Another Session Last Night

[Ed in UK]

Well finally at 20:15 the skies finally cleared somewhat allowing me the opportunity to out again with the scope.

This time I took the advice of some members on here and looked for easier targets to find from the Skymaps.com monthly guide.

I selected only 5 targets to find and look at for a while namely:

1. Polaris

2. Pollux

3. Castor

4. Andromeda Galaxy

5. M50

I've always seen Polaris as a single start but according to the guide a second unrelated star (Mag 8) can be seen. Now I believe that Mag 8 mag be a stretch to far for me and my scope and last night proved that to be the case (I think). I wasn't 100% sure sure if I could make out something next to Polaris or if it was atmospherics or my eyes playing tricks. So marked that one down as a "Not Seen".

Pollux, I thought I read somewhere as being a double star, but looking at my chart it doesn't show anything so maybe I imagined it, but couldn't really not find that one 

Castor, Managed to see that along with three fainter stars above it (as viewed in the EP) and with averted vision could just make out one below Castor. I haven't seen a detailed star chart for Castor so I don't what the group is supposed to look like.

Andromeda, couldn't find, I searched the area where I thought it should be and really not convinced that I saw it. I did find a bright-ish star that had a bit of a glow around it ((at x90 Mag) but to be truthful so did other brighter stars that I looked at last night) and there was another fainter star next to it. Looking at the scope though, when I thought I had found Andromeda it seemed way to close to Cassiopea. I did try my first very unsuccessful attempt at "Star Hoping" to Andromeda starting from Schedir in the Cassiopea constellation. I'll start a new thread about that as I'm not sure if I have the right charts for Star Hoping. The descriptions that I read in my research before going out last night tell me it could be easily found in Binoculars and that the galaxy will really jump out at you. Not for me  I used my 25mm EP (x36 Mag) and I was expecting to see a more along the lines of a small fuzzy disc than a star. Any descriptions gratefully received.  A later search of the same area with Bino's confirmed that I still can't find Andromeda.

M50, ran out of time, butu on the list for next time 

Thanks for reading.

Ed

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Hi Ed,

 

I am very new to all this so don't put too much weight on this, but the one of the list I am pretty sure I have seen is Andromeda Galaxy and if it was then it was a reasonably large but very fuzzy blob (somewhat disc on side like) in my Dobsonian. Everything looked right from what I was expecting to see (very much what you were expecting to see) and can't remember it being very close to any really bright stars.

 

Steve

[Littleguy80]

Nice session and report. Your experiences sound so similar to mine a year ago. I tried all sorts to find Andromeda without success. A year on and it's an easy find. I can even see it naked eye from a dark site! It's just getting that first sighting under your belt. It really is unmistakable in the eyepiece when you do find it. Have a look at the guide below for some tips:

http://www.mattastro.com/object-finder-guides/how-to-find-the-andromeda-galaxy-m31/

If you haven't got it already then get Stellarium. It's a free planetarium piece of software. You can configure it with the details of your telescope and eyepieces to get an idea of what objects should look like through your scope. You can also practice your star hopping routes so you're more familiar with them when the skies clear. 

Keep getting out there and you'll quickly learn your way around the sky  

[Ed in UK]

Thanks Steve,

I'm sure that you found it and I missed it, but thanks for the confirmation though.

Ed

[Ed in UK]

Thanks Neil,

Checked out the link and will have a good read later 

I've got Stellarium on the computer and I have set it up, I think, for my eye piece. What it showed me I took with a pinch of salt TBH as I'm sure that's taken with a scope more powerful than mine.

Will keep trying though.

Thanks.

Ed

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Ed,

I have only had my scope a few weeks and probably only had about 4 sessions in my pretty dark back garden. But although There is so much to learn and I still get lost if I go too far from Orion or Ursa Major, but it is surprising how you do pick things up and remember where objects are (very roughly anyway) or at least once you find them which can be tricky. Whilst I really want a "goto" system eventually I am quite glad I just started with a manual as although frustrating at times you feel a real sense of achievement finding something out there.  And even when I don't I often see something of real interest and then have to stop look at that and then look up to see what it was.

Steve 

[Ed in UK]

Hey Steve,

Where's the fun in a "Goto" system.

Far more fun this way if you ask me. Once you find those targets it's all the more rewarding.

Sounds like you get out as often as myself.

Unfortunately got a few street lights around here that add another layer to it.....

[domstar]

Like @Littleguy80 above, I had great problems finding the Andromeda galaxy (don't get me started on M50). Binoculars really help and you'll know it if you see it. I could never find it using Cassiopeia and I find starting at Mirach is better. It's still tricky for the first three times and then it's fine. 

If it's visible from your location, the Orion nebula is a must in every winter session and then up to Sigma Orionis. Maybe you've seen them already but I can't help but go back every time.

Anyway, I enjoyed the read and it took me back to a year ago when every target came with the satisfaction of being hard fought and the most wonderful sights in the sky were first-timers.

[Ed in UK]

Thanks Domstar.

Yup managed to locate M42, just like you it tends to be a regular visit.

Have looked on several occasions for Andromeda,  tbh I seem to really struggle with bins. 

Pity really as I can see roughly double the sky via binoculars than through the scope.

Hopefully Andromeda next time. ?

[Skinnypuppy71]

I was out on Monday night at Galloway forest Park....it wasn't really pitch dark as the moon was out.....but for the first time I saw the orion nebula.....wow...then a shooting star flew through the view of the eyepiece...WOW...an amazing sight....I also took in the plaides and a few stars....sirius,beatlguise and the obligatory view of the moon with varying magnification....It was a productive night.lol.I very much enjoyed it.

[Nyctimene]

On 16.2.2018 at 14:38, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Whilst I really want a "goto" system eventually I am quite glad I just started with a manual as although frustrating at times you feel a real sense of achievement finding something out there.  And even when I don't I often see something of real interest and then have to stop look at that and then look up to see what it was.

+1 for that. A successful hunt is half of the fun; and, if you discover something unexpected, the better. I like to pick out a certain constellation with some prominent targets, and work on from these to the fainter and more challenging ones. So I don't have to change the position of scope/eyepiece and observing seat that often; and, viewing relaxed, you'll see more.

Stephan