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Targets for tonight...

Caz

By Caz
in The Astro Lounge

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Caz

Caz

Posted
Posted

....are, M65, M66 and M78 and the double star Theta Auriga. Failed to spot these last time due to either useless amateur astronomy skills or the fact that the moon was full, I blame the moon.... :lol:

Theta Auriga, I've been told is a tricky one, so Ian suggested I defocus, so thats what I'm going to go.... :lol:

Here I go.....I'll let you know the outcome later..

Have a good one guys!!

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Ambermile

Ambermile

Posted
Posted

M78....I CAN'T FIND IT......!!! Help.... :lol:

Um - up from Alnitak? Can you see Orion? The Belt? Draw a line through the three stars in the belt right to left. Another line from there 90 degrees right turn about as long as the belt. There it is...

I have a finder chart around here somewhere...

Arthur

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lunator

lunator

Posted
Posted

Caz

did you get Theta Auriga?

I had a look tonight and it was easier tonight than usual.

Look for it at the 8pm position if you ca imagine the clock face with the the primary in the middle.

Tonight it had an orange tinge to the secondary.

Rgds

Ian

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lunator

lunator

Posted
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Hi Ian,

I clocked an oranage tinge, but I couldn't spot the double, it evaded me yet again, as did the M78, it was clear as crystal to... :lol: Had a superb look at M37 though, what a little gem it is.... :lol:

Caz what magnification are you using?

I found a good split at x240.

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lunator

lunator

Posted
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Caz

That would gove you x200. That maynot be quite enough.

I little trick to get more magnification is to pull the barlow/eyepiece out of the focusser slightly so you actually get a slightly higher magnification.

My 10mm and 2x barlow gives me x240 and it was a tight split.

Cheers

ian

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paul t

paul t

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Hi Caz I found the easiest way to find M87 is to draw an imaginary line between Betelgeuse in the top left and Alnitak, the bottom left star in Orion's belt. Aime your telescope a quarter the way up the line and make small sweeps using a low power eyepiece. It appears as a faint ovoid fuzzy patch with two stars embedded in it like a couple of eyes. I observed it tonight through a 16" reflector It was awsome as was all the objects we observed. Keep at it mate it is worth it. :lol:

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paul t

paul t

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Shouldn't of said that eh :lol: If you do get a chance tomorrow just take it slowly, the problem when you are trying to find these faint fuzzy things for the first time is not knowing what they actually look like. I remember how hard it was with my first scope but I will happen, just take it slowly and magnification isn't always the answer as it will make the image fainter. Any way mate keep at it there really isn't anthing quite like the feeling of finding theses objects for the first time.

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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Tonight......the M78 is mine..... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well, good luck :lol: I intend to mess around that part of the sky too - going for the Rosette maybe. I also want a decent M33. Tell you what, I'll get a pic of M78 for you later (clouds permitting) and if you don't find it again you can at least say you saw it...

Arthur

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The Warthog

The Warthog

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Wnet out to observe tonight after cooking dinner for my wife's guests (leaf salad with alight Balsamic dressing, Portobello mushroom strips with roasted red pepper, pork rib roast, garlic mashed potatoes, succulent garden vegetables, and lots of wine) and eating it along with four glasses of wine, I left the ladies to their conversation and set up the scope. The sky was clear and dark, and I looked at Saturn because it was easy, but was feeling so whacked I went inside, curled up with the dog beside me downstairs, and slept awhile. When I woke up, I went back outside, and discovered that Saturn was almost at zenith, and everything had shifter over at least 30 degrees.

Saturn has got much closer to Praesepe than it was.

However, i went on my serach for M37, got a 'maybe' on it, again, and the same with M36, after searching a long time. Decided to look at M35, though, and bagged it right away. Called it quits when our company left about midnight, and went inside to do the dishes and stumble off to bed...

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lunator

lunator

Posted
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I've given up for tonight, I feel quite exhausted with the amount of determination I've put into tonight's obs, and very little to show for it.... :lol: I think I shall leave M78 for now, its quite simply annoying the hell out of me, it may even have the power to turn me into a made woman yet.... :lol:

The sky was clear, but had very annoying high misty cloud, not a fuzzy object in site.... :lol: I was going to have a go at spotting Leo's little mysteries, but that ended in a few foul words too... :lol:

Nevertheless there was one saving grace, Saturn, love it to bits, its saved my sanity yet again, and was even able, yet again, to see the division in its rings..... 8)

Caz high cloud can make the fuzzies hard to see particularily if you have some light pollution.

Did you have a go at spliting theta Aur?

It maybe tough to split but it is easy to find.

Rgds

Ian

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lunator

lunator

Posted
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Caz

Yes youu're right.

When there is high cloud/mist it makes the light pollution worse. The light scatters off the cloud/dust/pollutants in the sky.

In my experience the transparency after a weather frony (rain) has gone through is much better as the as the rubbish in the atmosphere is washed so the sky is clearer and the LP has nothing to reflect off.

Cheers

Ian

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