getting lost?

[Kit-Fox]

Ok maybe this is just me & my inexperience (especially using a proper telescope) but here goes;

When looking at the sky with just my eyes or with my 10x50 binos I can pick out constellations (well about 4/5, enough to get my bearings) with relative ease, they are easy to see and find.

When I use my finderscope & look up into the same area of sky I can again see the constellation & where I want to be but when I look into my scope I can see so many stars that I cant see with my eyes/binos/finder that I get lost so easy & cant find my way around.

Its annoying as I cant identify what I'm looking at. This is with my OmniXLT150 with a 25mm EP (the one that comes with it)

I do have a planisphere & I take my EEE out with stellarium on it with me usually.

Any clues/advice etc on how not to get lost when looking through my scope?

[starstruk]

Im quite new to this too but what you see through your EP is a very small field of view,you will not see any constellations through it. The image is also upside down(well it is in my scope).

Keep at it,it will get easier

[proflight2000]

Hi Kit, I know it is the same old story, but it is just a case of learn, learn and learn. If you have a look on your star programme you will notice that they normally list the biggest or the brightest, they are normally named in the greek alphabet, i.e (a) alpha ( beta and so on.

The trick is to make sure your viewfinder and your scope are totally at one with each other, so what you point the finder scope at is the same star in the eyepiece. Its practise makes perfect to be honest.

[Capricorn]

Have you asked this previously in the last couple of days?

Sure I have read an identical question, and it was answered.

From what you have said I would guess that you are pointing the scope at a constellation then expecting to see the constellation. I again presume that the finder and scope are aligned.

Constellations will cover a bigger field of view then the scope will display to you. So when viewing through the scope you will just see a part of it. To get a bigger field of view will need a longer focal length eyepiece and it will also depend on the field of view of the scope. But you are not going to get the field of view of the eye.

Another thing is that the eye is selective when you look up, the scope isn't.

My binoculars will not generally show a whole constelleation, actually cannot think of one that would be in the field of view all at once. The pleiadas is about the right size and they are much smaller.

The reason for lots of stars, the scope collects more light then the eye so more stars become visiable. Although this is what you want it makes it all confusing.

[Kit-Fox]

Yeah I know I wont see the constellations, but I cant identify which stars make up the constellations there are just too many.

I suppose having a nice dark backyard wont make it any easier. quite lucky that i'm in an area without too much light pollution.

[Doc]

You need to first make sure your scope and finder is aligned. Then get yourself a star atlas and a red torch.

Point at a bright star which you know say Regulas in Leo. Then by looking at the star atlas (orientate if necessary) you should be able to star hop to your desired target similar to a joining up the dot to dot in a childs cartoon book.

It takes practice but soon you will be able to tell different magnitudes of the stars and how they look in the book compared to the sky.

[Capricorn]

Second comment:

Work out a few things to go find and look at.

As proflight says pick some bright stars, cannot recall if Orion is still fully visible but Betelgeuse and Rigel are part and there is the belt and the nebulae. All in one area.

Orion probably too low now, sorry. May just get Betelgeuse.

Other bright ones: Arcturus in Bootes, Regulus in Leo, Spicia in Virgo (bit low). Several Messier objects sort of left of Regulus along the "base" of Leo.

Try a couple of double stars, Mizar+Alcor in ursa major should always be up there. I have a list somewhere but not at hand. Don't think Alberio is high enough yet.

Recommended Beginner Astronomy Targets - McWiki

Cannot recall what is on the link but worth a look.

[step_hen]

I can recommend thr book "Turn Left at Orion", which gives plenty of easy targets to search for and detailed charts of what to look for in the viewfinder and the eyepeice etc- very useful

Stephen

[MikeP]

Hi KF,

I'm not sure what you are trying to do so apologies if the following does not help.

As you say, picking out the constellations with the naked eye lets you get your bearings. It is then quite easy to use binoculars to look at each of the stars that mark out the shapes.

It is much harder to point a scope at those stars as you have discovered. As was stated earlier, the trick is to align your finder quite carefully - this can be done in daylight by pointing the scope at something distant and then adjusting the finder (there are usually a couple of knobs to twiddle) so that the cross hairs coincide with what is visible through the eyepiece (don't use too much magnification).

Personally, I still find it hard to point the finder at exactly the star I want, so on my dobsonian I also have a red dot finder. The scope can be pointed by looking through the RDF with both eyes open - there is no magnification or image reversal to confuse. Once I'm more or less pointed at what I want, I look through the finder and fine tune and finally look through the eyepiece. Obviously the RDF has to be aligned initially just like the normal finder.

One last point on finders, I use a right angled finder that does not invert the image. It is much more comfortable to use and much less confusing.

Now, to me the stars that outline the constellations are (generally) not very interesting. Some are multiple stars, some are pretty colours, some are variable but unless you have a specific reason for looking at them, it is the deep sky objects that ultimately challenge.

To find these DSOs, you can build on what you have learned from finding the constellations. For example, I've just looked in "Turn Left At Orion" for the description of how to find M44 The Beehive. It basically says .....

Find Castor and Pollux and call the distance from Castor to Pollux one step. Go in this direction a further three steps. Then go up one step - you should be able to see two stars lined up north south. The Beehive is a tiny bit west of the midpoint between these two stars.

This is how I find my way round. If you buy a sky atlas like "Sky & Telescopes Pocket Sky Atlas" you'll find loads of DSOs marked - you'll need to figure out for yourself how to "star hop" to them like the bit in italics above. As an alternative to buying a paper based atlas, you could download a planetarium program like Cartes du Ciel and look at the same things on your screen.

I hope the information above has helped and that I'm not telling you "how to suck eggs".

Mike

[Kit-Fox]

All very useful points folks thanks

no dont worry about teaching me to 'suck eggs' I mean I have the celestron 80ED but I've only really used that to look at the moon rather than trying to find nebulas or specific stars etc.

Just finding the whole learning to star hop bit rather steep, I'm ok till I look into the scope & think 'huh?' cause I cant work out which bit i'm looking at.

I'm thinking I need to get my lazy self down to a local group with my 150 scope so i can get some learn by example tutition going.

looks like i'm gonna have to save for a few more pieces then like the redlight/left turn etc gah my wallet already hates me