First search for DSOs

[goranmagdic]

With clear skies last night around midnight, I thought I'd make my first attempt at tracking down some DSOs.

My first target was the Ring Nebula. I could see the 2 stars in Lyra I needed to search between. I think I managed to spot it using my 25mm and 8mm EPs, but it was a very very faint ring.

I moved onto the Great Cluster in Hercules, and the results were similar. I think I was aiming in the right area, but again found a very very faint smudge with both EPs.

Should these DSOs be more obvious with my Skyliner 150p, or could I have just missed the spot and imagined what I saw? It was dark enough for me to see the shape of Lyra and the keystone of Hercules, but at this time of year, not as dark as I would have liked.

[Paul73]

They will be very obvious in a month or so.

It doesn't get properly dark at this time of year, so you are looking at faint objects against a lightish background. It is really good practice to star hop to where they should be. That way the return under darker sky will be much quicker.

Saturn, the moon and splitting some doubles provides a bit of light relief in the meantime.

Paul

[AndyWB]

Yup, what Paul said - especially if you're up in Fife.

Lyra is replete with good doubles, though, so they're quite fun, and I find open clusters can sometimes cut through light pollution pretty well too. If you've not had a look at it, try the Double-Double - Espilon Lyrae - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_Lyrae

Well done on even finding the Ring Nebula - it's quite small, and easily overlooked at first.

[Pondus]

Not bad at all finding ring nebula this time of year. For me, at 59N, its way to bright for almost anything up there in the nightsky at the moment.

Better wait till mid august before taking a closer look.

Didnt see much more of the ring nebula than you did, late May with an 8" scope.

Rune

[goranmagdic]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not 100% sure it is what I saw, but hopefully it was my first DSO. I'll definitely focus on doubles, the moon and planets until it gets darker.

[WaveSoarer]

Hello fellow Fifer! Nice to see my team's colours there too.

As the others are saying it's best to be a little patient and wait for darker skies. Sunset is a little earlier here in Oxfordshire but it doesn't get fully dark and there is still a hint of twilight even into the wee small hours. It'll be even trickier in Fife at this time of year. There are nice doubles to look out for with very nice coulour contrasts and if you're up for a challenge try looking at the double double next to Vega in Lyra.

[dick_dangerous]

I'm a Skyliner 150P owner, trapped under the light pollution in London, so my darkest conditions are comparable to yours, even with the difference in latitude.

Well done on even finding the Ring Nebula - it's quite small, and easily overlooked at first.

This is the thing with the Ring nebula - it's tiny! But it is quite bright - stock 25mm will show it more as a fuzzy dot, but it takes magnification. A UHC filter shows it as an obvious ring shape though. Use plenty of magnification - your 8mm will give you an awesome view of it.

M13 is very bright and obvious. In a month's time it should be easily visible in your finder. Again, view with the 8mm; it'll resolve the outer regions of the cluster into stars.

Two more to find when the time comes - M27 (The Dumbbell Nebula) and M11 (The Wild Duck Cluster). You should also be able to find M17 (Omega Nebula), although it's going to start getting low for you up in Fife!

Best of luck,

DD

[SparrowsEYE]

I have been having great luck the past 2 weeks observing all the points of interest around Vega.

I'm in fairly light polluted Long Island , NY and I am using a 4.5 in reflector. ( optics just cleaned)

I can make out m57 as a ring. With a 9mm eyepeice I can clearly see is ring shaped and can make out the opacity in the middle.

With a 25 mm it looks like a tiny round dot.

M13 and M92 is what I start out with during the night. I can just barley start to make out the inner stars in M13 as little speckles . It still is a fuzzy mass but you can make out its shape and fullness with averted viewing.

Found the dumbbell nebula 6 days ago.....almost straight down from Albeiro. With the 4.5 inch and a 12.5 mm eye piece I can make out

a dark reddish grey "dumb bell" shape.

At around midnight Vega is aligned straight above me so I think this helps with viewing these DSOs for me.

I am blown away by what the lil 4.5 in reflector ( Orion on a dobsonian) can do. It is a travel scope and it is doing a decent job.

Spar

[ghostdance]

Nice. I must look for the Dumbell. Sounds like we may have the same 4.5 Orion. I have the feeling they're not as popular over here as in the States, but within it's limitations I love mine. Cute little thing plus it's small enough not to cause domestic strife! Unlike my vinyl LP collection

[stevend]

I have 'given up' DSOs and am just concentrating on Planets, Moon & doubles at the moment. As already stated; wait until darkness returns in August. This may help: http://www.ukweathercams.co.uk/sunrise_sunset_times.php

[ghostdance]

Not sure, but there seems to be a slight increase in darkness the post couple of days here, when the clouds allow. Usually when I have to pack up...sigh. Roll on August! Still chuffed to have seen even in these dusky skies the faint nub of the Ring with a hint of doughnut, and finding M5 by accident. But having seen the Coathanger, I find myself seeking asterisms for fun, but for that pervasive Dickinson orange...

[goranmagdic]

Where in Fife were you from WaveSoarer? I think splitting doubles is going to my plan for the next month or so. I've seen Albireo already. I definitely got into this hobby at the wrong time of year!

[stevend]

Where in Fife were you from WaveSoarer? I think splitting doubles is going to my plan for the next month or so. I've seen Albireo already. I definitely got into this hobby at the wrong time of year!

Admittedly I live in the deep south but I got my scope exactly one year ago and found lots to view in the summer skies last year. Here is part of a list I made when I first got my scope, admittedly darker skies in August will improve the views a lot.

Casseiopia: M52 and M103 (open clusters), Alpha Cass and Eta Cass (double stars)

Cygnus; M29, Albireo (double star)

Lyra; M57, Epsilon Lyrae (double double)

Cepheus; Garnet Star (Mu Cephei), Xi Cephei and Delta Cephei (double stars)

Hercules; M13 (cluster)

Perseus; C14/NGC869 and NGC884 (double cluster), M34

Andromeda: Almaak (double star)

Coloured doubles: http://dvaa.org/AData/ADDoubles.html

HTH.

[AndyWB]

If you're looking at M13 in Herc, try looking for M92 too. It's smaller, but still pretty bright. In any other constellation, it'd get a lot more attention.

[Paul73]

Admittedly I live in the deep south but I got my scope exactly one year ago and found lots to view in the summer skies last year. Here is part of a list I made when I first got my scope, admittedly darker skies in August will improve the views a lot.

Casseiopia: M52 and M103 (open clusters), Alpha Cass and Eta Cass (double stars)

Cygnus; M29, Albireo (double star)

Lyra; M57, Epsilon Lyrae (double double)

Cepheus; Garnet Star (Mu Cephei), Xi Cephei and Delta Cephei (double stars)

Hercules; M13 (cluster)

Perseus; C14/NGC869 and NGC884 (double cluster), M34

Andromeda: Almaak (double star)

Coloured doubles: http://dvaa.org/AData/ADDoubles.html

HTH.

What a nice list. Pop in the Owl/ET Cluster and you've got a bit of everything!

Paul

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm guessing at this time of year its just not getting dark enough in Fife to see the Ring or anything else for that matter,properly. A 150mm scope should show them alright (albeit small). If you THINK you saw the Ring, then you most likely did. You cant mistake it. 

[jetstream]

With clear skies last night around midnight, I thought I'd make my first attempt at tracking down some DSOs.

My first target was the Ring Nebula. I could see the 2 stars in Lyra I needed to search between. I think I managed to spot it using my 25mm and 8mm EPs, but it was a very very faint ring.

I moved onto the Great Cluster in Hercules, and the results were similar. I think I was aiming in the right area, but again found a very very faint smudge with both EPs.

Should these DSOs be more obvious with my Skyliner 150p, or could I have just missed the spot and imagined what I saw? It was dark enough for me to see the shape of Lyra and the keystone of Hercules, but at this time of year, not as dark as I would have liked.

Congratulations! DSO hunting is a great path to go down and very challenging.The Ring is a favorite target and takes magnification well,tonite my 120mm scope showed the Ring well with no filter,but the mag was cranked up to about 150x.This showed the Ring as a ring,nice size and with direct vision.This was under poor skies-full moon,18.4 mag sky.M13 also takes large mag too,I do 150x-200x regularly.

This is good that you are finding these DSO with your stock eyepieces,it will develop your object finding abilities.Once you know the sky a bit,some different eyepieces will make a big difference in what you see.Dark skies are THE KEY for DSO.Get some reasonable EP's under dark skies and your 150mm will amaze you.

Keep up the good work

[NotSoSuperNova]

Gerry is right. I prefer to hunt down DSO's and I've been keeping myself busy with the Moon and planets while the sky is as light as it is. I prefer to be in by midnight so this summer is feeling quite long.