No M13...

[Tzitzis]

Good session yesterday! I enjoyed the best views of Jupiter and Saturn so far!!!

 

I saw Venus as always! I could see the shadow on the edge. I also saw something under her. It looked like a "little wooden stick" underneath her. Weird

 

I saw Jupiter and he was mindblowing. I saw COLOUR on Jupiter!!! I could see the cloud bands and 3 moons, one from one side other 2 on the other side. I also saw two other "bright" objects on the 2 other sides of Jupiter one on each. It was like the Cygnus constellation. Those were other moons? I don't know, please tell me if I can see the other moons of Jupiter with this 60mm refractor 

 

Last but not least I freaking saw the freaking rings on freaking Saturn for the first time. Oh YEAH!

 

BUT I couldn't find freaking M13!!!!  @@X!!%@@ M13 I hate you!!!!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

If you take the right-hand two stars of the trapezium of Hercules, about two thirds of the way upwards you should see a circular fuzzy blur between and a little above two stars (not the spectacular ball of stars in images, you need lots more aperture for that). Quite easily found in binoculars.

[Tzitzis]

I can find the constellation. M13 is located on the upper side of the constellation between eta and zeta Herculis.The line that unites Vega and Alpheka of corona borealis runs through M13. It's closer too eta Herculis, but I can't find the damn thing!

[spaceboy]

Chances are if you know and are confident where to point your scope you will have seen it in your scope and not realized it. M13 in a 60mm scope will only resemble a small round fuzzy blob and depending on what magnification you use this small fuzzy blob can be mistaken for an out of focus star. When I'm looking for something new I take time looking even if I think there is nothing but stars there. Some times I will give the scope a gentle tap or just move it back and forth seeing if the sky tone remains uniform or if indeed I pick out a hazy patch. You will see M13 in a 60mm scope as I have on many occasion with a celestron 60slt but you have to try and find a nice balance between magnification and exit pupil. Globulars respond well to high magnification but too much and the exit pupil of the scope / eyepiece combination will darken the view too much and you will only really see the clusters core....which in a small scope will look like a bloated star.

HTH

[ronin]

Thought that you should have managed it, as mentioned it is visible in binoculars and I can see it in mine which are 42mm, so would have expected it in a 60mm scope.

Owing to it being a cluster it will not have a well defined edge and I wnder if you have managed the trick of passing through it without realising. I tend to find a sort of "patch" then realise it is M13.

Interesting "comments" on it's position, I guess that in Greece it is a different angle so what is on the right hand side here is along the top to you. Which is really going to make describing positons entertaining :eek: . However since many came from Greek myths I suppose you can claim to be more correct then we are. :grin:

[Tzitzis]

I understand what you are saying. But I can't find it with my finderscope either. I know what to expect, I have seen Andromeda with binos and I expect something dimmer. But even with my finderscope I can't find the cluster ;(

[Tzitzis]

xD. Lol I haven't realised that you guys see it from a different angle. Yeah to me eta nad zeta are top stars and M13 chills closer to eta of course. Well I thought I might have seen it, I just have to be careful next time I guess...

[hgjevans]

Tzitzis, I wonder if it's just a light pollution problem? I've never been to Greece, but I imagine Athens is as bright as any other large modern city. Here, in a suburban area not too far from Birmingham, when I started looking for M13 again earlier this year it was low in the north-east where I have a fair bit of LP, and it was quite invisible, even when I knew I had the scope lined up directly at it. It just wasn't bright enough against the sky-glow. Now that it's higher up and in a darker part of the sky, no problem. Certainly 60mm is enough aperture - I used to view it regularly with my 30x60 spotting scope from my old home in Dorset, but that had reasonably dark skies. You clearly know exactly where to look for it - maybe it would be worth trying when it's up near the zenith.

[Tzitzis]

Well that's why I ask you guys. I can see the stars of the constellation - not crystal clear - good enough and I was wondering if It's just an LP problem. I live in Patras now it's in the Peloponese the third largest city here, and there is LP but it's fairly high in the night sky so I am afraid maybe I can't see it at all due to LP. Anyway I will check again soon guys and I will take into consideration hgjevans post about it not being far enough from the street lights and try again. I will have my neck replaced after this cause I will have to kneel and bend my neck on order to find it through the finderscope and see through the scope xD