Thinking of having a gaze tonight

[Mr_Si]

Usually, I get quite tired on evenings, or I'm not around when it's a clear night, or I don't have the bins with me, but I looked on BBC's weather site today and saw that it was supposed to be clear skies tonight down in lancing.

What could I expect to see that may be interesting?

I've so far found Cassopeia, Aurora, Pleaidies and I think the Ursa Minor and Major.

Any challenges?

Thanks,

Simon

[stargazer1]

I'm also interested to know what to look at when the moon is full as i find it difficult to see any dso's but you could try any planets which may be visable.

Try Stellarium that seems quite popular but haven't got my head around it yet.

[stargazer1]

Sorry should have said you need to download stellarium (don't know if you have heard of it) not look for it lol.

[Mr_Si]

Okay, I'll download that program - have had a look before on my Linux based operating systems.

Sorry to sound dumb, but what is a DSO?

[Marki]

DSO - deep sky object, usually star clusters, galaxies, nebula that sort of thing, as opposed to single star, double star, planets, moon etc.

[paul schofield]

Deep Sky Objects. There is no such thing as a dumb question. I managed to see M57 Ring Nebula last night even though the sky was totally bleached out by the moon. Globular clusters and planets don't suffer so much when the moon is up.

[Marki]

As a suggestion, why not try for the galaxy in Andromeda tonight? Its something like 2,500,000 (think I 've got the right number of zeros there) light years away....! Thats always impressive (assuming the moon isn't too bright) - a big blur of light (from the galactic core) not far from Cassiopeia, so that'll help you to find it .

[Mr_Si]

As a suggestion, why not try for the galaxy in Andromeda tonight? Its something like 2,500,000 (think I 've got the right number of zeros there) light years away....! Thats always impressive (assuming the moon isn't too bright) - a big blur of light (from the galactic core) not far from Cassiopeia, so that'll help you to find it .

Cool. Skies willing I will have a go.

Will it be viewable with 10x50s?

[Marki]

Yep - bins are actually pretty good for andromeda, as it is pretty big so fits in the wider field of view nicely. I often use my own 10 x 50s for that very reason Looking hopeful here tonight, so will likely have a gaze myself too!

Clear skies!

[Stu]

How about Mizar/Alcor double which is the second star in on the ' handle' of the Plough in Ursa Major.

Could also try M13 in Hercules, that will be visible in binoculars.

How long are you staying up? Plenty of other stuff later on.

Have a sweep through Cygnus aswell, the Milky Way runs right through there and it is well positioned currently.

Stellarium will tell you where they are.

Stu

[Mr_Si]

...

I've so far found Cassopeia, Aurora, Pleaidies and I think the Ursa Minor and Major.

...

D'oh! by Aurora, I meant Auriga, lol.

Stu, I love the Milkyway effect on the night sky, so I'll have a look toward that area too.

I'm not sure how long I'll stay out, but maybe up to somewhere between midnight and 1am (I know, probably not that late, but it's a start and I have to work tomorrow).

[kevrees]

Have you checked out the site skymaps.com ? You can download and print off a chart for the month as well as a list of objects that will be easy to see with naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.

i tend to look at whats visible on that chart and use stellarium to locate them as havent got to grips with all that planisphere and constellation stuff, lol.

Im sure there are better or easier ways but that works for me

[Marki]

Planning to to stay up to 1 if possible - early start as well. Just "below Cassiopeia" is the double cluster...I love sweeping my bins through that area. And recently I "discovered" the coathanger asterism near Albireo with my bins....how cool is that! I'm always amazed I can see the milky way at all from where I live now...never could where lived before!

[breezy]

Well after a less than great day at work and thinking the weather won't clear I got home at nine and wow .

I'm really just getting to know the scope so have spent last few nights looking at the moon , spent half an hour cursing trying to take photo with I phone which I will upload at some point.

The views so good I'm relaxing with a beer , even the mrs has wandered out and had a squint , and

the dog but he's really just eyeing up the leg of the mount.

As my experience grows I will try looking at other stuff

[Stu]

The moon is not making things easy tonight.

Mr-Si, just checked and andromeda is easily visible in 10x50's tonight despite the moon, as is M13. I could also split Alberio in Cygnus so that is worth a look.

Was just out trying my 15x50is with filters attached but pretty much a waste of time due to the moon. Looks like it may work though

Stu

[Mr_Si]

I think the moon is so bright it's blocking anything I want to see anywhere near it! According to Stellarium and my Planisphere, it is kinda South direction, but I think where I am right now, the houses and moon are stopping my vision. But the moon is brilliant.

I've only really been able to see Ursa Major so far.

[Mr_Si]

Oh, wait, just found cassiopeia - it was hiding above my row of terraces. Slowly getting my bearings.

[Mr_Si]

Well, I have neck ache now.

I think I may have seen Andromeda, but handholding binoculars means it's quite shakey anyway.

Is Andromeda slightly more blurry looking than what a star looks like?

If so, then I may have seen it.

I found Cassiopeia. and then using a series of tools such s google sky map, my planisphere and Stellarium I saw it was half way between Schedir and the Mirach/Alpheratz area.

[kevrees]

From my limited knowledge, andromeda is a feint grey-ish smudge. First time i spotted it i thought it was something on the lens of my bins lol. Imo i dont think its that impressive to look at but what amazes me is that feint grey blob of light was transmitted over 2.5 million years ago.

How the imagers manage to get the images they do of andromeda amazes me.

[cantab]

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is in my experience very obviously not a star, appearing as an elliptical smudge of light that I'd say is distinctly yellowish even in 10x50s, unlike the Orion Nebula that I see as slightly blue and fainter DSOs that just look grey. And it sounds like you were in the right place.

I'm sure one of the astro magazines had an article on observing the full Moon. It's often neglected because the terrain doesn't show up well, but there are some nice things to see that aren't apparent at other phases.

[Stu]

Mr_Si, do you have a sun lounger you could lie down on? Much easier that way, and avoids neck strain.

M31 does appear as an oval smudge of grey light. It gets washed out by the moon but is still visible.

Did you try Mizar or Alberio? M13 too. Doubles and brighter clusters will be better than fainter dso's with the full moon.

Once you learn a few more constellations and orientate yourself it will get easier.

Have fun.

Stu

[Mr_Si]

Fantastic, then I probably DID see it. I know it's a whirlpool style of galaxy, so was expecting an odd shape, but of course, being so far away, it's gonna be realistically tiny and faint-ish.

Sadly, I think it's gonna be cloudier tonight, but then with the Blue moon, if it's clear, the sky will be lit more by that, just like last night. Maybe I'll wait till the moon phases out a lot more.

[Stu]

Good stuff

Andromeda is not face on to us, unlike some others. It's at an angle so appears as an oval shape

Stu

[will-i-am]

Thats exactly what i looked at last night for the first time, best described as an oval smudge!

[Mr_Si]

Ok, so last night I went out and had another look through the binoculars. This time it was much easier to see as the moon hadn't risen above the houses yet and the sky was clear and dark (ish). This time, I definitely saw M31 and it was a bigger grey smudge than I was expecting! I went back there a few times and each time it was easier to find.

Still getting my head around finding other constellations, but google sky map and skeye on my phone both help!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2