Please forgive me let me view

[Dibp]

Hello All

I have only had my scope for 6 months and could really do with some help 

I have a C5 F10 and have just bought an Hyperion 24mm eyepiece. I also have a 7mm Luminous which I really like along with a Celestron 2x barlow

I have been having an amazing time with Jupiter and the moon but it is now not a great time for planetary viewing.

Could you please advise on what to observe in the next few months?

Open to all suggestions on what to hunt for until the planets come back that may keep me wanting to take my little scope out.

I live in Hoddesdon in Herts with pretty bad viewing as in the middle of a housing estate. Small garden with South views but oh my word I am loving my little scope and now so eager to explore. I understand the scope has limitations so eager for any suggestions.

[Ags]

The Moon is always worth a look! Another thing to chase down are double stars, they are good regardless of light pollution.

[Dibp]

4 minutes ago, Ags said:

The Moon is always worth a look! Another thing to chase down are double stars, they are good regardless of light pollution.

Any pointers on double stars?

I have accidentally separated out a few but could really do with some pointers.

The scope is part of a dx5 package with starsense included but I really haven’t used the starsense as not needed with planets and The Moon

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @Dibp and welcome to SGL. 

If you have not done so already, then download Stellarium. The PC/laptop versions are free. Smartphone/tablet versions are paid for. I use Stellarium on my PC and laptops and SkySafari on my iPhone and iPad.

Also lets you see beyond or through the clouds in ‘real’ time… or in the past and future.

[Elp]

Try the book "Turn left at Orion".

[Dibp]

2 minutes ago, RT65CB-SWL said:

Hi @Dibp and welcome to SGL. 

If you have not done so already, then download Stellarium. The PC/laptop versions are free. Smartphone/tablet versions are paid for. I use Stellarium on my PC and laptops and SkySafari on my iPhone and iPad.

Also lets you see beyond or through the clouds in ‘real’ time… or in the past and future.

Thanks RT6

I will definitely do this immediately 

Dib

[Dibp]

3 minutes ago, Elp said:

Try the book "Turn left at Orion".

Thank you!

[DAT]

Another vote for "Turn left at Orion". The various apps are great but  would highly recommend a planisphere. With this and the book, you can literally walk outside, identify the visible constellations, and then search for targets within them. The advantage over an app of doing it this way is you tend to remember the "layout" of things and can then find targets unaided. That particular book, (and  others), together with the planisphere, help to identify things according to the season and time

[M40]

9 hours ago, Dibp said:

Thanks RT6

I will definitely do this immediately 

Dib

+1 for stellarium. In stellarium, you can input your telescope info and it will overlay the field of view on your target so you will have an idea of scale. You will find a magnifying glass symbol on the screen, select that, then browse, object type, star, then double stars and you are off and running. Look up the info on the type of binary star as some, like a spectroscopic binary, you will see as a single star only. Give M13 a go, that could be an interesting target for you. All the best.

[Dibp]

26 minutes ago, M40 said:

+1 for stellarium. In stellarium, you can input your telescope info and it will overlay the field of view on your target so you will have an idea of scale. You will find a magnifying glass symbol on the screen, select that, then browse, object type, star, then double stars and you are off and running. Look up the info on the type of binary star as some, like a spectroscopic binary, you will see as a single star only. Give M13 a go, that could be an interesting target for you. All the best.

Thanks for this 

Will be ignoring the family for a few hours later on today I feel!

[dweller25]

Coming soon, The Moon, Hesiodus crater ray phenomenon, May 28th….
 

 

[Cosmic Geoff]

12 hours ago, Dibp said:

Open to all suggestions on what to hunt for until the planets come back that may keep me wanting to take my little scope out.

Double stars, or globular clusters, or the brighter planetary nebulae.

Your Nexstar handset should contain lists of some of these objects.

There is no shortage of 'what to view' guides online.

[Gfamily]

When using the handset, there should be a 'Constellation' option, when you've identified which constellations are good for viewing, the option will list suitable targets.

If you download the Sky Safari App on a phone or tablet, there is a similar 'Tonight's Best' options that identifies what's visible that night from your location.

[Dibp]

5 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

Double stars, or globular clusters, or the brighter planetary nebulae.

Your Nexstar handset should contain lists of some of these objects.

There is no shortage of 'what to view' guides online.

I don’t actually have Nexstar as it is the dx version. And I am really enjoying star hopping more than the star sense push to. I can compare it to using sat nav as opposed to a road map. I just seem to be getting more out of the hobby with the maps 

[RT65CB-SWL]

If you have a smartphone or small tablet, then ‘AstroHopper’ is a web-based tracker. It is written by SGL’er @Artik

Honourable mentions of other apps that I use are:
‘StarHopPro’ by SGL’er @Kevdog
‘PushToCam’ (sorry, I cannot remember the author).

I have them installed on my iPhone.

Edited April 22 by RT65CB-SWL

[Stephen196360]

Hiya mate

First thing I'd do is download a good live stellarium app

Then see what's available 

I hope this helps 

[dweller25]

The International Space Station is a naked eye object and passes over the UK regularly.

I use an app called “ISS SPOTTER” to predict it’s position, “Stellarium” can be used too.

[wookie1965]

111 Objects for Light Polluted Skies.pdf

[Dibp]

9 hours ago, dweller25 said:

The International Space Station is a naked eye object and passes over the UK regularly.

I use an app called “ISS SPOTTER” to predict it’s position, “Stellarium” can be used too.

Oh wow

Had not even considered the ISS!

will my 5 inch SCT show any detail at all?

[dweller25]

6 minutes ago, Dibp said:

Oh wow

Had not even considered the ISS!

will my 5 inch SCT show any detail at all?

Yes, if you can track it fast enough - it moves very quickly, but @Kon manages it with a dobsonian…….

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/418411-first-international-space-station-for-2024-260124/#comment-4453699

 

Edited April 22 by dweller25

[Kon]

1 hour ago, dweller25 said:

Yes, if you can track it fast enough - it moves very quickly, but @Kon manages it with a dobsonian…….

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/418411-first-international-space-station-for-2024-260124/#comment-4453699

 

To be honest I have never seen it through an eyepiece, guilty I know, as my efforts have been on imaging it; my only live view is through the finderscope and you can make the panels. I think @PeterStudzhas seen it through an 8" with manual tracking.

[Dibp]

2 hours ago, Kon said:

To be honest I have never seen it through an eyepiece, guilty I know, as my efforts have been on imaging it; my only live view is through the finderscope and you can make the panels. I think @PeterStudzhas seen it through an 8" with manual tracking.

I have just had a look at the images. Absolutely speechless. I would never have imagined that was even possible. I have so much to learn. Thank you

[PeterStudz]

11 hours ago, Dibp said:

I have just had a look at the images. Absolutely speechless. I would never have imagined that was even possible. I have so much to learn. Thank you

@Kon ISS images are amazing. And I didn’t think it was possible, even more so with the equipment used. Whatever your level of experience there’s always so much to lean. One reason why it’s such a great hobby.

After seeing these I did have a go at tracking the ISS manually, with my 8” Dob, with a view to trying a mobile phone capture. I never (or haven’t yet) got around to attempting a capture, but I could see the ISS in a low power eyepiece - I could just make-out a shape of something, but it’s bright and fast. Visually theres a lot of “wobble” too.

As for something else to view in a light polluted area (I’m in one too), there’s always our nearest star. And we are approaching solar maximum too. I made a white light filter without much expense using a sheet of Baader AstroSolar Safety Film and some cardboard. In the last couple of summers we’ve had a lot of fun viewing the sun, sometimes while out having a BBQ. 

Which reminds me. There’s then the possibility of an ISS transit of the Sun, or even the moon (which @Kon has done). I managed one of the sun and captured it using my mobile phone. There are websites that calculate transit times for your location. Of course it’s not an everyday occurrence and you need a fist full of luck! Some info in the link below, which explains things a bit. I’ve attached a little animated GIF so you can see how fast the ISS moves!

 

 

Edited April 23 by PeterStudz