Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

First Night Viewing!

Camkorn

By Camkorn
in Observing - with Binoculars

Recommended Posts

Camkorn

Camkorn

Posted
Posted

Ohhhh I am so excited with my new (and first) pair of Bins. Being totally new to astronomy I have decided to start out with a pair of Bins, yesterday my other half bought me a pair at an auction. (Hummel 10 x 50 - quite cheap at £50)

I have just been using them this evening and think I have identified the double star Arcturus - I realise this is probs a really obvious one but I was really pleased! Also just been viewing the moon and was amazed at the rough craggy texture I could see through the bins - and of course had a look at Jupiter! It's a shame that there is cloud cover tonight but all together I am 'over the moon' with my first star-gazing night!

Just wanted to say thanks to the people who gave me advice last week about the type of bins to get.

Clare.

x

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 28
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Camkorn

Camkorn

Posted
  • Author
Posted

it's pretty murky out there tonight but I was truly amazed at how bright jupiter is, I knew what it was because I have the 'Starry Night' software - otherwise I wouldn;t have a clue what I was looking at! There is a lot to learn! ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Talitha

Talitha

Posted
Posted

Congratulations Clare, well done! :) Your enthusiasm's wonderful, have you begun a logbook yet? It's a great way to keep track of what you're learning, and you get to re-live all of your adventures every time you go back and read the entries.

Btw, i think you'd get a kick out of an open cluster in Vulpecula called The Coathanger (it really does look like one, lol). The designation is Collinder 399 but it might be listed as 'Cr 399'. All the stars are bright, and it's easily seen through binos. Hope your skies are nice and clear for a while. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Camkorn

Camkorn

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks to you all for your encouragement! I am looking forward to sunset tonight! will deffo have a look for the coat hanger - I have identified where it is using this wonderful software! It sounds like a great idea to keep a log book of some sort - thanks for your advice.

Clare.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JamesK

JamesK

Posted
Posted

Welcome to SGL. Nice read and congratulations on your first session. I have to start a logbook myslf, to be honest. Good luck and well done on finding the coathanger, something I have not got round to myself, partly due to the cloudy skies over Wigan... but hey, tonight looks good!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
bish

bish

Posted
Posted

Bins are great. I find them much easier to locate objects than the scope. I wouldn't be without my scope but on balance use my bins more. They are the best way to start I believe. I would also like to get a big pair that I can just throw in the boot to go camping with a tripod rather than the full scope set up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mike.brightmore

mike.brightmore

Posted
Posted

BTW Arcturus is the bright slightly reddish star which the handle of the Plough 'arcs' down to. It isn't a double star so I'm not quite sure which double you saw. If you want to see a beautiful double with nice colours try Albireo in Cygnus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vhbelvadi

vhbelvadi

Posted
Posted
Congratulations Clare, well done! :) Your enthusiasm's wonderful, have you begun a logbook yet? It's a great way to keep track of what you're learning, and you get to re-live all of your adventures every time you go back and read the entries.

Btw, i think you'd get a kick out of an open cluster in Vulpecula called The Coathanger (it really does look like one, lol). The designation is Collinder 399 but it might be listed as 'Cr 399'. All the stars are bright, and it's easily seen through binos. Hope your skies are nice and clear for a while. :p

What's the format of a log book? Or an example of a log-book format, at least. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mdstuart

mdstuart

Posted
Posted

Try Jupiter again and if you can get the binos rested on a tripod or a wall etc you should just be able to see the little moons either side of the planet. They look like little stars.

I would try for the bright globular clusters next. Try M13 in Hercules and then M3 above your star arcturus and finally M15 in Pegasus. Work out where they are on stellarium or other software first. It is not easy but go slow and be patient and you will find them. They look like little fuzzy patches in my binos. When you find one just ponder you are looking at a ball of old stars about half a million of them hanging in a ball going around our galaxy...

Enjoy...

Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Talitha

Talitha

Posted
Posted

Just thought of another target you might like, Clare.. Kemble's Cascade in Camelopardalis. It's a beautiful chain of stars about 5 Full Moon widths long, which extends to the (celestial) NW from NGC 1502. The best time to see it is in November, but this time of year it should be do-able as soon as Capella is about ten degrees above your NE horizon (approximately the width of a clenched fist).

Use Capella (in Auriga) and Mirfak (in Perseus) as your springboards... they're about 20° apart. Imagine a line connecting the two stars, and slowly scan the distance between them while working your way up towards Polaris. Kemble's Cascade is closer to the Mirfak end of the sweep, about 13° north of the imaginary line. If there's light pollution to your NE, it might be best to wait till this coming weekend when there won't be any lunar interference adding to the skywash. :)

(Mark, we must have been writing at about the same time. :) )

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Camkorn

Camkorn

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks so much Talitha and Mark for your suggestions on things to look for!!:) You are keeping me really interested! I must admit I do enjoy just having a look in my bins but it is nice to have a goal too.

Last night I was out the front of our house looking for Persieds I happened to find Pleiades at the same time which really blew me away as it was so lovely and bright even though we have hideous light pollution. God knows what our neighbours must think - I was out there in my hoody with my bins, eatting sandwiches and drinking tea until 2am. It was bliss :-)

I will make a note of everything you have both mentioned and will have a good search the next clear night we get (blasted clouds tonight!)

Clare.

p.s Mark is that the 250px dob in your picture? It looks massive! I am saving up for one of those at the moment so would be very interested to hear your opinion of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Talyn

Talyn

Posted
Posted

I use my 8x42 binoculars a lot for observing. Binoculars are vastly underrated and the ultimate 'grab and go scope'; it's only since I was without a scope for a while that I began to appreciate them as an observing tool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.