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10" dobsonian viewing list help

bomberbaz

By bomberbaz
in SGL 12

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

Posted
Posted

(I think this should be ok posted here however if this is not in right area of forum apologies and please move admin)

Ok really looking forward to this my first SGL party. However I really want to go well prepared so looking for a few tips. The dob I use, as stated in the title. 

I already have a mental list of some things that are hopefully going to be ticked off my list, HH, flame (still not had this) and a few other nebula. However I am confident my scope can handle the nebula on list, it's galaxies I am a little unsure of. 

So I wondered what magnitude should I be going for on my galaxies. I don't want to waste time looking for something I can't see so any idea from you experiences SGL'ers where I should draw my line before I start to draw up a list? I was thinking somewhere around 12 as |I have had up to 10.5 before from sites that were maybe a 8,5 out of 10 for darkness.

Your thoughts will be most welcome.

Steve

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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I'd be amazed if you get the HH but give it a go. I have never seen the Flame either.

I'll be happy to get any clear sky at all with my one main night!

the above link is good. I use a planisphere and my pocket sky atlas and try to work through a few constellations.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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Steve you could get a HB filter if you really want to give the HH a go but apparently there are few nebs that gain from a HB filter and even then dark skies and larger scopes are recommended so it may end up being an expensive piece of kit gathering dust. If nebulas are your thing then I'd recommend getting a UHC or OIII filter (if you don't already) as they really do perform under darker skies but also offer some improvement under mildly LP skies.

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Size9Hex

Size9Hex

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Slightly from memory rather than actually checking, but I think I've caught a few mag 12.5 to 13 galaxies in a 10 inch scope from home (NELM 5.5ish, maybe slightly more). These were on the limit though (i.e. coming and going from view). Very dependent on surface brightness though and I'm sure a few "easy" ones below mag 10 haven't been visible. I enjoy the brighter targets more, but sometimes it's a thrill to catch something remote/faint/challenging. From a darker sky, I'd hope the scope would punch deeper on small faint galaxies, but I'm usually drawn to large faint nebulae at dark sites rather than small faint galaxies, which brings me on to the following...

Never seen the HH, but the first (only?) time I saw the Flame was while panning round Orion with a 10" scope from a dark site (maybe NELM 6.3). I had seen photos but didn't really know where it was and just happened to bump into it by dumb luck. "Wow! That's the Flame!". I think I had my 14mm EP with UHC filter. With this kit and these conditions it wasn't a tough object. I'd have thought anyone looking through the scope would have spotted it. Equally, when the sky is just a little brighter, something like this can be rendered effectively impossible.

Edit: Sorry I meant to add that on the same night as I saw the Flame, I had a really good look for the HH but it was nowhere to be seen (although the background, IC 434, was visible and maybe there would have been a better result on the HH with a lower power eyepiece and/or h-beta filter).

Hope this helps, and hope you have a cracking trip :-)

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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Already read that thread guys but thanks. It was that which prompted me to post this. 

I do have a astronomik HB filter and I am not afraid to use it :laugh2:. So I have that covered. Actually parts of orion neb respond quite well to HB. Also have a O-III (astronomik) which when compared to the SW version simply blew it away. So I am prepared for this area also.

Paul, thanks for the heads up, thought 13 might be pushing it but you never know. Really not sure what I am going to do on the night yet although faint fuzzy hunting is on my wanted list, nick (cotterless) posted a useful list up with some good ideas too. JUst hope we get at least one clear night. I will probably have two lists, one for both nights or a compressed one night version.

Thanks again everyone

Steve

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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I have a 12" dew shield, will that not suffice?

27 minutes ago, spaceboy said:

Forgot to add. Might pay you to consider some dew prevention at least for your secondary unless you want your nights observing cut short. I know myself and a couple other members got caught short at SGLX so I'm hoping not to repeat that mistake.

 

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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TBH I don't think it will. It may be due to the river running along side the campsite and the scope was set up ready to go early in the day but I had a massive dew shield on my 300P last year and the secondary was wringing in no time, that and my eyepieces and finder. I was kicking myself as others had given me a heads up before I went but never really having suffered from dew in my 8 years of observing I stupidly ignored the advice :BangHead:

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Paul73

Paul73

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The HH may be a thankless task. But, the Flame should be just within reach.

The North America nebula is frustrating, but well worth a go. The Veil is always a treat. The Cygnus Crescent and Pac Man (harder) are worth a look.

Luckshall is dark enough for Caroline's Rose. One of the most lovely subtle clusters in the sky (in my very limited book). 

Spotting moons around the outer planets is also entertaining.

For galaxies. I'll need to think about that and get back to you.

Paul

 

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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1 hour ago, spaceboy said:

TBH I don't think it will. It may be due to the river running along side the campsite and the scope was set up ready to go early in the day but I had a massive dew shield on my 300P last year and the secondary was wringing in no time, that and my eyepieces and finder. I was kicking myself as others had given me a heads up before I went but never really having suffered from dew in my 8 years of observing I stupidly ignored the advice :BangHead:

Never thought about secondary dewing up, what is there to help prevent this. I have some air activated hand warming pads, would a couple of them strapped around the secondary post suffice?

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jetstream

jetstream

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Hi Steve, this is a small list that you might enjoy.

Pegasus- NGC 7479,NGC 7814, NGC 7332, NGC 7448

Triangulum-M33,IC1727,NGC 672,NGC 925

If up at M52, take a look for the small glow of the Bubble nebula with your OIII, you will see it, try the 26T5 and 17HW. Auriga will show you the Flaming Star in Hb, it pretty big and looks like a sideways boomerang, again the 26T5 will be a great asset.

The Flame... I use no filter and this object likes when you keep Alnitak out of the FOV and it also like mag... try from the 17HW to the 12.5HW, it will look like 2 "tank tracks" and might show you more.

Man , you have some good eyepieces!:thumbsup:

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acey

acey

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Don't waste observing time on the Flame and HH. At a dark site a 10" will give excellent views of any Messier object that's sufficiently well placed (i.e. high enough in the sky and not obscured by a light dome from a distant town), and will also give excellent views of most NGCs. If you've already viewed all the Messiers from a dark site then start ticking off NGCs, otherwise go for Ms. When in Orion spend a good while on M42/43.

It took me many attempts with a 12" plus UHC filter at a very dark site before I eventually saw the HH, and I've felt no inclination to try again. With the Flame you've got the glare of Alnitak to contend with: if you succeed you'll see a diffuse nebulosity no different from dozens of other large emission nebulae. These objects are famous because of photographs and evocative nicknames, not because they're anything special when observed visually. It's a very different matter with the favoured targets of 19th century astronomers, where the Messiers took pride of place. For best non-Messiers there's this excellent list:

http://messier.seds.org/xtra/similar/rasc-ngc.html

The NGCs were all discovered visually and can all be seen with a 12". ICs were mostly photographic, and the same goes for most other designations, e.g Sh (Sharpless). Catalogue identifiers tell the visual astronomer a great deal about potential observability. Nicknames and photographs say nothing.

For DSOs, magnitude is only a good visibility indicator if the object is not too large (in which case surface brightness is better). But for small galaxies mag 14 should be reachable, assuming you can see naked-eye stars to mag 6. Mag 12 would be a comfortable limit if you don't want to waste time on things you might not see. Just take your time, make sure you're completely dark adapted, and don't use a red light that's too bright.

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Paul73

Paul73

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Don't get your hopes up. Lucksal sky won't let you get to mag 14. My 10" and my eyes will only get to 12 - 12.5 at Lucksal. Acey's mag 6 sky would show more.

Bright galaxies with hidden friends can be fun. Eg. There are about half a dozen observable galaxies in the M81/82 group. Or, the little clusters in Auriga around the famous Starfish.

Paul

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Stu

Stu

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5 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

Don't get your hopes up. Lucksal sky won't let you get to mag 14. My 10" and my eyes will only get to 12 - 12.5 at Lucksal. Acey's mag 6 sky would show more.

Bright galaxies with hidden friends can be fun. Eg. There are about half a dozen observable galaxies in the M81/82 group. Or, the little clusters in Auriga around the famous Starfish.

Paul

I would agree with that. I saw galaxies around mag 14.2 at SGL10 on a good night with a 16".

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cotterless45

cotterless45

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Posted

As ace said above. Don't waste your time. Luckshall isn't the darkest sky, tame your list down to what's achievable. Make sure that you get the chance to observe through the variety of scopes there.

It's a lovely time of year to observe from the Summer Triangle up to Pegasus and Cassiopeia and Cepheus. Later there's Taurus, Auriga , Gemini , Monoceros and Orion down to Lepus. Hopefully we'll be busy !

Under clear skies !

Nick.

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