Lightbridge 16" report - 22.10.2008

[Doc]

Meade Lightbridge 16" F4.5 FL 1829mm

22.10.2008

Mag:-4.0

No Moon

Started observing about 19.30 hours.

Started the night in Cassiopeia and picked M103 as my first subject it lies about 2 degrees from Delta Cass.

It looked like a loose cluster with many dim white stars and one bright Orange star amoungst them. Very pretty cluster that seem to merge with the shear amount ofstars in that area.

I then tried to find the M76 a planetary nebula in Perseus but I cannot guarantee I found it. The object I found looked like a very dim white patch, I would say around Mag 10. Cartes du Ciel describes it as the Little Dumbell, well I saw no shape. Once again not certain I saw this will have to review again once I buy a filter to enhance nebulas. Tried all different eyepieces and magnifications but still was not sure.

Next was the M34 an open cluster in Perseus quite bright at abt mag 5 consisted of about 100 stars all white the middle stars were in the shape of a pogo stick or handle bars of a bike. Fitted entirely into my fov of a 32mm TAL.

Halfway betwenen Alberio and Gamma Lyra is the globular cluster M56 this cluster resides in Lyra and is pretty easy to find. In my 25mm TAL it is a small misty circular patch abt mag 9. A few outer stars can be seen but the inner just remains a mottled white. Put in the 8mm hyperion and quite a few more stars appear inside the globular but still the core remained intact.

Had another look at the Ring Nebula the M57 in Lyra. I could definetly see a green bluish tint to it. With my 8mm the ring shape was clearly visible with a darker inner. No centre star. Surprisingly my cheap 15mm kellner TAL gave a pretty good view.

Just abt 1 degree beneath Delta Lyra is a open cluster called Steph 1, It's quite large 20'x20' and consists of abt 50 stars with one central star thats bright yellow. I really enjoyed this one.

Moved down to Aquarius which was very low down in the sky and located M2 a globular cluster. Was pretty hard to find as it lies in a very sparse part of the sky and due to it's altitude of only 36 degrees added to the fact I was looking through light pollution and atmosphere it took a while to find it.

In my 21mm and 25mm eyepieces I could easily see a white circular smudge but no individual stars could be seen. The core was whiter then the outer regions. Tried a few high power eyepieces but this made no difference.

The clouds started to roll in around 22.00 hrs so called it a night.

[MartinB]

Sounds like a good evening Doc. I too had trouble locating M76 but think it just needs a decent amount of magnification - as per Rus' report

[Andrew*]

Another lovely report, Doc.

Mag:-4.0

That's some nasty LP you've got there :shock: . Observing in mag -4 skies can't be fun! Are you sure it wasn't 0930 hours??

Sorry.

M76 is a bit tricky, and I don't blame you for not makign a positive ID on it. It sounds like you might have got it though. At least I can't imagine what it might have been.

Andrew

[mik]

Nice report Doc seems you are getting to grips with your new G & G setup

Mick

[russ]

Excellent report Doc. You got a few targets we forgot about, namely the globs M15 and M2. Although i took a look at those two last night.

M76 can be a pain to find with low power. I found searching with a 16mm Nagler better than with the 30mm Moonfish. I ran over it a couple of times in the Moonfish, just didn't see it. Knew i was in the right area but not sign. Moved upto the 16mm and viola there it was. Rob's WO SPL 12.5mm seemed to be the sweet spot for M76. And a narrowband filter just brought it to life

Have you ever seen the North American or Californian Nebulas? I couldn't see either, not even with the narrowband filter.

Regards

Russ

[asteria]

Excellent report once again - really well written and very clear. Thanks. Ed

[Doc]

Another lovely report, Doc.

Mag:-4.0

That's some nasty LP you've got there :shock: . Observing in mag -4 skies can't be fun! Are you sure it wasn't 0930 hours??

Sorry.

M76 is a bit tricky, and I don't blame you for not makign a positive ID on it. It sounds like you might have got it though. At least I can't imagine what it might have been.

Andrew

Mag 4 skies can be a pain in the rear. But I do live in a light pollluted city. But the 16" does seem to show alot more then my other scopes. Just imagine what it would do under mag 7 skies.

As for the M76 I was definetly in the right area and according to C du C there was nothing else around.

Nice report Doc seems you are getting to grips with your new G & G setup

Mick

Lol. It used to be but since I've added wheels It takes me just 1 minute to wheel outside. So in theory it's quicker then most grab and go's.

Excellent report Doc. You got a few targets we forgot about, namely the globs M15 and M2. Although i took a look at those two last night.

M76 can be a pain to find with low power. I found searching with a 16mm Nagler better than with the 30mm Moonfish. I ran over it a couple of times in the Moonfish, just didn't see it. Knew i was in the right area but not sign. Moved upto the 16mm and viola there it was. Rob's WO SPL 12.5mm seemed to be the sweet spot for M76. And a narrowband filter just brought it to life

Have you ever seen the North American or Californian Nebulas? I couldn't see either, not even with the narrowband filter.

Regards

Russ

Russ I must invest in some filters. Maybe get one for xmas.

As for the M76 I'll sweep it with a higher eyepiece next time see if it pops out. As for the North American or Californian Nebulas I've tried a few times to see them but no where near. I think their brightness is spread over such a wide distance that visually they are very hard to see.

[Sam]

Great report Doc, Through my 16" the Little Dumbbell looks like a dog bone, not much LP here though.

Sam