Hot tips?

[fredrikb]

Just recieved my hyperion 8mm ep and going to get lots of time with my SW 150p the next couple of weeks (skies be clear that is). Any advice to what i shouls focus on in the not-so-dark summer skies?

Cheers

[cotterless45]

This is a good starting point, also lets you find out about where targets are,

http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html

Mostly globular clusters , open clusters and doubles at this time of year as our view turns into the

Milky Way.

In particular try not to miss M13, M57, M27 and the spectacular M11. Cygnus dominates the view at the moment with Cepheus, Cassiopeia and Pegasus rising.

All for which we need

clear skies,

Nick.

[acey]

In Norway you won't be getting much darkness until next month, I should think, so maybe stick to moon and planets until then, which will be good for high-power viewing with your 8mm EP.

[Stu]

Worth having a crack at some doubles too as you don't need dark skies for them really. Plenty of different ones around, some easy and nice different coloured, some pretty tricky to split.

Stu

[fredrikb]

Thanks guys! Very light nights yes. Saw the easier doubles, like the doubledouble in Lyra, Albiero, Almaach and Mizar. The waning moon also worth watching. Using Turn Left, Stellarium and Cambridge double star atlas, but only seen a tiny fraction so far.

[bingevader]

Plenty of time!

Hercules is still up, so M13 should still be worth a crack (as Cotterless has already said, just spotted!) even if it's not fully dark.

Cheers

[fredrikb]

Actually, think I found m13, although so faint I thought it was dew on my ep at first. No wow-effect, but now it will be easier to find later, darker.

[VigdisVZ]

Give it about a month and it'll be better. I had good seeing outside stockholm yesterday around midnight, and it was nowhere near what it used to be (due to the sunglow still lurking at the northern horizon).

You can always use Stellarium to find out when the sun is going to be 15 degrees beneath the horizon from where you are, thats roughly when you can start doing serious astronomy.