Finding M35

[RobH2020]

Hi all, 

Last night i was reading Turn Left At Orion for some viewing inspiration, and it suggested M35. Thought that sounded good (not seen it before) so had a go. 

I did eventually find it, I'm certain it was the right object from the description and from seeing peoples photos. It looked nice through my 150p skywatcher dob. 

But i couldn't see it in my 9x50 finderscope at all! I just had to point at the rough location i thought it was using SkySafari handheld on my phone, and then sweep around with a 33mm 70deg eyepiece. 

I live in a red / bright suburban zone, so obviously that limits what i can see, but should i expect to be able to see it through 9x50 finderscope? I also couldn't see it in my 10x50 binoculars, but i might've just not been pointing in the right place (handheld). I'm a bit confused because lots of material suggested it should be seeable with the naked eye... granted maybe not at my location but i thought a 9x50 scope in a brighter location might be equal to naked eye in a darker location. 

I also couldn't see NGC2158 at all through the scope! I was pointing at exactly the right place because i could see the brighter stars that guide you into it... But it was just black empty space where it should've been. I'm guessing i just need a bigger scope or darker skies to see it.. Or camera + exposure time. 

Would welcome any thoughts 

Thanks!

Rob

[Waddensky]

Maybe Messier 35 is visible with the naked eye from a really dark location, but I doubt it can bee seen without optical aid from a suburban area. It should be visible though through a finder scope or binoculars, but again - light pollution can make it very difficult to see the cluster against the bright background sky. NGC 2158 is a whole other story - this cluster can be quite elusive and difficult to see with moderately-sized telescopes, even from reasonably dark sites.

[NGC 1502]

Hello Rob.   M35 will be a nice cluster to observe with your 150p.   It’s close companion NGC 2158 is very much fainter. It can be glimpsed from town if you’re looking in exactly the right spot - try raising the magnification as this darkens the sky background and increases the contrast between sky and object.  From town this NGC cluster can appear as a faint unresolved patch, but don’t be disappointed if you don’t spot it.

M35 can be seen with binoculars from town but it will be faint and look very different from the telescope view, so I’d expect similar with a 9x50 finder.   Keep trying and concentrate on what can be seen and perhaps the sprinkling of stars will become apparent.

Visual observing really does get easier the more you try, as with all things it can be hard at first but with practice becomes second nature and very rewarding indeed.

Ed.

 

 

[cletrac1922]

Rob

First of all, welcome from Land Down Under

I have 10" flex dob, and attached pic of my Dob taken at a recent public viewing night with my club

Finderscope, you have right angle or straight through

I use right angle, as do not have to lay on the ground, when viewing objects overhead 

With finderscope, there is also two adjusting screws which are used to align the finderscope with the eyepiece

Best to do this in daylight, and pick out an object several kilometers away, such as mobile tower, church spire, even a tree on a hill

Aim finderscope to object you going to use

Then view through the 25mm eyepiece and adjust mount so viewing same object through the eyepiece

Then go back to finderscope, and adjust the two screws, so the same object is located center of cross hairs of finderscope

You should then be able to see the object you are viewing through both the finderscope and eyepiece

Last couple nights, have nice clear skies and view Orion Nebula, Omega Centaur, Jewel Box in The Crux

Have a Bortle 4 as well where I am

 John

[RobH2020]

Thanks folks, that's good to know that NGC2158 at least is very tricky to spot.

[Nova2000]

I observe from bortle6 skies most of the time (lp map says 5 which I don't belive ) m35 can be seen easily from a 6inch scope . I've not seen it in the finder scope from my normal sky . You can see it from a dark sky through finder scope.

[Second Time Around]

M35 is a lovely sight in my 8 inch f/6.  It's even better in my 10 inch f/4.8.  

My 10 inch also shows the close by NGC2169 and resolves it into a mass of faint stars.  The other night when transparency was poor I couldn't even see it in the 8 inch.

 

[RobH2020]

Thanks for your reply, that's good to know that you need a 10" to see NGC2169, I'm not just being blind with my 6"!