Targets for a C8

[badgerchap]

I'm slowly returning to practical astronomy after a 4 year hiatus whilst doing a PhD and having kids. 

Now that I'm back I have a few projects such as converting a bulky 12" Newt into a Dob and building a robotic observatory. However, on Sunday I'll be getting a Celestron C8 (XLT version, a few years old). I've chosen this scope for a number of reasons, mainly budget, portability and suitability for solar system work.

However, even though I have 3 other scopes better suited to DSOs, I'd still like to see how this scope performs on some of the more compact deep space objects.

Can anybody please recommend any current (or soon-to be current once the Sun begins to slip away again) targets which would be among the more accessible DSOs for a scope like this? 

For posterity the C8 is 203.2 dia. f/10.

Many thanks!

badgerchap

[Craney]

I'll start the ball rolling.

Small and bright if you are both imaging and visually observing with a C8 F10. ...to start with.   That probably means Globulars  with  ( M13, M3, M92 )  all well positioned at the moment.

Galaxies... well, I'm not an observer.... but I imagine spirals that have a good even brightness across their appearance would be good.  A lot tend to have a bright core that masks the outer detail.

M109, M64 have features about them that would make them stand out in an eyepiece.

Planetary nebulas -  the good ol' favorites  M27 (Dumbell) and M57 (Ring), also the Owl Nebula M97.   There are a lot  more out there and they keep popping up throughout the year.

Have a look at the "Observers Pages" on SGL to see what people are looking at currently...  there is a SuperNova and a Comet or two dotted around.

Good luck with the journey.

 

Sean.

 

[BGazing]

Mmmmkay

Depends on what kind of sky you have.

I love my Lymax, keeps the thermals at bay. Consider it. Thermals are a killer on a SCT, if a mirror is catching up the whole night the image will be passable only on low power. Others use reflectix.

Solar system, Lymax again. Planets at the low altitude invite a lot of atmospheric dispersion, ZWO ADC to the rescue, consider it.

As for the DSO, there are PLENTY of them if you have dark enough skies. Especially edge-on galaxies can be quite good if you have dark skies. More important than the aperture, tried and tested.

Turn it on the globs, 8 inches is enough. At the same time, it is still small enough for some of the open clusters (they get worse with bigger aperture and smaller usable field of view).

SCT is great for low targets, would rather look at Skull in my C8 than with my 12 inch dob. Ergonomics 101.

[badgerchap]

3 hours ago, BGazing said:

SCT is great for low targets, would rather look at Skull in my C8 than with my 12 inch dob. Ergonomics 101.

And this, my friend, is why I'm getting a Cat. The 12" is a big, fun bucket, but I am so bored of hauling it out, straining to mount it and then fighting with it all night! I'd much rather take an extra 500mm in a 17" tube at <6kg, regardless of image quality. "The best scope you have is the scope you use" etc...

[badgerchap]

4 hours ago, Craney said:

That probably means Globulars  with  ( M13, M3, M92 )  all well positioned at the moment.

Nice - I forgot about M13. Used to be one of my favourites. Like a bad of diamonds strewn over black velvet! 

[BGazing]

8 hours ago, badgerchap said:

Nice - I forgot about M13. Used to be one of my favourites. Like a bad of diamonds strewn over black velvet! 

Again, if you want diamonds on velvet you have to cool it. We had, side by side, 12 inch dob and SCT 11 the other night. Dob mirror was cooled and M13 was spectacular, 215x and the picture was clear. C11 mirror was not...and it was not nearly as good even at 140x.

I use Lymax for my C8 and it cuts down cooling time a LOT. Either that or bring the C8 outside well in advance. If the temperature is falling down quickly you have to turn on Lymax once in a while...

[Paz]

With dark skies I'll have a go at any dso's within a 0.8 degree field of view with the C8.

With not so good skies I go for globular clusters, open clusters, double stars, and the higher surface brightness nebulae like M57.

Once I had a look at the Orion nebula in the C8 and got an amazing view, being lucky with good skies good seeing and having the aperture.

I know what you mean about wanting something easier to set up than a big dobsonian. Objectively I find that I can't actually set up a C8 any faster than my dobsonian, but the dobsonian is much heavier and more bulky and it does take more physical effort to set it up.

[badgerchap]

18 minutes ago, Paz said:

I know what you mean about wanting something easier to set up than a big dobsonian. Objectively I find that I can't actually set up a C8 any faster than my dobsonian, but the dobsonian is much heavier and more bulky and it does take more physical effort to set it up.

The main problem is actually the sheer size of the tube. It's a Newt rather than a Dob (until I convert it) so it's also on an NEQ6. I have to travel to a decent spot and the 12" will only fit in a 4x4. I have one, but it's still a massive faff, as is the mount.

I'm planning to put the C8 on an EQ5 I have lying around. With scope, mount and a few EPs I should be able to use the smaller car or even walk if I can get a decent bag for the C8. 

Edited May 30, 2020 by badgerchap