First view of M42/3 with SPX350

[johnh]

Unfortunately above roof of house with breezy accompanyment. At 60x could easily see half of what long exposures pick up and the trap stars all well separated. Ay 90x could see facinating detail around trap stars, could see greenish colour to trap area but no pinky reds at all. With UHC Astronomik filter extra contrast made the trap stand out but red ha passband showed red element to stars but no red nebula. The Orion UltraBlock (well named) gave an added boost to the trap area with islands in the fishes mouth visible, one island with direct vision other two with averted vision. Could not easily see two 11th mag components.

Three stars point vaguely at trapezium and further in the same direction strange arc knotted length can be easily seen with a definite arc shape in middle. I am mostly an imager and have not done this for a long time and it is a sight.

With 5mm supermonocentric could glimpse dim 11th mag stars and they are dim, rooftop turbulence gave stars a blobish feel at 317x. Complex structure wonderfully shown and islands seen easily in fishes mouth.

Forgot about M43 so went back to wide and at 60x could see the full comma shape with averted vision to see the pointed end and at 90x with UltraBlock it did stand out a little better.

I am used to a 10" scope and the 14" newt is so much better, m42/3 is probably the greatest visual object in any scope, all this with my laptop blasing away without proper dark adaption and a roof that would not stop leaking heat.

Cannot wait for Crab, eskimo and M51?

[russ]

John, what a great first light for the 350. It sounds a cracking scope. I can tell you're excited about it. And it's great that so many of us are rediscovering the visual side of the hobby.

My Meade, which is a 320mm, just blows my socks off on M42. With the Ultrablock i can see some of the finer detail in the nebula. Such a difference from an 8 or 10 view.

Russ

[glennbech]

Id be interested to hear you notes on the crab. I observed it in my 3.5" Refractor 14 days ago. Very dull, but definitly there w/Direct vision.

[surfindogg]

I spent over an hour looking at M42 on Saturday night through my Megrez 90. This is the first time I have looked at it from my light polluted garden on the edge of Bournemouth and I was surprised how much detail I could make out. I will really have to sort myself out a better mount though, as it was drifting quickly out of view and a photo tripod is not the best thing to use!

Can't wait to get out to a darker sight and have another look. More clear skies please.