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First light

billydean

By billydean
in Getting Started With Observing

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billydean

billydean

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With some clear sky's I'm about to test drive my new scope(skywatcher 200p Don).As total beginner with only the supplied eps what can I expect to see with fairly Lp sky's.At the moment I'm just going to star hop but was looking for some guidance

Thanks Billy

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Stu

Stu

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The galaxy is actually called M31, not Andromeda which is the constellation it's in.

Bear in mind that the moon is pretty bright tonight so any DSOs will be fairly washed out. I've just had a look at a few and even the Double Cluster was not brilliant.

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rockystar

rockystar

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Without sounding thick will I be able to tell the difference between andromeda and a star that's close by

Yes, it looks like a smudge rather than a pin point of light. Easy to miss the first, but once you find it and know what you are looking for, you should be able to find it every time

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pipnina

pipnina

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The galaxy is actually called M31, not Andromeda which is the constellation it's in.

Bear in mind that the moon is pretty bright tonight so any DSOs will be fairly washed out. I've just had a look at a few and even the Double Cluster was not brilliant.

I just managed to pick out M31 in my 10x50s an hour ago. It was not spectacular, just a very faint smudge with averted vision.

However, billydean, If you wait until the moon is gone, an 8" will show you very good views of M42, M45, M51(maybe), M57, M31, C6.

If you invest in a skywatcher OIII or UHC filter, they will open your options to objects like the Veil nebula, they will make planetaries easier to spot and improve emission nebulae you can already see. The light pollution filter may help, but it depends on your light pollution.

If you are under seige from the deep orange lamps... It'll be worth it,if it's LEDs or high pressure sodium (white) then the OIII and the UHC will be the better choice.

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billydean

billydean

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Just had a little look at the moon and was impressed.As for anything else I just had quick hop around at visable stars to try and get the feel for the scope.I'm putting my alarm on for around 3ish now to have another look.As this is my first time I don't really know what to expect.Will the stars be just bright dots or will I be able to see more detail?

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Charic

Charic

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Stars will just be points of light, no details unfortunately.

They will  appear brighter through your telescope/binocular, but no bigger, as their just too far away.

You may also appreciate/see the  different colours of the Stars.

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stevetynant

stevetynant

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I think when you first start out one of the most frustrating things can be star hopping- unless you strike lucky all you will see are stars a bit brighter but just points of light really. Why don't you target just one of the easier mesiers and make that your goal for the night- you'll  see the difference straight away which will fuel you for more exploration whether thats for the same night or in the future- then plan what you'd like to find before you go out - just one or two each time- you'll soon get the hang of it and its a lot more rewarding - good luck, wrap up warm and enjoy

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Pig

Pig

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Will the stars be just bright dots or will I be able to see more detail?

billydean, its great to see you out there getting the most out of your scope and it gets better the longer you stick at it.

You could always venture into the light side of observing :evil:  A solar scope will reveal that the stars are not simply "bright dots" and will show more detail than you thought was possible. Of course it is useful to be able to view both the dark and light sky treasures :grin:

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billydean

billydean

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Got up around 4ish for my second go and the sky was much more clearer with the moon gone.Orion was in plain view so a spent a while in that area just star hopping back and for.Noticed an area that looked different just under Orions belt I thinks it was m42 /m43 according to goggle sky maps(unsure confirmation needed).Then the stars of the show(or should I say planets) popped up over the roof and all I can say is wow.I was blown away with what I could actually see.Jupiter was by far my favourite with its colour and I could make out 3 moons I think 2 on 1 side and 1 on another.

So all in all very happy with my first light.As for stars I think I expected more but wasn't disappointed,m42/3 very intriguing but unsure and well the planets a big WOW

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Astro Imp

Astro Imp

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Good to hear you were out enjoying yourself. It seems that you did indeed spot M42/43. This is a great object to explore, in the middle of M42 is a group of stars known as the trapezium, there are four that are easily resolved with a bit of magnification (try about x100) and depending on conditions there are a further four stars in the group. There is a discussion here:- http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/232889-the-trapzium/

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