Recommendations...

[ddefoe]

Hi all, 

Finally got a clear night tonight where I am. 

Are there any recommendations on easy/good things to see tonight? 

I know the planets have dropped below but just wondering what would be good to keep an eye out for. 

Thanks

[DavidJM]

Hi, what are you observing with?

[ddefoe]

Sorry.... C8 sct ota on cg5 gt

[DavidJM]

10 minutes ago, ddefoe said:

Sorry.... C8 sct ota on cg5 gt

Sorry not a sct person but generally I've focussed heavily on cygnus, some great clusters and albireo is a great double to split

9 minutes ago, ddefoe said:

Sorry.... C8 sct ota on cg5 

[domstar]

Well, the moon isn't quite full yet so you could always look at that. Apart from that you are probably restricted to doubles. Iota Cass is beautiful and easy to find. The double double is also easy to locate in Lyra and Alberio in Cygnus. Shadow animals might also be the order of the day.

[paul mc c]

Give Uranus and Neptune a go,not spectacular but still good to look at their tiny discs and colour.

[davyludo]

Owl cluster! I saw this for the first time last weekend and thought it was really interesting.

[Knighty2112]

Try some planetary nebulas. Most stand out quite well still even with the moon out. M57, M27, NGC6543 and NGC7662 should get you going.  

[ddefoe]

Clouded Over!

I tried looking at the moon tonight, set everything up properly it was centred in the finder scope yet when looking through the eyepiece it was just a bright white blur, i couldn't focus properly and if i moved it a bit it went black.

I was using a 25mm eyepiece and the moon I think is 1 day off a full moon i just couldn't get any detail of anything it didn't matter where i moved the scope it was just a white blur.

A bit disheartened at the moment.....

[domstar]

Try to focus on a distant object tomorrow during the day- like a tree or something. See if it's possible.

[ddefoe]

Thanks I will try that, I'm not sure why at 80x magnification it completely fills the eyepiece?

[Knighty2112]

15 minutes ago, ddefoe said:

Thanks I will try that, I'm not sure why at 80x magnification it completely fills the eyepiece?

A 25mm EP in your C8 SCT will produce an image of the moon currently that will pretty much fill up the view seen through it. This is because the scope has a long focal ratio, so produces a more magnified view.

The image below shows the view through your C8 SCT that you would get with a standard 25mm EP.

[ddefoe]

Unfortunately it was nothing like that....I couldn't even make out the edge of the moon! It was just really really bright and no definition whatsoever, i fell like i'm missing something or i put the eyepieces in wrong or something?!

[Knighty2112]

2 minutes ago, ddefoe said:

Unfortunately it was nothing like that....I couldn't even make out the edge of the moon! It was just really really bright and no definition whatsoever, i fell like i'm missing something or i put the eyepieces in wrong or something?!

If your out of focus then this is not surprising. There is a large amount a focus on the C8 SCT, so if you are way out of focus it can take quite a few turns to get it anywhere near in focus. As suggested try to focus in the daytime on the most distant object you can see. This will get you very close to what you need for focus on the moon, planets and stars etc, so will make fine tuning of the focus much easier next time you try to view the night sky. 

[Dave In Vermont]

I'm surprised no one else brought this up and linked it. Here's an excellent and very helpful software-program that you give your location, and it shows you what all will be up tonight for you. You can further refine it to show the types of objects that interest you:

https://dso-browser.com/

It's free, naturally. Though the person behind it could use a cup of coffee, or a beer...

Have fun up there -

Dave

[JOC]

Lots of new folks seem to have issues getting their new telescopes to focus.  I would certainly second the recommendation to try and use it in the daylight too on a distant object.  If you can't get pinpoint sharp focus on a distant chimney or tree you will never succeed with anything in the night sky.  If you have daytime problems make sure you have all the necessary adapters etc. In place as they can all affect the focal length.

[ddefoe]

What would be the necessary adapters? 

[Cosmic Geoff]

1 hour ago, ddefoe said:

What would be the necessary adapters? 

That is not an issue with a C8. You can disregard this question, as it has a very big focal range that will accommodate troublesome items like binoviewers that extend the optical path a lot.

The best answer I can offer for 'can't focus' is to first get your finder aligned in daylight. Then aim at a bright point source of light (meaning a bright star this month unless you get up early to view Venus) and wind the focus knob in the direction that makes the white blob (or thick white ring if the scope has a central obstruction) in the direction that makes the white blob smaller. Simple!

Trying to focus on an out of focus Moon is far harder.

Depending on its history, your C8 may require collimation. I acquired mine used, it had been fiddled with, and the performance was awful till I collimated it.

[happy-kat]

Doesn't a C8 require a diagonal before the eyepiece is inserted and did you wind the focuser the full length of adjustment checking for focus.

[Cosmic Geoff]

19 hours ago, happy-kat said:

Doesn't a C8 require a diagonal before the eyepiece is inserted and did you wind the focuser the full length of adjustment checking for focus.

They all come with a diagonal. Those who have not used a SCT or MAK may not appreciate how great the focal range of the moving-mirror focus system is, compared with the usual Newtonian or refractor. It ought to come to focus with or without the diagonal in place. As I said in my previous post, it is easy to focus onto a bright point source of light.

[ddefoe]

Hi all, took it out in the day yesterday and managed to get pin sharp focus on a tree which was great! Took it out early evening and managed to focus it to vega, it was a donut shape and then to a clear focus. 

I'm taking that as a win? 

Didnt have time to try anything else but thought that was a good start 

[SteveWolves]

That sounds ok, now don't move focus very much and you should be sorted. 

[JOC]

I don't know if it the same all types of telescope, but it might be worth making the note that there can be reasonable focal differences when changing between eyepieces esp. Those of different brands, so depending on what yiu use a bit of refocusing might be necessary, but from the sound of it I think you have won.  I must admit my first outing with mine was during the day and after sorting out a tree I didn't have any further unresolvable focusing problems.  Other problems - yes, but focus was solved!

[Dave In Vermont]

Expect to need to re-focus when exchanging eyepieces. Maybe not by much - but some. Even eyepieces that are advertised as being "parfocal' will need a touch to bring them to crystal-clarity. This shouldn't be a chore, just an expected thing to do. So put your attention on making sure your focuser is as smooth as possible so you can re-focus without having the image in your eyepiece act like it's doing an epileptc hat-dance in an Atlantic hurricane.

That you saw Vega as a 'doughnut' out-of-focus is a very positive sign that your optics are well-collimated (aligned with one-another). For more information on 'collimation' I suggest doing a search in these forums - there's a plethora of threads on the subject. But I'd let it go for now as you find your way with your current state-of-affairs. You're doing fine!

Dave