I SAW IT ..... i saw it ..... WOW

[TareqPhoto]

I can't believe it, i saw it, thanks Stellarium and thanks Venus, i just looked in the sky high up above Venus and Aldebaran and as Stellarium showed me, it is there, "The Pleiades".

I used the binocular ofcourse, i couldn't see by my baked eyes, barely hardly i could see few stars like 2 or 3, but they were very very very tiny by eyes, but the bino and my ST80 showed me them like i looked at TV, this object is in my top list for imaging, and it is first time i observe it, then i can confirm that in the past long time ago [maybe 9 years or around] i saw the 3 stars in a line were for the Orion region, that was in winter i think and it no wonder, but now i will keep watching the Pleiades, i didn't know that it is in that part of the sky, wish if the mono camera is here then i can give it a try, i think i will start with this object then, but i don't have filters yet, only UHC and OIII for observing rather than for imaging, sure i will give them a try and see.

So, if i polar aligned my mount, should i choose Aldebaran as one of the 3 stars? it is to the east direction almost, wish if Venus were much higher then i can see the Orion, because Stellarium showed me those as so low near the horizon, and there is a house that covering that direction so i can't see it, but i am not in rush.

The sky getting clear, i think is it because the moon is almost gone [new moon]? good that i can see stars from my yard with the scope and bino, and with my eyes i can barely see the brightest only, so i only have 2-4 days to watch the sky before the moon is out again.

Sorry for this thread, i am blown away really for what i saw, it even made me so crazy or WOWed more than viewing Saturn with its moons.

[TareqPhoto]

Let's add more, i just saw the orion region, i didn't see the nebula, but i saw the stars, WOW, i am lucky to see them just right before the sun is coming out, it is started to get bright a bit and the sun is nearly to rise.

So i saw Rigel, Alnitak and the other 2 stars [Alnilam and Mintaka], also that small star near to Alnitak, Ori i think.

So, does that means i can image nebulae and clusters of those objects i saw? again, i used the binocular, and because it is late, tomorrow i will be ready earlier to see some of them once they are high enough [not the orion].

All those are just signs of hope for me then, so what do you think about the light pollution then, is it fine so i can get something?

I will try to add the filter to the scope and see if it will add anything [UHC, OIII, IR/UV cut] for visual.

 

[Galen Gilmore]

Congratulations! Seeing the seven sisters is always a joy! A bit early to image though, I suspect it would become too bright to take even short exposures before you could get even a short amount of exposures in. A better target might be the andromeda Galaxy.

[TareqPhoto]

2 hours ago, Galen Gilmore said:

Congratulations! Seeing the seven sisters is always a joy! A bit early to image though, I suspect it would become too bright to take even short exposures before you could get even a short amount of exposures in. A better target might be the andromeda Galaxy.

Too bright? it was like a miracle that i could see it, i used the bino, not my naked eyes, i did imaging the moon next to Aldebaran and that star wasn't much bright in the frame, and this star is way much brighter than the seven sisters stars.

I don't know if i can find the galaxy or imaging it, but as long i saw the Pleiades and Orion region then i just focus on them, i will try to find another region, someone suggested me to just focus on the Southern region which i watch Sagittarius, he said i can see more summer messier objects there and it is brightest region in summer, but honesty speaking the light pollution from the South is the worst from my yard, i mean the light is coming from the city more that direction, East is the least LP followed by North, West is second worst after the South, but once i get the camera i will test all directions if i find objects.

[Sirius Starwatcher]

Well done it's a great feeling isn't it. And the best bit there's even more to come as you get more experienced at observing. Enjoy your chosen hobby

[rockystar]

1 hour ago, TareqPhoto said:

Too bright?

I think he means the background sky. Because you are looking at it near/in twilight, if you put a camera on it and open up the shutter, it will expose the background too and that may wash out the image.

well done though, Pleiades is one of my fave binocular objects, better visually than in my telescope, because of the wider field of view

[TareqPhoto]

37 minutes ago, Sirius Starwatcher said:

Well done it's a great feeling isn't it. And the best bit there's even more to come as you get more experienced at observing. Enjoy your chosen hobby

Thanks Garry!

Yes, it is, because i was desperately trying to find any object rather than the 2 BIG planets and the moon, wanted to find something like clusters or nebula or galaxy, so when i saw the Pleiades and then the Orion [region] i was thrilled, it is like i found a treasure after long time, i thought with the light pollution i will be unable to see anything, let it be imaging then, so seeing them giving me a big hope, in fact i saw the Orion not the nebulosity long time ago but i never know that it was Orion, that was in winter definitely, but now since i get into astronomy it is different story.  

[TareqPhoto]

12 minutes ago, rockystar said:

I think he means the background sky. Because you are looking at it near/in twilight, if you put a camera on it and open up the shutter, it will expose the background too and that may wash out the image.

well done though, Pleiades is one of my fave binocular objects, better visually than in my telescope, because of the wider field of view

In fact, i can shoot it before the twilight, because i saw Venus high enough before the twilight about 2 hours, so it is still that dark, i don't need hours and hours, half an hour it will do the job unless i am thinking about something else.

I will keep watching or observing the sky more and more and see what i can see more, and i will watch the time of some objects that can stand out at night enough time to be photographed, mostly from 11pm or midnight, but i doubt that it was clear due to that the moon is in that "New moon" phase, so i have about 3-5 days before the moon is growing again.

[DRT]

17 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

i was desperately trying to find any object rather than the 2 BIG planets and the moon, wanted to find something like clusters or nebula or galaxy 

You should try to find Messier 13 (The Great Cluster in Hercules), which at this time of year is very high in the sky and quite easy to find. It is one of the most spectacular sights in the sky and a real WOW! moment the first time you see it clearly.

There are lots of other clusters around at the moment but M13 is hard to beat

 

[Stu]

No apologies needed Tareq, it's great to read about your enthusiasm! I had not even thought that Venus was in that part of the sky, might be worth getting up for!

The nights are drawing in now, so you will have more time to see and image everything. Just wait until you see the Orion Nebula with a dark sky, then you really will be excited!!  

[brantuk]

As Stu says - I'm sensing your excitement too - congrats!!

The Pleiades looks like a tear drop in the sky - and the Orion neb is a smudge under the belt - about 3rd smudge down. Both visible naked eye on a reasonable night. But put a scope on M42 and you should see the 4 trapezium stars with the right eyepiece - and you may even be able to split them with experience. Keep having fun!

[Dave In Vermont]

The Pleiades is always a favorite of mine - especially under dark skies. The darker, the better for teasing out hints of the nebulosity that surrounds them.

Beautiful! Good going, Tareq!

Dave

[TareqPhoto]

Thank you very much everyone!

I will keep watching and study the sky more, regardless what i can see or can't, also my yard isn't good place for observing or imaging, but it is all what i have, and sounds i can manage in some nights to see something, if i saw Rigel and saw the Pleiades it means i can find and see more, and when i looked at those with bino or scope they were clear for me, i mean i can't see the nebulosity, but the filter can, i think nebulae are just kind of invisible gases under different color or temp spectrum, then with filters and stacking it will be formed into images, my main goal in astronomy as i started was to imaging or astrophotography, but visual sounds nice too, and honestly speaking, my excitement yesterday [or today dark morning] after seeing those is because i want to imaging them, if i can't then i won't be happy to observe them, i remember i saw that Orion in the past by my naked eyes several times during the winter [8-10 years ago] and i didn't know it was Orion, so seeing something not necessary will make me happy, but i have to learn to add visual into my plan.

Funny that i ordered a scope for visual but i canceled the order because the scope is out of the stock, then i just immediately after refunded ordered the camera [and waiting it to be processed and shipped] then i was able to see the objects, it is like GOD wanted me to start with imaging right away and visual can happen any time every year, i will list few objects to imaging as starter, once i do them successfully i will move to another objects, and because we are near to the fall and almost end of summer so i better look at the upcoming objects rather than current objects which may go away until next year within 3-5 weeks.

[Charic]

I enjoy looking at the Pleiades but the best view so far with the present scope, had them looking like diamonds on a black velvet sky, which is  quite often an apt description when the best conditions allow.
No matter what you view, its always exciting first time round, and not only that, once discovered, you should find it easier to locate the next time, makes you look and feel like an expert next to folk that are looking for the first time.

[TareqPhoto]

14 minutes ago, Charic said:

I enjoy looking at the Pleiades but the best view so far with the present scope, had them looking like diamonds on a black velvet sky, which is  quite often an apt description when the best conditions allow.
No matter what you view, its always exciting first time round, and not only that, once discovered, you should find it easier to locate the next time, makes you look and feel like an expert next to folk that are looking for the first time.

True, i completely agree with you!

I hope today i can find another objects if possible, the more i find, the more i feel happy for future/soon imaging.

[Dave In Vermont]

Here, Tareq - have a field-guide!

Enjoy -

Dave

 

 

[Mr niall]

Congrats! Pleiades are just about my favourite target.

[DRT]

15 minutes ago, Mr niall said:

Congrats! Pleiades are just about my favourite target.

Me too - there is a big tree at the bottom of my garden and when I see Pleiades rising above it on a late autumn evening I know winter is coming  

[TareqPhoto]

1 hour ago, Dave In Vermont said:

Here, Tareq - have a field-guide!

Enjoy -

Dave

 

 

That is beautiful, but the orientation or the direction of the stars are different than how i saw it, did you rotate the image or it is how you see it from your location?

I hope that i can do photograph like this, so tell me what did you use? mainly not asking about which scope because any or many scope can do and also the mount i have one good enough, but i am asking which camera and /or which filters if any.

[TareqPhoto]

1 hour ago, Mr niall said:

Congrats! Pleiades are just about my favourite target.

Thank you very much!

Yes, it became my favorite now, but i have to wait and see if anything else i would favorite later.

45 minutes ago, DRT said:

Me too - there is a big tree at the bottom of my garden and when I see Pleiades rising above it on a late autumn evening I know winter is coming  

Stars are known for directions and also for seasons, we have 1 or 2 stars that can tell us about the seasons, for example, "Canopus" here we call it "Suhail" star, and it is a sign of the weather getting colder or better to say the heat is withdrawing, means fall and winter is coming, and with its location on the sky e can tell when the fall start and when the winter start, my country doesn't have that true fall or winter, so we just know the months where the heat is gone, and i can tell you from now that Canopus will be out in our sky by mid-late of September, then rising in October when the heat is gone, then it will be in good high location that is when the clouds are starting to come, and no need to tell you what does the thick grey clouds mains, heheheh 

[TareqPhoto]

I went out just few minutes ago and about 1 hour ago, it was a disappointment tonight until now, very hot which i mean high humidity, i got sweat quickly, and my neck is nearly broken looking too high above my head to watch the summer triangle zone, wanted to see the Veil nebula, i ended up to see only that star known of this nebula without any nebulosity and i feel tired and pain with my neck, nothing was excited for me to be honest, maybe it is too early to watch now, the clarity i feel is a tad less than yesterday, yesterday was really amazing even with light pollution, really funny and strange because the moon is completely gone tonight, but maybe the quality or transparency isn't there 

[Dave In Vermont]

12 hours ago, TareqPhoto said:

That is beautiful, but the orientation or the direction of the stars are different than how i saw it, did you rotate the image or it is how you see it from your location?

I hope that i can do photograph like this, so tell me what did you use? mainly not asking about which scope because any or many scope can do and also the mount i have one good enough, but i am asking which camera and /or which filters if any.

No - I found that the way it is. But it should give you an idea - or the inspiration to do a little research to find out which star is which from whatever orientation you're viewing from.

Have fun!

Dave

[TareqPhoto]

7 hours ago, Dave In Vermont said:

No - I found that the way it is. But it should give you an idea - or the inspiration to do a little research to find out which star is which from whatever orientation you're viewing from.

Have fun!

Dave

Let's take it as the formation of these stars of Pleiades are like an arrow, from my area I see the arrow going up, so that last star is down or bottom line, you got the idea.

So, which filters did you use and which camera?

[Dave In Vermont]

Ah! There's the confusion! That's not my image. I found it free-floating on some astro-site and grabbed it.

Dave

[TareqPhoto]

1 hour ago, Dave In Vermont said:

Ah! There's the confusion! That's not my image. I found it free-floating on some astro-site and grabbed it.

Dave

Ah i see, ok, no problem, i just pointed about my visual orientation and the image, in all cases i can easily rotate it to a desire result if needed, thank you very much!

I just hope i can do fine with my upcoming camera once it is arrived and in my hand, i am waiting the Polemaster first which is shipped while ago so i make my mount ready, i can't take pics of those objects at best until i operate my mount, sounds i have to start reading more about guiding, much more than what i saw on YT videos, and then balance my mount for the scope, the objects are moving in my country so fast i can tell, one hour it is low near the horizon, next hour it is nearly high in the sky closer to the overhead, even if it is 2 hours, it will force me to take most shots within 1 hour just to make sure the object is in the visual zone for eyes and scope.