Success with the Trapezium - at last!!

[Mark at Beaufort]

I have tried to view stars E and F of the Trapezium with both my 4" APO and 6" Meade frac without success. Well tonight I set up the 10" Flextube Dob complete with my DIY neoprene light shroud and large neoprene dew shield. The quality of the views through the 8mm and 13mm Ethos were excellent and yes I could see both E and F.

Before the Moon became too high I also checked out Mars plus M1 and M81/M82. Also checked the collimation by viewing Castor and Beta Monoceros - very sharp views.

So success at last.

Mark

[Doc]

Hooray.....

Well done that man, I'm really pleased you caught these at last.

What did you think of them?

[yeti monster]

Good show. I've seen Trap E with my 114mm newt, although at first I though it was my eye playing tricks in the cold.

Once I get more aperture I'll be hunting F.

[John]

Well done Mark !

Tricky little blighters arn't they ?

I've found that you need to get the magnfication just "right" to pick them out - enough to separate them but also keeping the A and C stars tightly defined.

[kniclander]

woo hoo dobs rule!!

[Mark at Beaufort]

Well as the saying goes 'big is better'. What I should have done is to have the 6" frac and the Dob side by side to compare. Certainly star E was better and I could see it with the 13mm Ethos - 92x. Star F needed more mag but it was there.

The Dob was well collimated with the HoTech laser but I think for double stars the image through a frac is sharper - thats if you can see the double in the first place!!

Mark

[Doc]

I agree completely Refractors are much better on double stars.

[Beulah]

Can anyone tell me where these E and F stars are?

I haven't had stable enough skies to see them!!

[arad85]

The Trapezium, Theta Orionis

[Beulah]

Excellent, thanks.

Didn't realise they were so "close" to the Trapezium itself.

During the more stable skies, I have almost seen the E star - appearing to be attached to it's neighbour star but being quite unable to split it due to atmospheric conditions.

Thanks again!

[David Pavlich]

I struggled with the F star until I installed a C14. Even with a 35 Panoptic, the F star becomes easily seen. Ya' gotta' love aperture!

David

[Beulah]

There was a lovely still night a couple of days ago - and I was able to see E and F Stars in the Trapezium with my 8" reflector.

[Mark at Beaufort]

I know the feeling from the other night. After months of failing to see stars E and F they were so clear in the 10" Dob. Well done seeing them in an 8" Newt.

Mark

[Iris]

LOL Moi Aussi - I have been forlornly chasing the little blighters since I got my 8" SCT then the other night when I finally managed to get to a dark site E popped out even with the 40mm and F popped out when I put on the 18mm

Given the amount of time I have spent on trying to pin them down of late I was well chuffed!

[acey]

I noticed E the other night in poor seeing, viewing with a 6mm TMB Planetary and 12-inch dob. I'd never tried looking for E or F in the past - will have a go at F next time. The nebula itself was the more arresting sight - one of the finest views I've ever had, reminiscent of terrestrial clouds with various shades of blue giving a 3D effect - quite mesmerising.