Star hopping advice?

[Manok101]

I've been getting kind of frustrated lately with star hopping, if only because there are more stars visible through the scope than with the binocs. I'm never quite sure if I've found the star I am looking for or not, especially if it's not one of the bright ones, or if through the scope there are two that look similar.

[brantuk]

Hi Manok - yes this can be a problem for me too sometimes. It's really a question of becoming familiar in detail with the area of sky you are looking at. Two things that may help you would be a Telrad and a Star Guide/map.

If your object is near something familiar (e.g. a Messier object or constellation alpha star) that would offer a useful launch point for refining your hops.

[brantuk]

Alternatively you could get co-ordinates from Stellarium or Cartes du Ciel and use setting circles or (dare I say) "goto" lol

[Manok101]

Is the telrad a laser? If so I feel highly uncomfortable using one living so very close to the airport, and with fair amount of airplanes.

[brantuk]

Nope - just a reticle projected on a glass plate. No laser involved - dob users swear by them

Telrad Red Dot Finder

Used with a star chart you see exactly whats on the chart in the sky.

[perrin6]

1. On the map I look for formations of stars near the object I'm looking for. (most commonly a triangle)

2. Using the side of the triangle that is nearest to pointing at the object I work out how many lengths of the triangles side it is to the object.

* *

* obj.

The object is about 1.5 times the upper length of the triangle from the

star which is nearest and about 30 degrees off that line.

3. I find the triangle in the finder and position the scope where the object is estimated to be.

4. If I still cant find it, I go back to the map (I use REDSHIFT 4) and repeat the process on a smaller scale ie not on the finderscope scale but a low-power eyepiece view.

For the above method to work you have to bear in mind what magnitude the triangle's stars are so that you have an idea how bright they will be in the finderscope or main telescope view. Finderscopes generally show stars down to about magnitude 8.

[perrin6]

Oh dear - the diagram I 'drew' didnt come out right as the spaces between the asterisks were removed !

[Moonshane]

don't forget that if you are using a straight finder, the view will generally be upside down and reversed left / right. very confusing for me and the reason I converted to right angled finders which show things how they look to my pea sized brain. trouble is I then look in my newt and everything's upside down so I have to remember to turn my map the right (wrong) way.

[Moonshane]

ps, I totally agree with the Telrad. this along with a right angled finder and wide field EP made the difference between a long time struggling to find things to getting to the point where it's almost always in the EP, even at decent magnification.

[Geno]

Another thumbs up for the Telrad. I find the object in Stellarium then visualise a triangle from two stars that I can see and the 3rd point of the triangle being the object. I then line up the Telrad roughly at this point. If the object isn't there in the wide field EP I just check with Stellarium or a star chart and refine the angles I have used to get to the point.