Advice/tips with tonights session plan please!

[Xgaze]

Hello all,

Firstly, just to say thanks to all on here that have offered me help and advice so far... What a great bunch of people!

So, I'm off camping in Exmoor national park for two nights today. Really excited!

I have a Heritage 150 Dob. Had my best session yet last night, viewing the gas giants and a couple of double stars. Was somewhat hampered by views to the North and West. Also, found I needed to plan better. Although, the time at the eyepiece is providing invaluable.

I'm not expecting the clearest views of the horizon tonight but might venture out of the Doone Valley if family commitments allow!

Would really like to test my new EPs a 32mm and StarGuider 8mm in addition to the stock EP 10mm & 25mm on some DSOs. Is this wishful thinking? I'm quite realistic that I'm not Hubble! But would love to see some globular clusters perhaps nebulae and maybe a galaxy or two, is this realistic? If so, any targets please.

Have already begun a plan that includes being prepared with somewhere to place the DOB, ready for dew, red torch, warm-up/cool down. And a list of a few double stars that, I hope, are achieveable.

Read the thread on here about session planning kindly and brilliantly written by Nick, very useful and lots noted.

Just hoping some of you might give a few extra targets and tips?

Many thanks,

T

[Zermelo]

From today we have the return of full astro darkness in the middle of the night, and you're heading to a dark site anyway, so a range of DSOs are certainly accessible to you.

The 32mm EP will give you a 6.4mm exit pupil, which would often be on the large side - it will make the background lighter and reduce the contrast on faint objects. But at a dark site that shouldn't be an issue, and it will give you your maximum true field of view in the dob. Try it out on the largest targets like M31.  I use the 8mm BST at F/5 and it performs well, you should get a good view over nearly all of its 60 degrees. The Skywatcher 10mm EP is average at F/5; the 25mm works better, but you will probably find your 32mm better.

As for selection and planning, if I were you I'd draw up a list that prioritizes:
- objects you wouldn't be able to see at your normal site because of obstructions
- faint objects that are at the limit of your scope, and beyond it at your normal site
- one or two favourites that you can compare with their appearance back home

Have you seen this thread that discusses planning? I put in some links to resources half way down.

[Pixies]

The first 2 targets I ever observed. Both are well placed and some of the easiest DSOs to find.

• M57 - the Ring Nebula
• M13 - the Great Cluster in Hercules

Both are pretty easy to find via star-hopping.  What chart/app are you using?

M57 probably the easiest. When looking for it in a low powered eyepiece, it will just appear to be a fuzzy star you can't focus on. Use higher power (the 8mm will be perfect) and its nature becomes obvious. It was a real wow moment for me.

M13 - if you have binoculars, scan the location first. It should be visible easily in 10x bins.

[Broadymike]

Im still really new to astronomy myself. The weather hasn't been great for me since I started so my time has been limited at the EP. So far I have found these to be quite good DSO targets as they are all fairly high in the sky and have nice easy star hops to locate them. 

M31 I use the andromeda constellation and cassiopea as guide stars and I can now find it with ease. 

M81/82 for these you use the handle of the plough to locate them. What's nice here is that you can get both galaxies in the same view. M81 you see the full shape of the galaxy M82 you see side on so its quite interesting. Your dob should see much better than my 4.5" at f8. 

Finally M57 is a really nice target. You'll find it between the 2 stars furthest from Vega in the parallelogram of the constellation Lyra. Again I've struggled a little with this due to my higher focal ratio, smaller aperture and lack of astronomical darkness, but you should be fine. 

These I have managed to locate and observe from my home bortle 5 skies. By going to somewhere like exmoor you should have a much easier time locating DSOs due to far darker skies. One thing I do know though is that weirdly it can be a little harder to just locate the main constellations due to there being so many more visible stars at a dark sky sight. It's always blown my mind looking up at the stars when I've been wild camping because there is so much more you can see. 

Good luck on your trip and be sure to let us all know how you got on. 

[Xgaze]

Thank you all for your replies.

I left on Friday afternoon and so, frustratingly i was unable to read any posts until now! No phone reception but luckily, Stellarium was working on GPS!

I'm going to attempt a proper report in the section but can confirm;  it was a spectacular two nights viewing!! Mind truly blown, stimulated and a huge amount of processing and learning.

I managed to see some of the objects advised in your replies including some DSO's. Although, a few mentioned by you all i did not see and have noted for the next, highly anticipated session! So, thanks again!

Some successes:

M13

NGC 869/884,

M81 Bodes

M51 whirlpool did not expect these!!

Also Andromeda (okay, no detail but WOW!)

As well as.a few other objects...

I now feel I've begun learning so much, supprised myself and am completely excited and enthused!

Much appreciated,

T

 

[Chefgage]

On 16/07/2021 at 13:53, Zermelo said:

From today we have the return of full astro darkness in the middle of the night, 

The advantage of living down south For me who is further north I will have to wait a lot longer for astronomical darkness to return.

Edited July 19, 2021 by Chefgage

[Zermelo]

4 hours ago, Chefgage said:

The advantage of living down south For me who is further north I will have to wait a lot longer for astronomical darkness to return.

Apologies, that was sloppy of me.🤦‍♂️  I saw OP was in the same county as me and mis-spoke.

I hope those of us in the UK can all at least share in the good weather that's still forecast  😀

[Chefgage]

25 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

Apologies, that was sloppy of me.🤦‍♂️  I saw OP was in the same county as me and mis-spoke.

I hope those of us in the UK can all at least share in the good weather that's still forecast  😀

No apologie needed I am just jealous that you have astronomical darkness before me.