Trapezium?

[BrownClaw]

I've been fascinated by the Orion Neb since I got my scope, and have been enjoying views of 3 of the 4 stars that form the Trapezium...or so I thought.

I have a Skywatcher 130p (5" AP) and have been viewing it through a 15mm Plossl lens, but all the notes I've seen online about the Trapezium are telling me that I *shouldn't* be able to see it so easily...

Being unable to take images (so far - hopefully that'll change after Santa's visit!), I'm unable to show you the stars which I'm seeing; suffice it to say that the stars I'm referring to are middle-to-bottom left in the nebula, with 3 or 4 other brighter stars in the upper right (upside down in my reflector). The stars I believe to be the Trap are VERY close together (sometimes I can only clearly see the 'top' two).

Do you think I'm fooling myself, or have I been lucky so far?

[Doc]

Seeing more then 4 stars in the Trapezium has alot to do with seeing conditions. Your 5" scope should easily detect 4 stars and maybe a hint of the fifth one.

Does this drawing look like what you saw.

[pvaz]

That's the trapezium. The 4 stars you see should be visible on your scope. They have letters as names from A to D. There are more stars there but they are vary faint and for those you need more aperture.

EDIT: Ops, doc beet me to it!

[BrownClaw]

Seeing more then 4 stars in the Trapezium has alot to do with seeing conditions. Your 5" scope should easily detect 4 stars and maybe a hint of the fifth one.

Does this drawing look like what you saw.

Yes, only mine was a LOT smaller lol. The three stars I can see are the top two and the one on the bottom right...although the bottom right one is sometimes a little tricky. I think I've seen all four ONCE, when it was about 2am and high in the winter sky.

So it IS the Trapezium then, and not wishful thinking

EDIT - Yep, B would be the tricky one for me!

[BrownClaw]

Thanks both, I wish there were a 'Thank Poster' button on the forum

[John]

The 4 main stars in the Trapezium (A, B C and D) are a lovely grouping embedded seemingly in the heart of the nebula. They are easily visible in small scopes at medium maginifcations - I've seen them with my 60mm refractor often. The much fainter E and F stars are much more challenging because they are faint (10th magnitude) and because of the close proximity of the much brighter A and C stars. You need a well collimated scope, good seeing, dark skies and the "right" magnficiation (ie: not too little and not too much) to pick them out. I saw them a few nights ago with my 5" refractor as very faint pin pricks of light.

It may be reports of these dimmer, much more challenging, componants of the Trapezium that are leading you to doubt that you are seeing the main 4 stars ?

John

[BrownClaw]

It may be reports of these dimmer, much more challenging, componants of the Trapezium that are leading you to doubt that you are seeing the main 4 stars ?

John

Yeah perhaps; I kind of assumed that because they'd referred to the Trapezium, they were just referring to the four constituent stars though. I think the article that claimed it was a toughie was in last months Astronomy magazine; I shall have to dig it out and write a letter to the editor

[yeti monster]

I've been able to make out the 4 main stars very easily with 114mm frac. I even managed "E" the other night when seeing was chrystal clear. Perhaps your 130 needs collimating to bring out "D & E" etc.

[legion48]

I've been fascinated by the Orion Neb since I got my scope, and have been enjoying views of 3 of the 4 stars that form the Trapezium...or so I thought.

I have a Skywatcher 130p (5" AP) and have been viewing it through a 15mm Plossl lens, but all the notes I've seen online about the Trapezium are telling me that I *shouldn't* be able to see it so easily...

Being unable to take images (so far - hopefully that'll change after Santa's visit!), I'm unable to show you the stars which I'm seeing; suffice it to say that the stars I'm referring to are middle-to-bottom left in the nebula, with 3 or 4 other brighter stars in the upper right (upside down in my reflector). The stars I believe to be the Trap are VERY close together (sometimes I can only clearly see the 'top' two).

Do you think I'm fooling myself, or have I been lucky so far?

I you like the Trapezium, you'll love Sigma Orionis and Struve 761. Sigma is a 5 star multiple and Struve 761 is a 3 star system. The great thing is that they are both observable in the same field of view.

[BrownClaw]

Nice one, thanks Legion! I'll check em out