Virgo keeps her bits hidden

[nckjsmitj]

OK all you cleaver SGLrs. I've been out a few times trying to locate all these DSO's that are cited as being in Virgo in TLO.

I've found the right constellation and identified Leo and gone to the right place in the sky. But no DSO's are found in the view finder.

What's the collective advice you can give me on this?

[John]

It doesn't get dark enough at the moment to track down faint deep sky objects. You can't see them in the main scope, let alone the finder scope !

Virgo DSO's are best viewed earlier in the spring when the nights are darker.

[Bart]

As John says, you wont find them in the viewfinder. I have a 10" and you can just about make out a few of the Virgonians (?), but I've spotted them earlier in the Spring and know where to look. But they are certainly past their best now. The nights aren't properly dark again for another 2 months(ish). Better off sticking to globular and open clusters for a while now.

Bart

[nckjsmitj]

It doesn't get dark enough at the moment to track down faint deep sky objects. You can't see them in the main scope, let alone the finder scope !

Virgo DSO's are best viewed earlier in the spring when the nights are darker.

Ah! Right, so they are so faint that they are not detectable at all. And there I was all set to get depressed and jilted because my scope is inferior.

Thank you.

N.

[David JM]

Ah! Right, so they are so faint that they are not detectable at all. And there I was all set to get depressed and jilted because my scope is inferior.

Thank you.

N.

It's not inferior, it's an entry into astronomy.

Those with big scopes are compensating for something! [Ah, I've just remembered I have a 9.25" on order...]

[Vince1963]

Hi thanks for answering that, I had the same problem last night, i couldn't see anything either. with my 200 reflector, I was feeling very disappointed and disillusioned, I have a book on the constellations which clearly shows what you can see through a small telescope and some objects with bino's. I haven't been stargazing long (though i have always been very interested in astronomy) because i always felt that most armature scopes don't seem to show you very much and the equipment which does, costs a small fortune. and its becoming more apparent that this is very true. I think you need a budget of at least £1500 just for the scope alone. I am feeling like i want to trade up already ( but i don't think the wife would understand LOL). I guess this is a normal progression with newbies. In the mean time i'll keep my eyes upwards

[Scott]

Hi thanks for answering that, I had the same problem last night, i couldn't see anything either. with my 200 reflector, I was feeling very disappointed and disillusioned, I have a book on the constellations which clearly shows what you can see through a small telescope and some objects with bino's. I haven't been stargazing long (though i have always been very interested in astronomy) because i always felt that most armature scopes don't seem to show you very much and the equipment which does, costs a small fortune. and its becoming more apparent that this is very true. I think you need a budget of at least £1500 just for the scope alone. I am feeling like i want to trade up already ( but i don't think the wife would understand LOL). I guess this is a normal progression with newbies. In the mean time i'll keep my eyes upwards

i've got the same setup as you and you will see plenty, just not at this time of year. i went out last night well after midnight and the seeing was terrible at best. you just wait for winter, you'll be blown away. Well at least i was.

[todd8137]

What scope do you and are looking for these with ?

Pat

[Jon Sales]

Seeing conditions were bad all round last night, even on the moon at high magnification.

Jon

[euphony]

I managed (amazingly) to pick out 10-11 of them last night, but they were so faint that they could have been easily missed if I didn't know what I was looking for. Roll on next spring to get a proper look!

[euphony]

Seeing conditions were bad all round last night, even on the moon at high magnification.

Jon

Indeed

[euphony]

M3, M13 and M92 were all really clear again though for me, so I looked at them at them when I got disillusioned to make me feel better!

[mdstuart]

M81 / M82 are well placed at the moment if you need a galaxy fix...

I spotted them last night at 11pm in my 7 x 50 russian binoculars and my refurbished 114mm relfector..

Mark

[rwilkey]

If you have the 200P, you do not need to spend any more money, the fuzzies will come to you in time and the right season, you'll be able to see all the Virgonians (?) when the time comes, starting with M87, the biggest, so don't worry!

[Tinker1947]

Last night well after midnight some of the Virgo DSO, pop up in the EP, found nothing on Thursday night really bad seeing i expect, draw a line from Denebola (left hand star in Leo) and Vindermiatrix (top star in Virgo) start viewing about half way across....

[nckjsmitj]

Last night well after midnight some of the Virgo DSO, pop up in the EP, found nothing on Thursday night really bad seeing i expect, draw a line from Denebola (left hand star in Leo) and Vindermiatrix (top star in Virgo) start viewing about half way across....

OK thanks for the hint. I'll try with some bins first just to see if I can pick-up anything. My little Jessops 100mm reflector is really designed for planetary viewing. As the other guys in this thread have said, it's probably the wrong time slot to see these faint fuzzy objects and the heat makes the sky unstable.

[Vince1963]

Thanks very much guys for your comments you've been a great help, you've helped me and i'm sure its been helpful to nckjsmitj too.

[Double Kick Drum]

100mm is easily enough to pick up quite a few galaxies in Virgo. The problem is that as a few have stated the May sky is not as dark as say February or March and therefore galaxy hunting is more difficult.... but not impossible. Unfortunately, they won't pop up in your finder.

Most of the Virgo galaxies are maybe not the easiest to find or identify, so detailed maps / Stellarium / CdC is the order of the day.

With the Moon becoming more promemant now, you are probably too late for Virgo this year but a good starting point is M60, a galaxy near Rho Virginis (in the North of the constellation). From there M59 is very close by.

Happy hunting!

[WayBig]

It's a little late to get the best out of the Virgo galaxies this year. Unfortunately it seemed to rain almost constantly this year when they were in a better position. They'll be back next spring though!