Getting Started

[CJ77]

Hi everyone,

I've just bought a Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT with 25mm and 9mm eyepieces, and have spent the last couple of evenings glued to the skies. My back garden has a northern view with moderate light pollution - I was just wondering if anyone had any tips as to what to look for, and what I can realistically expect to be able to see in my new scope? I've managed to find M31 and the Double Cluster so far before the clouds descended, but many of the items stored in the memory of the GOTO seem to be facing south.....

Thanks,

CJ

[VigdisVZ]

Hi there CJ and welcome to the forums. Thats a nice little scope you got there.

What you're looking for essentially is the book called "Turn Left At Orion". It's an excellent guide to the basic objects and gives a very good view of what to actually expect.

While you consider that book download the Stellarium program to plan your evenings beforehand.

Some favorites of mine that you should be able to pick out during this season would be M13 before it starts to set too early, and definetly look at the double-star Albireo. If you got good conditions try to look for M81 & M82, two very different galaxies very close to eachother. Also M27 should be a good target.

[Scott]

Yes, a southerly aspect will certainly give you more options. Have you downloaded stellarium yet? It's a free planetarium software that is very handy.

[Scott]

Woops, should've read the threads

[AndyWB]

There's a whole, um, gang of open clusters around Cassiopeia that might be worth a look. Try M103 as a start, perhaps? But I'd also consider trying to find a location to look south from - it's the bit that will change with each season.

Strangely, I've not actually looked north all that much, but I did have a bit of a look at Cassiopeia last week, and it convinced me that I need to spend more time exploring the clusters throughout it. I did manage to see M103 under light pollution, but had to increase the magnification to bring out the 'clustery-ness' of it a bit more.

[AlexB67]

Cassiopeia is wonderful area to look at right now, it gets high in the sky at a civilised hour. If skies are decent enough in smaller aperture scope I found M52 very nice too when I saw that recently, around M103 in the same fov if you can stretch to around 1.5 to 2 degrees you can see a number of NGCs nearby also packed in the same view, then pop in the higher mag to look at them in some more detail.

The moon will put pay to most of that right now though, so you may have to wait a bit till she goes in hiding again All in all there is a pack full of goodies packed in about 20 ⁰ x 20 ⁰ of sky, Oh and did I mention M34, a bit further down from the double cluster ....

Good luck

[stevend]

I am just going to repeat others but note I have a similar setup.

Get Stellarium ('play' with the clock so you can get an idea of what is the best time to look at specific targets).

I have recently had really good views of M27, M57, M13, Lyra's double/double, M81 and M82 while the moon 'was away' but you should still do well later at night or after the full moon. In the south, I also picked out Neptune a few days ago and will be looking for Uranus later in the month (North and south are my best viewing areas).

[CJ77]

Just want to say thanks everyone for taking the time to reply Just hoping for some good clear skies now!!

[ronin]

Plough:

M101, M51, M106, M109, M108, M97 and there is Mizer to split - but all you need is binoculars for that.

There is not a lot in the little plough.

Casseiopia:

NGC 457 (Open cluster), NGC 559, NGC 637, NGC 663, NGC 1027, NGC 7790 - Generally NGC will be dimmer the Messiers otherwise why did Messier miss them.

M52 (Open cluster)

M103 ( Open cluster)

Alpha Cass - Double Star, Red/White and Blue, Eta Cass - Double Star, Yellow/White + Red/Purple

More or less straight up above you, Cygnus:

Close to the centre of the cross is M29,

Albireo = coloured double.

You have the North American and Pelican nebula close to Deneb but they are faint and you will need a fairly dark sky, also the Veil nebula but again difficult.

At the endish of Cygnus is Lyra:

The Double Double fairly (close to Vega) - no idea if it has a beter title/designation, idea is to find it as a double, then split each into another double and finally M57 Ring Nebula.

Cepheus:

Try for Hershels Garnet Star, deep red star taht is not very bright, worth having a go for.

Xi Cephei - (Double Star - White and yellow)

Delta Cephei - (Double Star - Yellow and Blue = Original Cephid variable)

Herschels Garnet Star Red super giant

Use LOW power for many as the scope will tend to generate highish magnifications.

In case: to find Cepheus use the right end 2 stars of Casseiopia they point outwards/Up to Cepheus (next pattern in the sky described as looking like a childs drawing of a house = square with a triangle on top :grin: )

That should occupy you for a night or two.

[cotterless45]

This'll help, the download of the monthly sky, the Pocket Atlas and ' Turn left at Orion', happiness, Nick. http://www.skymaps.com/

[cantab]

Plough:

M101, M51, M106, M109, M108, M97 and there is Mizer to split - but all you need is binoculars for that.

There is not a lot in the little plough.

Just five galaxies and a planetary nebula

[stevend]

Also for monthly targets the Jodrell Bank website is worth a look http://www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/.