Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

Open clusters in Auriga

ScottS

By ScottS
in Getting Started With Observing

Recommended Posts

ScottS

ScottS

Posted
Posted

Have just found M36 and M37 for the first time through my new 8" Dob. I didn't think I would be too fussed for star clusters, but having seen these two, I may well be hooked now. M37 is fantastic through the 25mm EP. Need to find some nebulae now.

Anyway just thought I would share my first successful viewing session. Really need a darker site now though :sad:

Any suggestions for any other (non obvious) Messier objects I can look for in a fairly light polluted Bristol back garden?

Thanks.

Scott.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 28
  • Created
  • Last Reply
AndyWB

AndyWB

Posted
Posted

M38! If you've got M36 in the FOV on the Dob, and M37 is right and slightly down, then go left, about 3/4's the distance you went to M37. Like you, I didn't expect to like clusters, but I just love those 3 in Auriga, and the double cluster in Perseus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Apollo Paul

Apollo Paul

Posted
Posted

I also like these clusters. M37 looks bright and compact through my 30mm eyepiece.

M38 looks nice through my 17mm. M36 is my least favourite of these clusters in auriga.

Check out M46 and M47 in puppis. M46 is full of bold bright stars

and M47 fills the eyepiece with many stars.

M44(beehive cluster) in cancer is also a nice open cluster. You can see it through binoculars as a cluster and not a blob. Again many bold bright stars

can be seen though the telescope.

Another nice cluster is the double cluster in perseus. This is alot of peoples favourite open cluster.

M35 open cluster is also worth checking out in gemini. I have yet to check out M50, M52. Both sound like nice open clusters.

M42 nebula in orion has been lovely to look at on the only three clear nights i have had

since purchasing my scope.

Have ago at the two bright galaxies in ursa major M81/82. You will see them in the same field of view.

Im looking forward to viewing Saturn in April, although i could get good views of it now at around two

o'clock in the morning, thanks to stellarium.

Also waiting for clear skies to view comet Pannstars through binoculars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mr Fiery Jack

Mr Fiery Jack

Posted
Posted

I also like these clusters. M37 looks bright and compact through my 30mm eyepiece.

M38 looks nice through my 17mm. M36 is my least favourite of these clusters in auriga.

Check out M46 and M47 in puppis. M46 is full of bold bright stars

and M47 fills the eyepiece with many stars.

M44(beehive cluster) in cancer is also a nice open cluster. You can see it through binoculars as a cluster and not a blob. Again many bold bright stars

can be seen though the telescope.

Another nice cluster is the double cluster in perseus. This is alot of peoples favourite open cluster.

M35 open cluster is also worth checking out in gemini. I have yet to check out M50, M52. Both sound like nice open clusters.

M42 nebula in orion has been lovely to look at on the only three clear nights i have had

since purchasing my scope.

Have ago at the two bright galaxies in ursa major M81/82. You will see them in the same field of view.

Im looking forward to viewing Saturn in April, although i could get good views of it now at around two

o'clock in the morning, thanks to stellarium.

Also waiting for clear skies to view comet Pannstars through binoculars.

Er.....same as that. I love open star clusters, they do what they say on the tin, they look like the object you are observing, fuzzy blobs can be disappointing, particularly for beginners.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mez7000

Mez7000

Posted
Posted

I've got addicted to clusters too, possibly as easier to recognise through a smaller scope, I like the Christmas tree and the coathanger and certainly the double in Perseus is a fave (not forgetting the Pleiades!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jackrussell0232

jackrussell0232

Posted
Posted

I think it's sometimes easy to forget to take the time to admire the great clusters (and doubles). Seeing loads of stars where you initially thought there were none, or perhaps just one, doesn't get as boring as some people might expect, even repeated many times. They are spectacular visually, and often much more satisfying viewing than the fuzzies.... which are usually much better caught on a camera.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Stargazer_00

Stargazer_00

Posted
Posted

The 3 open clusters in Auriga are lovely and its a shame you didnt catch M38. It's a little tricky to find but of these 3 it is always my favorite. It's dimmer, for sure, but on a night of good seeing it has many many more stars than the other 2 and it twinkles like virgin snow. This one seems to give more and more the longer you watch it, it's mesmerising.

Also nearby is M35. 4 nice open clusters very close to one another.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Stargazer_00

Stargazer_00

Posted
Posted

M52 in Cassiopeia is just gorgeous...a wealth of others in this constellation, too.

Try that. Get Sky and Telescopes pocket sky atlas and spend some time on just cassiopeia. It has open custers - mostly NGCs, some neaby nebulas (ive yet to spot these as I havent used my UHC yet) and a loads of double stars.

I find a good strategy for observing with the pocket sky atlas is to look up, find a constellation that is in a good position (zenith or close), find it in the book and then get everything in it. It's better than swining back and forth, north to south, east to west chasing target after target - usually just messiers when you first start. I prefer now to soak up everything in an area and spend longer watching them on each target.

I am keeping track of my Messier count but in truth I dont much care about that aspect. I just enjoy looking up, at anything and everything :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Roo

Roo

Posted
Posted

I am keeping track of my Messier count but in truth I dont much care about that aspect. I just enjoy looking up, at anything and everything :)

Being new to all this, I like your approach. I'm learning the sky a bit at a time, although recently it's been clouds, clouds and more clouds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
heavensabove

heavensabove

Posted
Posted

Try that. Get Sky and Telescopes pocket sky atlas and spend some time on just cassiopeia. It has open custers - mostly NGCs, some neaby nebulas (ive yet to spot these as I havent used my UHC yet) and a loads of double stars.

I find a good strategy for observing with the pocket sky atlas is to look up, find a constellation that is in a good position (zenith or close), find it in the book and then get everything in it. It's better than swining back and forth, north to south, east to west chasing target after target - usually just messiers when you first start. I prefer now to soak up everything in an area and spend longer watching them on each target.

I am keeping track of my Messier count but in truth I dont much care about that aspect. I just enjoy looking up, at anything and everything :)

Since abandoning GOTO , this is exactly the way I like to observe now and a blast I am having too , you really get to know your skies that way ...
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mr Fiery Jack

Mr Fiery Jack

Posted
Posted

The 3 open clusters in Auriga are lovely and its a shame you didnt catch M38. It's a little tricky to find but of these 3 it is always my favorite. It's dimmer, for sure, but on a night of good seeing it has many many more stars than the other 2 and it twinkles like virgin snow. This one seems to give more and more the longer you watch it, it's mesmerising.

Also nearby is M35. 4 nice open clusters very close to one another.

M38 is my favourite too, sometimes you need to use averted vision in lower powers. I had quite a surprise when I viewed M38 with my dob after years of viewing with 4 inch refractors, a very different object indeed. Look out for M11 in a few months, the wild duck cluster is a bit of a treat I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Stargazer_00

Stargazer_00

Posted
Posted

M38 is my favourite too, sometimes you need to use averted vision in lower powers. I had quite a surprise when I viewed M38 with my dob after years of viewing with 4 inch refractors, a very different object indeed. Look out for M11 in a few months, the wild duck cluster is a bit of a treat I think.

another good reason to have a smaller scope. There have been a few occasions where I put my grab and go out and spent an hour or so on it looking around only to then go and get the dob out. It's a good way to affirm to you the quality of what you already have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.