Another bites the dust?

[Timebandit]

 

 

Well since my success with M1 I have been itching to go for another Galaxy or galaxies.

For a few night now I have been seeing the big dipper at a reasonable height and in a reasonable position. So I thought let's get the beginners bible out of finding DSO "Turn left" out and see if there are any galaxies that i can have a try for. The two galaxies of position that should be in view at a suitable time were M51 and M94.

Due to work commitments I have not had the time or inclination to get to my newly found reasonable dark site ,within reasonable travel time.

So last night with no visible cloud the big dipper in a great position in the east direction then I was tempted to get the scope out. So with the Moon out and in a light polluted area then everything was against me . But at least from a home site its a walk from the back door to the scope, so no real effort to at least try. But in all fairness with light polluted area and the moon up then I was not expecting an easy task and maybe a impossible task to locate M51, M94

The OOuk 14" was got out of its home of the shed and onto a viewing platform. As the 14" is more or less at ambient temperature in the shed the big 14" mirror is always near ready to go. 

The eyepiece of choice I usually turn to for my DSO locator is the TV 20mm nagler, just a reliable performer for these type of targets. With the nagler in the 14" then it was ready to see if these targets could be located.

Using the telrad I got into the required area of the lower end of the big dipper handle,and the slightly across. With using the 20mm nagler ,I started to scan a cross the required area using directed and averted vision. First attempt across the supposed area then nothing, again I went over the same area ,still nothing. I was not going to give up, so  again I scanned across the area of the sky for this DSO . And then I saw what I can only describe as two faint eyes looking at me from the depths of space. I moved the nagler just out of fov of these "eyes ",and back in just to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me. But these two faint eyes were still there. They were faint , but certainly a mass of very faint light ,so had a galaxy type look to them ,but no real outstanding features ,just faint blobs of light. I thought M51 was a single object from what I remember from the diagram in "Turn left". But looking through the telrad, these two eyes i could see through the 20mm nagler were certainly in the correct area of the sky. I would need to check the ref book later to confirm.

The next target to try and bag was M94. So again at the base of the big dipper I went across to the double star of Cor Caroli . This was a nice double, and was easy to split even with the low power nagler 20mm. From this marker I then went into search mode for M94. Going up slowly using direct and averted vision as I went . I would then move the scope slightly and again scan with direct and averted vision. Nothing at all was showing to indicate M94. Was being in a light polluted area and the moon out just asking to much of tonight's viewing conditions and asking to much of the 14"  I must of repeated the search pattern 6 maybe 7 times ,each time thinking the conditions were possible just to much. Then suddenly in the corner of my eye I spotted a very faint small blob of light. Just to make sure this was not wishful thinking, I moved the nagler out of fov and then back in again. There was defiantly a blob of light in the eyepiece. Again checking in the position of the terad ,then this was certainty in the location of M94 where it should be located in the sky. 

With temperature around freezing and the objects located that were my targets for the night ,the kit was put away and I went inside to defrost. Getting "Turn left " out I checked these two eyes I saw for M51. The text in the book confirmed it was M51 and its companion was NGC 5195. 

So a great worthwhile night, difficult conditions with all the light around. But a bit of patient's and careful eyepiece scanning provided targets for the first time. I am now really interested how my 8" grab and go set up will show these targets at its dark site,compared to the 14" in light polluted conditions. I suspect the 8" in dark conditions will show so much more. 

A great evening of three new galaxies ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Knighty2112]

Excellent tracking down. Well done!  I’ve managed M51 and M94 with my C8 SCT in my light polluted garden, so at a dark sight they should be very prominent to see in your 8” grab and go. M51 is quite distinctive with those two eyes staring at you when you see it. I’m assuming you do body building then if you class your 8” combo as grab and go then? Hehe!  

[Charic]

Ursa  Major and Cassiopeia are within my viewing limits from my garden, but I've failed to see any galaxy  around Ursa Major from the back garden using binoculars/scope.

Using binoculars, M81 & M82 are just  visible when I'm about 100 metres away, hidden away from the street lights, but with no vegetation on the trees, that's difficult at present, and with almost permanent twilight approaching, I need to act fast, weather and work permitting.

Its M51 and M101 that eludes me, I need to tick these.

I'm setting up my 'hide'  today in order to give it another go tonight, from the garden, if conditions allow? 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Well done Simon. The VX14 is really a lovely scope. I must persuade you at some stage to come to one of our observing nights. If you can think about the 15th March,which will be our last observing night, you could bring the VX8. 

[alan potts]

Very nice report and well done, they are not difficult here on a moonless night with the sky I have but the moon really spoils any galaxy hunt appart from maybe M31.

[Charic]

Well I tried and failed to find M101 using my Skyliner.
The Moon doesn't help, but took an image anyway.

 

 

[Hungrymark]

I found M94 too last night, 8" from back garden. And M63. Former was very faint so want to confirm. 

[Timebandit]

23 hours ago, Knighty2112 said:

Excellent tracking down. Well done!  I’ve managed M51 and M94 with my C8 SCT in my light polluted garden, so at a dark sight they should be very prominent to see in your 8” grab and go. M51 is quite distinctive with those two eyes staring at you when you see it. I’m assuming you do body building then if you class your 8” combo as grab and go then? Hehe!  

 

Thanks Knighty, Yes. I saw those two "eyes " looking at me from deep space and a bit spooky at first. And confused me also as when I previously had a quick look in "Turn left a O" the diagram showed M51 as a single object. So I was not expecting two eyes looking at me in the nagler 20mm. But a really nice find for me. 

The 8" believe me is a grab and go compared to the 14". When I first saw the 8" when i meet Mark the seller ,I could not believe how diddy it was. But under dark Sky's then a 8" is a very capable aperture. When I get a bit of time I will have to get the 8" and 14" side by side and post a pic. You will see what a difference in size .?

 

 

23 hours ago, Charic said:

Ursa  Major and Cassiopeia are within my viewing limits from my garden, but I've failed to see any galaxy  around Ursa Major from the back garden using binoculars/scope.

Using binoculars, M81 & M82 are just  visible when I'm about 100 metres away, hidden away from the street lights, but with no vegetation on the trees, that's difficult at present, and with almost permanent twilight approaching, I need to act fast, weather and work permitting.

Its M51 and M101 that eludes me, I need to tick these.

I'm setting up my 'hide'  today in order to give it another go tonight, from the garden, if conditions allow? 

 

 

Hello Charic ,It is surprising how sky conditions can effect to such a degree what is available through the eyepiece, and what is just about visible, or totally invisible.

Since my few Dark site trips and the different sky conditions I have experienced. It really does bring it home to you that seeing from a dark site is just a totally different experience and satisfaction level to light polluted areas for those fainter DSO. 

I have seen with my own two eyes how a 8" aperture at a dark site will totally blow away the same faint fuzzy object through a 14" at a light polluted site. ?

 

 

21 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Well done Simon. The VX14 is really a lovely scope. I must persuade you at some stage to come to one of our observing nights. If you can think about the 15th March,which will be our last observing night, you could bring the VX8. 

 

 

Hello Mark. Yes I am a lucky chap to be able to have to great OOuk scopes. Just quality kit IMO and they came up for sale at a convenient times to allow the purchase.

I did see at the last minute that you had a local out reach event last week. I hope all went well and  the audience learned some interesting facts. Having spent some time with you Mark ,then I know first hand what a knowledge gent you are. I am still scratching the surface especially with DSO, but improving.

I will have to try to get to one of the HAS meets, due to work commitments at times being everywhere and short notice,then it can be difficult . Then planning something can be awkward to say the least, but I have made a mental note of the 15th and if work commitments don't interfere and clouds are kind enough to stay away, then a trip out with the grab and go may be possible.

 

 

20 hours ago, alan potts said:

Very nice report and well done, they are not difficult here on a moonless night with the sky I have but the moon really spoils any galaxy hunt appart from maybe M31.

 

Thanks alan, It sounds that you live in a less light polluted area which must be great for searching out those fainter DSO.

I was surprised I found these in a light polluted area and also with the moon out also. But they were there , not easy and probably not showing at their best ,like at a moonless night at a true dark site. But it will be interesting to see M51 ,NGC 5195 ,M94 at a dark site in the 8" to see the difference in views.

 

 

 

10 hours ago, Charic said:

Well I tried and failed to find M101 using my Skyliner.
The Moon doesn't help, but took an image anyway.

 

 

 

The moon does not help at all with the fainter targets to find , being one Big lightbulb.

I did not know you were into AP  Charic 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Hungrymark said:

I found M94 too last night, 8" from back garden. And M63. Former was very faint so want to confirm. 

 

 

Hello Hungrymark. Well done from the back garden. Yes I also need to get the books out at times to confirm what I have seen in the eyepiece, is actually the target I think it is ?

 

 

 

[Charic]

12 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

Hello Charic ,It is surprising how sky conditions can effect to such a degree what is available through the eyepiece, and what is just about visible, or totally invisible.

Since my few Dark site trips and the different sky conditions I have experienced. It really does bring it home to you that seeing from a dark site is just a totally different experience and satisfaction level to light polluted areas for those fainter DSO. 

I have seen with my own two eyes how a 8" aperture at a dark site will totally blow away the same faint fuzzy object through a 14" at a light polluted site. ?

For some of us, this is doable, getting away to darker sites. It just requires some effort, planning and hopefully some good seeing.
I'd like to think (well I do really) that somehow my scope magically transforms itself into something that is clearly bigger, better, the further I travel away from the home (street lights ) into a much better and potent telescope..............when the truth be known, it really is simply  just down to having a darker site ( no visible man made illumination) and good seeing on the night, I really change nothing with the scope en-route, but the feeling is good...G O O D ! as you have seen with your own eyes!

One of my best experiences (witnessed)  from a darker site, literally no more than 0.5 mile from home ( straight line ) the conditions were  just perfect overhead, and  although there was indirect light, from the city glow, above us  it was astonishing! so many more stars, not visible from the garden, it  even made the normal constellations harder to map? not only that, when the Stars and the Milkyway cast a body shadow, you know something good is happening?

[Charic]

32 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

I did not know you were into AP  Charic 

Just snaps using a Nikon D5000 prime! No post editing! all natural, but conditions last night were not the best, too much turbulence, more noticeable with the addition of a Barlow.  Those images taken with the Barlow clearly show my focusing was out ( and maybe a little blur) but the pic above is bearable.

Its the reason manual Dobsonian's  are not suitable for dedicated astrophotography, If I could track and keep the image rock steady, the image sharpness would be  much better.
I find there is a lot of processing that goes with astrophotography to get the results folk desire. A lot of images I see of the moon have what I refer as a shiny wet slate look/feel  about them, down to stacking and processing, which is not what the human eye  see's or perceives. 
For now though, its just simple snaps, nothing more............yet!