The Trapzium

[Astro Imp]

I have been looking at Orion the last few nights, OK I know the moon has washed out the nebula so have concentrated on the Trapezium.

Using my equipment, SW 150P, should I expect to see more than the four main stars and if so what magnification should I be using.

Thanks.

[John]

I find 100x - 150x ideal for spotting the E & F Trapezium stars. They are easy with my 12" dob, regularly visible with my ED120 and ocasionally visible with my ED102 refractor. The E star is often a little easier to see than the F one. Here is a diagram which might help:

[nightfisher]

For splitting the trapezium, the darker the skies the better, and it really is a case of trial and error as to the mgnification, other night with my TAL100 i tried at x130 ish then upped it to x200 but still the same

[Astro Imp]

Thanks John, I will have a look later and report back.

[bingevader]

Not a sausage for me last night.
4 fuzzy blobs was the best I could manage before the clouds piled in. 

[coulthamst]

I have seen he E and F stars from the path outside my back-to-back (gardenless ) house in inner city Leeds where naked eye viewing is never better than mag 4.1 with a Skywatcher 200mm F6 dob. You should manage them from your site (I lived in Lincoln myself in 1956/57) with reasonable luck in your 150mm. Use the highest magnification you can use that still produces "small" star images.

[Astro Imp]

First off thanks all for your replies.

Second it doesn't look like it's going to happen to-night, it was lovely blue skies earlier and I said to to Mrs Imp "just going to get set up" the reply was a bit of a downer, "have you looked out side lately?" Yes you've guessed it wall to wall grey stuff.

[alan potts]

Astro Imp,

I found Johns information on the magnification most important when I first saw the E and F stars, I found X100-120 to be the sweet spot in my 115mm refractor .  At the time I also had a 150mm F9 RC that I used for  visual and I saw both of them with that without trouble around the same power. I know the object appears high in the sky for me but I would have thought you would be OK, good luck.

Alan.

[Moonshane]

don't overdo the magnification. my experience reflects John's that more aperture makes it easier but generally at lower powers (for double stars). you should get at least E and probably F on decent nights. strangely I seem to recall that looking at the moon and them immediately turning to the trapezium helped see the fainter ones. I could be making this up though.

[Stu]

I think these are very much more dependent on seeing conditions than light pollution.

I rarely see them from home, where I have to observe over my house and the neighbours. The best time to view is when the objects pass into the gaps between the houses and away from the central heating flues.

I did manage them in the 150mm refractor the other night. I always find E much easier than F. For me, in this session E was pretty much constantly visible while F came and went with the periods of good seeing

I must try observing down beside my house so I'm not looking over the house.

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[mdstuart]

I could see E fairly easily the other night...looked a bit orangy in colour? But could not see F

[Stu]

I could see E fairly easily the other night...looked a bit orangy in colour? But could not see F

What scope was that with?

I've never managed F with less than a 6" scope but I'm sure that's down to the conditions rather than the scope

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[Astro Imp]

As i promised here is an update.

Last night I observed the Trapezium @ x107 and fleetingly, I think,  saw the E star. I cannot be positive so wouldn't put this down as having seen it. As the moon was bright and nearby I will have another look under more favourable conditions.

Once again, thanks for the help.

[John]

The sky has been quite unsteady over recent nights - not really good for splitting unequal binary stars, which is effecttively what spotting E & F Trapezium is. Well done for getting E Alan

[Astro Imp]

Thanks John, I'll keep at it but not tonight. it's tipping down.