DSO

[barry f]

I am looking to add another ep to my very slow growing  collection i now would like something for some deeper sky stuff. i already have a 12 and 24 mm  and 25 mm plossl ep but what would i benefit from by getting something like a 6 or 8 mm if anything at all 

 

 

 

 

 

Celestron Nexstar 6 se

[John]

Hi,

Your 25mm, 24mm and 12mm are probably your best eyepieces for viewing deep sky objects. A 6mm or 8mm would give you higher magnification which would suit observing the Moon, planets and couble stars. It's well worth having, say, an 8mm with your scope for the latter but the longer focal length eyepieces will be the best for most of the deep sky targets.

 

[barry f]

i understand what you are saying but why is it i am finding hard to view these objects let alone finding them  even tho i have a goto scope? confused??

[John]

8 minutes ago, barry f said:

i understand what you are saying but why is it i am finding hard to view these objects let alone finding them  even tho i have a goto scope? confused??

Many deep sky objects are not easy to see, especially if you have some light pollution and / or the moon is in the sky. They don't look like the photos you see of them when observed with a scope either, which can be confusing.

Try some of the brighter ones such as:

Messier 13 (globular cluster)

Messier 57 (the Ring Nebula - use the 12mm eyepiece on this one when you have it in view)

Messier 31 (the Andromeda Galaxy - use the 25mm for this one and expect a quite large oval fuzz)

Messier 15 (Another globular cluster)

Messier 81 and 82 (2 galaxies close to each other in the sky - 25mm eyepiece again for these)

NGC 869 and NGC 884 (the double open cluster in Perseus - 25mm ep again here)

Those should give you an idea what to look for

[zakkhogan]

Hi Barry,  

The problem is that DSO's  are very very dim, always difficult, but your yes need to be really dark adapted and you need to look at the object for a good few mins before it starts to emerge 

[barry f]

1 minute ago, zakkhogan said:

Hi Barry,  

The problem is that DSO's  are very very dim, always difficult, but your yes need to be really dark adapted and you need to look at the object for a good few mins before it starts to emerge 

thanks guys been a real help

[Moonshane]

Never use a standard phone with a star app to find things.  It ruins your night adaptation

[Timebandit]

 

Hi Barry. For spotting DSO you really need a good star map in my opinion and a reasonable understand of the star  constellations . And learn to star hop to gain a reasonable idea where the DSO are firstly. 

Also a dark site really helps you spot DSO as a lot of them are very faint and a dark site can help with a more defined contrast so make them stand out more.

As to eyepieces i use a 20mm wide angles to locate DSO and then up to a 10 or 7mm wide angle for a more defined/ detailed view, depends on the target 

Also adverted vision (ie not looking directly at it but slightly to the side, if that makes sense) through the eyepiece can help you spot DSO as some are really faint. They do take a bit of finding, keep at it and you will locate them

I hope the above helps☺