what are the brightest and most easily locatable objects I can expect to find under moderately light polluted viewing conditions.

I have an 8" dob, planisphere for my area and google skymap on my android. HELP ME FIND THOSE NIGHT TIME JEWELS!

Thanks in advance.

[acey]

Planisphere is a good start. Next get something like the S&T Pocket Sky Atlas. Make sure your finder on your scope is properly aligned (use a streetlight or other terrestrial object). Choose bright targets such as Messier objects (most of which will be visible to you in southern hemisphere) or bright Caldwell objects. Use your map to figure out the constellations and aim the finder at a naked eye star in the general area of your target object. Then star-hop to your target - this takes practice (make sure you're holding the map the right way round). If you choose very bright targets and you're at a dark enough site then the target will become visible in the finder, otherwise get yourself to what you judge to be the right spot, then look through the main scope at low power.

For a southern hemisphere observing list try the Jack Bennett Catalogue

http://messier.seds.org/xtra/similar/bennett.html

http://www.astrosurf.com/antilhue/Bennett.htm

Good luck!

[spaceboy]

Try this if you haven't already got it http://www.stellarium.org/

[Qualia]

My advice would be to download Stellarium and set up your coordinates.

Next, hunt out a good quality copy of Hartung's Astronomical Objects Catalog & The Jack Bennett Catalog. For now, this link may suffice: http://messier.seds.org/xtra/similar/bennett.html. With the lists in hand, you'll be able to see what these fellas came up with by searching around on the Stellarium program.

Next up, check out the Messier possibilities from those given lists and weed them out from a site like this: http://www.solarius.net/Pages/Articles/dbArticle.aspx?artid=messier_finders.

You'll notice that this link forwards you to Telrad finder maps. It is because I would strongly recommend you to buy one. Seriously. A Telrad, even in an LP area, will save you a lot of time and despondency from frustration and disapointment.

If you don't want to buy one the maps are still really handy because you'll know the outer circle of the Telrad is 4º in diameter, the middle one 2º and the smaller bull's eye, 0.5º. You'll also know that if you hold out your left hand at arms length and circle the index finger and thumb to form a C shape, then, from the tip of the index finger to its first joint is about 3º, from that first joint to the middle of your index is 4º and from that middle joint to your knuckle is about 6º. If you need a smaller measure, then straighten that index finger and from one side of the nail to the other is about 1º.

The following links may also be of some service:

http://messier.seds.org/xtra/similar/dunlop100.html

http://messier.seds.org/xtra/history/lacaille.html

http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/southsky/sskylist.htm

http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/sskybino/ssbinoc2.html

http://www.utahskies.org/deepsky/caldwell/charts/caldwellTelrad.htm

Hope this helps a little

[earth titan]

Finding can indeed be a challenge. If you live in an area if heavy light pollution then faint fuzzies may be a challenge.

Try to get to a dark sky sight then start looking for brighter objects in the measure series nd go from there.

Turn Left at Orion is a good resource. My local library has a copy, so try yours.

[Etoille]

You might also consider Cartes du Ciel (SkyChart). Its a good free alternative to Stellarium and has better information, but Stellarium does have better graphics and is porbably the easier and the more popular of the two.

Monthly articles in them mainstream astronomy magazines provide information on what objects are visible and of interest to look at each month and how to find them. They also give you some idea of how easy/difficult they are to find and you might choose some of the easier ones to start with and progress to the more difficult ones as you get more proficient.

[BigDeadPixel]

This is all brilliant advice. I now have a lot of homework to do! Will update and let you all know how the hunt goes

[Bluey]

Hello, and welcome. I see from your post you are in the southern hemisphere, I believe the The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) are pretty spectacular, maybe start with these.

[Astro Imp]

All the above is good advice, another useful resource is Tonight's Sky.

This can be customised for your location and the type of object you are interested in seeing.

Good luck.

[Charon]

Not pushing in, but thanks for that link Astro Imp.

[Etoille]

Ditto. Never seen this resource before. Thanks for pointing it out.

[stevetynant]

If you have an 8 Inch Dob - you could also consider making yourself a setting circle and buying a Wixey - together with the co-ords from Stellarium or your smart phone and a wide angle lens they will get you in the right area to look for any astronomical targets 9 times out of 10 for much less than $50.

[umadog]

Note that the OP is in the Southern Hemisphere (lucky them!) and so Turn Left at Orion may not be the best choice: the older editions at least do not cover the southern skies so objects such as Omega Centauri and the Tarantula will not be listed.

One possibility is to have a go at the southern Caldwell Objects: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldwell_catalogue e.g. numbers 90 and up are mostly southern objects but there are others. Look for the brighter objects on that list. They will punch through light pollution. The fainter objects may not. The Caldwell is not a list of the brightest objects but it does contain the very brightest. You will also be able to see the more southerly Messier objects (quite possibly better than northern observers). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_catalogue. Look for the objects in Sagittarius, Scorpio, and Orion. There are others you can get at but those will cover many of the big hitters.

If you can get away from light pollution be sure to go for: NGC 7293 and NGC 253 (which should punch through light pollution too).