So for my 60th birthday ...

[Joel Shepherd]

Okay, 60 is a few years away, but I'm starting to think seriously about taking up this offer: rent the 100" scope at Mt. Wilson for a night.

Once past the amazement that using such an instrument was even a possibility for a mere mortal, I've started wondering what the views would be like ... and with the 4-6 hours or so of darkness available to a July baby, what 3-4 worthwhile targets would be (so I and each of my 18 best friends [hmm] would have enough viewing time on each). What would you choose?

[swamp thing]

Some small objects that will actually fit in the field of view. The image scale is going to be HUGE. Minimum mag for a 100" scope is going to be high.

The operators of the scope will probably have the best ideas as to what will look the best, I would listen to their advice. 

 

[Linda]

What a good idea for a birthday present.

Would a planet be an option? You'll never be able to see so many details. What about Pluto?

[LukeSkywatcher]

4 hours ago, Linda said:

What a good idea for a birthday present.

Would a planet be an option? You'll never be able to see so many details. What about Pluto?

I'd certainly spend the night observing the planets.

[Astro Imp]

+1 for whatever planet/s are available at the time of your visit, after that take in some globs. Good idea to listen to advice from telescope's staff.

Hope the trip comes off and you enjoy the night of a lifetime.

[niallk]

What a truly wonderful idea!

I'd include the Cat's Eye neb

Best of luck,

-Niall

PS I wonder if the outer shells would be visible! (Ok might need to pan around)

[Joel Shepherd]

Hmm ... It occurred to me it might be fun/useful to put the Hooker's dimensions into astronomy.tools field-of-view calculator. As far as I can make out, the focal length is 40843mm, giving it a focal ratio of f/16.1 and field of view of 3.6 arcminutes (with a 31mm eyepiece ... goodness knows what they might actually use). So, planets would definitely rock. M57 (Ring Nebula) looks like it'd fit nicely. M13 would flood the view. Some of the smaller galaxies -- Sunflower, Black Eye, etc. -- would mostly fit in the FOV, though not quite. The Owl nebula would fit nicely.

Fun to fantasize about ... err ... plan for ... I'm sure the folks who manage the scope know the skies welll.

[Pondus]

15 hours ago, Joel Shepherd said:

Hmm ... It occurred to me it might be fun/useful to put the Hooker's dimensions into astronomy.tools field-of-view calculator. As far as I can make out, the focal length is 40843mm, giving it a focal ratio of f/16.1 and field of view of 3.6 arcminutes (with a 31mm eyepiece ... goodness knows what they might actually use). So, planets would definitely rock. M57 (Ring Nebula) looks like it'd fit nicely. M13 would flood the view. Some of the smaller galaxies -- Sunflower, Black Eye, etc. -- would mostly fit in the FOV, though not quite. The Owl nebula would fit nicely.

Fun to fantasize about ... err ... plan for ... I'm sure the folks who manage the scope know the skies welll.

I thought it was f/4.8 ?   cant say I`m too sure about that though...

Anyways it would be quite something looking through the famous telescope

[L8-Nite]

Consider doing some weather research as to when heavy fog "might" be expected to roll in and blanket the city below, and hopefully time your event to give you a fighting chance against the considerable light pollution there. My suggestion is based on living in Los Angeles for many years, and working up on Mt. Wilson back in the mid 1980s. The nights, if you could call them that back then, were pretty bright to say the least, and I'm sure conditions haven't improved; just saying.

On a positive note, being inside the Hooker dome is an awesome experience.