The pup and Messiers around

[YKSE]

+5 to +7 degree in later November!   clear sky but windy.

C8 is taken out to continue the hunt for the pup and Messiers in Orion and Puppis, i.e. M79, M41, M50, M47, M46 and M48.

Setting up the scope and aligning the mount on the uneven grass took longer time than expected, M79 was already behind the garden bushes.

Rigel B is splitted in 200x, E and F in trapezium is spottted too in 200x, seeing was not as good as the other night, the wind increase difficulty in splitting doubles.

M41 was easier found, not a spectacular but easy recognized OC. Then Sirius came in the field of observing, not difficult to get into focus, but it changes both in size and shape all the time, mostly in size though (mostly in shape in 80ED the other day). Watched about an hour with few minutes rest, I cann't claim that the pup is found, there were few moments, when Sirius was tighter, there seemed to some elongation to the right side of EP, somewhat above the middle. 200x was used most of the time, in 338x Sirius were bigger too, and many floaters made it more difficult.

The other Messiers were relatively easy targets when the mount was set with less than 0,5 degree error, M46 has the most pleasant view IMHO, a sea of faint stars embedded in sea of even fainter stars.

In short, no pup, just 5 new Messiers, now up to 72 Messiers after the hunting started for nearly one year ago.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice report. If you have one, try a red filter on Sirius. I found the pup with my C8 and a red filter. The advantage is that seeing is better in red, and the effect of atmospheric refraction is reduced. The pup is very hard.

[Peter Drew]

No Pup yet in my C8 despite the big altitude difference here in Tenerife. I fear there is too much scatter in my eye to stand much chance these days, I will try a red filter on my next visit. I have seen the Pup in my 30" Dobsonian in the past. 

[YKSE]

Thanks for the tips,  Michael, I do have a red filter  and also it might be mild and clear in a couple of days too.

[John]

The Pup can be a real challenge from the UK. The only scope I have which will show it (so far) is my 12" Orion Optics dob and the best eyepiece has been a Baader GO 6mm (265x) which controls the light scatter around Sirius A better than other eyepieces I've tried. My Ethos 6mm and Pentax XW 5mm and the Baader Classic Ortho 6mm show the Pup too but the Baader GO made it slightly easier to pick out and hold steadily with the eye.

[alan potts]

Nice report Yong,

Try a power of around x120 on the E and F stars in the trapizium, John tipped me this and they are much easier to see.

From where you are the Pup is going to be very difficult, I find it easier before it is fully dark so I would maybe try it Next year when it can be seen in the twilight.

Alan.

[YKSE]

Thanks Alan, I'll try 18mm on C8 next time. in 80ED the other day, E and F were seen in 135x, with barlow BCO 10mm.