Bode’s Nebulae

[Richard N]

A favourite target of mine (visual) for judging sky quality is Bode’s Nebula (BN). If I’m out and about with a manual mount I can normally find it quite easily with a laser pointer on the scope. I’m at a Star Party where laser pointers are not welcome so I have been star hopping to it. This has proved to be challenging. What’s your best tips for finding this lovely pair of galaxies?

[RobertI]

I was out last night and I found it by going to roughly the right area of sky with a low power eyepiece and sweeping back and forth and up and down - fortunately it was bright enough to be easily spotted within twenty seconds or so, helped by being a pair. Not always so easy in dodgy conditions though. I’m sure there are better ways! The Starsense app/device has made my life so much better, but was not using last night and I missed it. 

[PeterStudz]

I find my 8x42 binoculars useful and easier to star hop to the likes of M81. Then recreate my binocular star hop using the telescopes finder. 

Although these days I often use my phone strapped to the OTA and a PushTo feature in an app called PS Align Pro. 

[John]

I find this star hop works well for the Messier 81 & 82 pair:

I seem to recall that @Stu put me onto that one 🙂

 

 

[vlaiv]

I use similar approach to @John above, except for using "shortcut" - which works with scopes with shorter FL and wider field views:

(although with a bit of searching around in spiral pattern, I've used this approach even on 12" dobs)

[John]

13 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

I use similar approach to @John above, except for using "shortcut" - which works with scopes with shorter FL and wider field views:

(although with a bit of searching around in spiral pattern, I've used this approach even on 12" dobs)

That is the route I used to use. I've found the "@Stu" way works more consistently but that's probably just me 🙂

There can be a little "pressure" at star parties and out reach events with folks standing around while you pan around - targets that are usually easy on your own can become annoyingly elusive 🙄

[vlaiv]

8 minutes ago, John said:

I've found the "@Stu" way works more consistently but that's probably just me 

When you do star hopping like that - how do you make transition from 23 Uma to triangle? Do you use optical finder or wide field EP and how do you judge the angle at which "to turn"?

[PeterStudz]

I use @vlaiv approach. Although if in a new area of sky (say a darker site than my back garden) the increase/difference in number of stars has confused me. Which is one reason I try with binoculars first.

[John]

14 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

When you do star hopping like that - how do you make transition from 23 Uma to triangle? Do you use optical finder or wide field EP and how do you judge the angle at which "to turn"?

Usually I'm using an optical RACI finder. 

[bosun21]

I'm afraid it's go to mounts for me every time. I told you I was lazy. When I do use my one non go to mount I can still find it relatively easy though using the method @vlaiv showed. 

[Nyctimene]

5 hours ago, vlaiv said:

When you do star hopping like that - how do you make transition from 23 Uma to triangle?

I'm using this approach like John, but start from Upsilon (29) UMa. Upsilon and 23 (h) UMa are slightly parallel to the Merak - Dubhe line (which itself is in the same way "parallel" to the Phecda - Megrez line) and in the same distance from it, as the Merak - Phecda distance is. These three lines appear to me as a row of "ribs" of a gigantic "fan" (it's nonexisting "handle" would, at the moment, be under the horizon) You could also imagine some kind of celestial "three finger salute". The Upsilon - 23 - pair is quite conspicuous even in rather light polluted or moonlit skies. Take the distance between both upwards, and you arrive at the "triangle". Learnt this many years ago from here.

Stephan

Edited Sunday at 15:51 by Nyctimene

[vlaiv]

9 minutes ago, Nyctimene said:

I'm using this approach like John, but start from Upsilon (29) UMa. Upsilon and 23 (h) UMa are slightly parallel to the Merak - Dubhe line (which itself is in the same way "parallel" to the Phecda - Megrez line) and in the same distance from it, as the Merak - Phecda distance is. These three lines appear to me as a row of "ribs" of a gigantic "fan" (it's nonexisting "handle" would, at the moment, be under the horizon). The Upsilon - 23 - pair is quite obvious even in rather light polluted or moonlit skies. Take the distance between both upwards, and you arrive at the "triangle". Learnt this many years ago from here.

Stephan

That makes sense as both 29 UMa and 23 UMa are bright enough - just checked around mag3.6-3.7 and should be fairly easy naked eye in all but worst LP.

[John]

2 hours ago, bosun21 said:

I'm afraid it's go to mounts for me every time. I told you I was lazy. When I do use my one non go to mount I can still find it relatively easy though using the method @vlaiv showed. 

I think I could be classed as lazy because I can't be bothered to rig up a power supply and go through the setup routine that makes a GOTO mount accurately find things !

I just want to dump my scope down and get on with looking at stuff 🙂

I'm one of the very few members of my astro society to do it that way though - a bit of a "dinosaur" I suppose 🙄

Edited Sunday at 17:23 by John

[Sunshine]

Put a starsense phone module on your scope, you won’t regret it. It will revolutionize your sessions.

[Pixies]

I do the same way as John. Found them last night using this method. 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

I don't feel quite so bad now when I've struggled to find it!

I take the distance between Phedca and Merak, align my scope with Merak and move my scope that distance.  then I take the distance between Merak and Dubhe and go up that distance.  I can usually find it with a bit of sweeping then but the 23 uMA, triangle then line is probably a much better way of doing it.  Usually I spot M82 before I spot M81 as it seems like a slightly higher contrast object to me.  I've found it using a 70mm ED, so it's not like it lacks in brightness.

Sometimes I'll try the 'direct' 2x Phecda to Dubhe method that @vlaiv has described above but I've had a bit less luck with that recently.

@John I can absolutely sympathise with your approach.  I have GOTO capability with the gear that I have but I'm using a manual alt-az mount most of the time.  I work in IT so deal with computers all day, every day and at the moment I'm rather enjoying removing as much technology as I can from the hobby.  That's not to say I'm opposed to GOTO or other technological solutions at all but at the moment I'm enjoying the process of slowing down and being methodical.  I feel it gives me a feeling of greater reward when I do find something.

As I'm terrible at finding things, I don't see much in a night though!

Edited Monday at 06:01 by GrumpiusMaximus

[Geoff Lister]

Up until the beginning of this year, I would have used my Skymax 127 Mak., with  Synscan GoTo. Now I tend to use my Dwarf 2 or Seestar S50. Given the speed at which clouds seem to appear, the D2 and S50 get me a "view" on my tablet's screen far sooner than I would with the Mak. I still prefer my 127 mm Mak. or 10" Skyliner Dob. for a real view.

Geoff

[Johnny81]

RACI finders are game changers in my opinion. I have a chunky 9x50. Going back to a narrow-image flipped finder whilst simultaneously breaking your back isn't the way. 

If the target is dim, don't be afraid to star hop in a low power eyepiece as well if you think you're close. Image likely to be reversed in a diagonal but you can follow star patterns in your atlas/app to get to your target. 

[John]

I find Stellarium a very useful tool for star hopping and planning star hops. A star field can easily be flipped in horizontal, vertical or both to replicate the scope view as you move in on a target. I'm sure other digital star charts have this function as well.

 

 

[Richard N]

Thanks for all the tips. The “triangle and line” one looks particularly good. 

[Geoff Lister]

5 hours ago, John said:

I find Stellarium a very useful tool for star hopping and planning star hops. A star field can easily be flipped in horizontal, vertical or both to replicate the scope view as you move in on a target. I'm sure other digital star charts have this function as well.

 

 

+1 for Stellarium, on my PC. By playting with date, time and direction, I can work out the best chance of a good view/image for a particular object; and using the ocular view with my different OTA and eyepiece/sensor combinations, get a preview of what to expect.

Anything going close to the zenith is going to be a problem with my az/alt mounts - either start earlier, or wait until the target is a bit lower. M81 will be due north and 30 degrees altitude at about 22:45 this evening; so my house will be in the way, unless I go towards the bottom of my garden. 05:00 tomorrow morning would be much better, but I need my beauty-sleep.

Geoff

[Jasonb]

Yep, I'm the same as John, that Triangle is the key for me, when I find that I know I'm nearby! I do a lot of my star-hopping using shapes in the sky like that.