Tell us your sky quality

[Stu]

12 hours ago, Captain Magenta said:

... at what magnification? I tried a few nights ago in my bortle 3 location with 10x50 bins and an astronomik oiii nestled in one eyecup, and not a sausage, though the 80% Moon was up and I think that washed everything out.

The longest 1.25” eyepiece I have is 18.2mm, which with my 1500mm 12” will give me 82x, is that wide enough? I feel I really need a 24mm eyepiece.

M

A 24mm will give you a bigger exit pupil (4.8mm vs 3.6mm) which would give a brighter view. A 30mm 2” would be nice too I should think but not sure if you have a 2” filter?

[John]

12 hours ago, Captain Magenta said:

... at what magnification? I tried a few nights ago in my bortle 3 location with 10x50 bins and an astronomik oiii nestled in one eyecup, and not a sausage, though the 80% Moon was up and I think that washed everything out.

The longest 1.25” eyepiece I have is 18.2mm, which with my 1500mm 12” will give me 82x, is that wide enough? I feel I really need a 24mm eyepiece.

M

I was using a 31mm Nagler so 51x and a 1.6 degree true field. Enough to fit the Eastern or Western segments of the nebula in the field but not the whole thing.

Using the O-III filter makes a huge difference to the visibility of this object though. I was just trying it without to see if I could see anything of the Veil filterless as the sky was quite good last night.

 

[dd999]

My town says Bortle 4 too on both Light Pollution Map and CO (maybe its just the same data). 

Although on a moonless night it can get reasonable dark but for all you other Bortle 4ers - what mag can you generally see down to with naked eye? 

I tested last night. With averted eyes I can just about make out Andromeda - and again with averted vision can just about see the two brightest stars within the Square of Pegusus (both Mag 4).

Looking though on Wiki at it says I should be able to see mag 4 objects in Bortle 9 skies!!

Only went to get my eyes tested last week, and they're pretty good lol

Is down to mag 4 reasonable in true Bortle 4 skies or are my skies not as dark as it claims? 

Edited September 15, 2020 by dd999

[DaveS]

I'm at the dark end of Bortle 4, Andromeda is easy naked eye (I've even seen it through the double glazing late night / early morning), not sure about M33, but M13 is just about visible with averted vision. But then I'm 64 and my eyes aren't as good at night as they were in my teens / early twenties.

[dd999]

22 minutes ago, DaveS said:

I'm at the dark end of Bortle 4, Andromeda is easy naked eye (I've even seen it through the double glazing late night / early morning), not sure about M33, but M13 is just about visible with averted vision. But then I'm 64 and my eyes aren't as good at night as they were in my teens / early twenties.

Haven't tried M33 - but I doubt I'd see the Hercules Cluster naked eye, even with averted gaze. 

Moonless night on Thursday - I'll give it a test run.

[igorigs]

And I live in center of the town. Epicenter. 

[Highburymark]

On 02/01/2019 at 15:07, Moonshane said:

This will probably brass me off but what's yours?

Bortle 9. One Messier object visible with the naked eye - M45. And that’s getting fainter. 

Thankfully able to enjoy the Moon, planets, Sun in hydrogen alpha and white light, and deep sky with night vision equipment from the city. Consider myself lucky to do so.

 

[Procyon Lotor]

I'm in a city with Bortle 7 skies, so really just moon and planets and a couple of the brightest of DSOs available from my SW-facing balcony view. On clear nights, for more serious observing, I drive out to a Bortle 4 location that shows the Milky Way decently and M33 on the best nights is a difficult averted vision target.