Kelling and the night of the big dobs

[RobertI]

After many years of observing mainly on my own, I was finally able to spend four nights camping at the Kelling Heath Star Camp. I was lucky enough to find myself in a nice quiet corner of red field with some lovely guys, Mick, Ian and Alan, with big dobs (16” - 20”) who were more than happy to share and chat. After torrential rain and wind on the first night I was treated to a wonderful clear sky on the second and fourth nights, and had some amazing views through those dobs. Here are some highlights:

• The Crescent Nebula has been nothing more than a smudge in my various scopes so I was keen to see what it was like in a large dob. I was not disappointed. In Ian’s 20” with an Ethos eyepiece, the nebula was huge and almost like a photograph, arching across the field of view and giving up plenty of detail. Stunning. 
• M2 and M3 were, again, like photos, showing good resolution to the core extremely bright.
• I’ve never seen the Horsehead Nebula but Mick managed to track it down with an Hb filter in his 16”. I’ve heard it described as a ‘notch’ - well through this scope it was more like a huge gouge! I could clearly see a large semi-circular hole in some very faint nebulosity, no horsehead shape was visible (in really dark skies Mick has seen the shape). A wonderful first sight of this elusive object.
• I’ve also never clearly seen spiral arms in galaxies, so M33 was a treat in the 16”. The spiral arms were clearly visible giving an S shape, and hints of dark lanes were visible. There was also two very noticeable star forming regions on opposite sides, each one brighter than M33 itself looks in my scopes!
• M27 was large and detailed with the magnitude 14 central star easily seen.
• The Cocoon was probably the most challenging being just a faint smudge, although conditions were not so go at that point. 
• Caroline’s Rose looked rich and beautiful through Alan’s 17.5”. 

I also had some fantastic views through my 102ED and C8, the 102ED in particular impressing my new astronomy pals. Highlights included:

• Jupiter, GRS and Io shadow transit
• Veil complex and North America - both fully visible in the 4 degree view of the refractor.
• M27 was incredibly bright and responded well to an OIII filter
• M81 (looked amazing through the C8) and M82
• Crescent neb was the usual smudge 
• NGC2403 - lovely galaxy with a star each end
• NGC891 - faintish edge on galaxy but no black band was visible
• NGC7331 - small galaxy, I felt I could almost see some spiral structure in the good conditions 

The binoculars were a revelation as always - the Pleiades were stunning and Andromeda was just massive stretching across much of the binocular’s 7 degree field of view. 

All in all, I felt very lucky with the conditions and my neighbours and I throughly enjoyed my four day stay in the tent. I was privileged to look through their scopes and I hope I returned the favour with some nice wide field views through my 102ED.  I’ll definitely be returning next year. 

Edited October 17, 2023 by RobertI

[John]

Great report Rob 👍

Reminds us of the wonders that are up there if only the cloud cover would shift !

I had the pleasure of observing through a couple of 20 inch dobs at SGL star parties a few years back and the views of targets such as M51 and M13 are still etched in my memory 😁

[josefk]

Those big scope descriptions sound tantalising Rob and you didn't have to put the scopes up or take them down either. Win win.

I remember my first time mountain biking in the Alps; it ruined me for mountain biking in the peak district for months afterwards as the peak suffered in the comparison. I would be worried a night observing through a scope bigger than i could imagine owning could pose the same threat but still what you have described sounds worth it. 👍

Edited October 18, 2023 by josefk

[RobertI]

15 hours ago, John said:

Great report Rob 👍

Reminds us of the wonders that are up there if only the cloud cover would shift !

I had the pleasure of observing through a couple of 20 inch dobs at SGL star parties a few years back and the views of targets such as M51 and M13 are still etched in my memory 😁

Thanks John, as you say the views are so memorable, I’ll not forget the Crescent, which was the first object I saw through a big dob. I think it’s much more of an experience when you are already familiar with an object through lesser scopes, and then see it ‘revealed’ in a large aperture.

5 hours ago, josefk said:

Those big scope descriptions sound tantalising Rob and you didn't have to put the scopes up or take them down either. Win win.

I remember my first time mountain biking in the Alps; it ruined me for mountain biking in the peak district for months afterwards as the peak suffered in the comparison. I would be worried a night observing through a scope bigger than i could imagine owning could pose the same threat but still what you have described sounds worth it. 👍

Yes, I have to say I did think briefly about what it would be like to own a big dob, but given the trouble I had pitching my tent, I think erecting a huge dob is probably a step too far! What it has done though, is made me question the value of a getting a 12” dob, which was my original plan - it just doesn’t seem that big any more! I guess I will need to look through one next time out and see what 12” can do.

I still got huge enjoyment from looking through my 4” refractor though - the rich star fields and open clusters of Cygnus, Perseus, Cassiopeia and Auriga were just stunning under dark skies. Things might be a bit different in spring galaxy season though. 

[SwiMatt]

Me in the first part: "nooooo you're giving me aperture fever!"

But you made me feel better in the second part

Awesome report, thanks for sharing!

[RobertI]

Interestingly, the owner of the big 20” dob, was spending his time trying to track down some of the very faintest Abell planetary nebulae. So it doesn’t matter what sized scope you have, visual astronomers seems determined to spend their time squinting at faint fuzzy things. 🙂

[Saganite]

Great report Rob of a cracking time at Kelling. I remember seeing the Cat's Eye Nebula through my frends 20" Dob at Kelling a few years ago,the blue colour being so strong I doubt I will ever forget. A scope of that aperture does make you realise what you miss with much smaller instruments.

Steve

[Saganite]

5 minutes ago, RobertI said:

Interestingly, the owner of the big 20” dob, was spending his time trying to track down some of the very faintest Abell planetary nebulae. So it doesn’t matter what sized scope you have, visual astronomers seems determined to spend their time squinting at faint fuzzy things. 🙂

Absolutely true. I get a real kick out of finding barely visible grey smudges with peashooters....

Edited October 18, 2023 by Saganite

[Beulah]

2 hours ago, RobertI said:

 

Yes, I have to say I did think briefly about what it would be like to own a big dob, but given the trouble I had pitching my tent, I think erecting a huge dob is probably a step too far! What it has done though, is made me question the value of a getting a 12” dob, which was my original plan - it just doesn’t seem that big any more! I guess I will need to look through one next time out and see what 12” can do.

 

You won't regret upgrading to a 12 inch dob. Plenty of aperture with relatively easy portability compared to a 16 incher. Two secrets to teasing out great details in DSOs are: Dark skies and a trained observer's eye that comes from plenty of experience at the eyepiece. Anything larger and portability, collimation and weight may become a problem. In addition to needing a step ladder depending on focal length or the observer's height.

 

Aperture fever isn't a rational disease though... 😁

[Zermelo]

6 hours ago, RobertI said:

made me question the value of a getting a 12” dob, which was my original plan - it just doesn’t seem that big any more!

Aperture fever strikes again.

It sounds like a marvellous experience, Rob.  Did you see much colour in the dobs?

[RobertI]

4 hours ago, Beulah said:

You won't regret upgrading to a 12 inch dob. Plenty of aperture with relatively easy portability compared to a 16 incher. Two secrets to teasing out great details in DSOs are: Dark skies and a trained observer's eye that comes from plenty of experience at the eyepiece. Anything larger and portability, collimation and weight may become a problem. In addition to needing a step ladder depending on focal length or the observer's height.

 

Aperture fever isn't a rational disease though... 😁

Ah, the dark skies! Yes, that is another conundrum - I would need to travel for dark skies, but I don’t think I would have room for a 12” dob, even a collapsible one, plus all my camping gear in my current car. I have been thinking about hiring a 12” dob for a month to see how I get on with it from my back garden - assuming I get some clear nights……

1 hour ago, Zermelo said:

Aperture fever strikes again.

It sounds like a marvellous experience, Rob.  Did you see much colour in the dobs?

I didn’t see any colour that I can recall - I’m not sure many of the objects would have shown colour though, and most of the nebulae were through filter. I should have asked to see M42 - don’t why I didn’t! 

[scarp15]

Great report and descriptive insight into encountering looking through a desirable selection of large aperture dobs. Personally that's probably the best solution, particularly if you have a smaller vehicle. Combined with set up time etc, perhaps something like a 10" dob conveniently transported across the backseat, with an ease of set-up is a good way to become incentivised to venture to darker skies and that will still, in that circumstance, reveal a lot.    

[Whistlin Bob]

Wonderful report, nights like that  are so few and far between, but the memories last forever!

[badhex]

Great report, glad you managed to get some clear nights. I have never looked through anything larger than a 12", but the sight of M13 through it will live with me forever!