FL, M42 (wow)

[Rols]

well got the kit in the garden for the first time tonight and right now i'm made up with the views, had to align manualy as the gps was off by a foot but apart from that it's going great,straight in and found M42 after making sure the spotter was 'about' aligned, stunning!!

i cant wait for the cam to arrive in the morning...i think i made a mistake not picking up the 10" but hey what a first view through a scope..

[Dave-Ryan]

It's a fantastic sight isn't it.

I was out tonight and spent a good half hour looking at it myself.

[NickMilner]

Me too! I even drew a really terrible picture - how are you supposed to draw when your hands are shaking because of the cold?! Fantastic!

/edit - I'm glad I got the EQ mount. It really flies through the EP with a 10mm and 2x Barlow.

[yoda]

Congrat's Rols I seen it with my 10'' three nights ago for the first time, and sed the same thing WOW.

[Rols]

spectacular for a first look, glad i got to join in tonight. Got myself a little confused as i worked out the focus on the scope but got a good view in a few turns.

Dave, what EP did you use? i used a 26 with a 2x barlow! would i have done well to have used a filter of any type?

i'v got a new CCD comming in the morning so if we get a nice clear sky this weekend i may try and grab my first image...

[Dave-Ryan]

I used a 13mm Hyperion (bought it recently off a forum member) and also with and without a lumicon OIII filter.

I had bad seeing tonight but the view of the Orion Nebula with the above set-up was amazing.

I'm no expert on filters, I only have the Lumicon Deep Sky and OIII filter and just switch between the two to see if they help. I find filters seem to help with nebula but not much else, although I did find the Deep Sky filter didn't do any harm to the Wild Duck Cluster the first time I viewed it.

[todd8137]

hi sounds like ya had a great night

[glowjet]

Me too! I even drew a really terrible picture - how are you supposed to draw when your hands are shaking because of the cold?! Fantastic!

/edit - I'm glad I got the EQ mount. It really flies through the EP with a 10mm and 2x Barlow.

If you want to have a go at sketching "Talither" is quite a master at the art and has regular articles in the S@N mag, there is also a paperback book that won`t cost an arm and a leg 10P, less than a pint of beer from Amazon, a large chunk of the book, which runs to 173 pages, is devoted to sketching, also quite a lot of info for those just starting in the hobby.

[Stargazer Jack]

Do you think I could see it with my Skywatcher Explorer 130m ? It won't look super but will I be able to see something

[RikM]

You should be okay with your 130. I get great views of M42 with my 150P and a 15mm Plossl EP. It doesn't look like the photos, I think it looks like a ghostly glowing Bat-Man sign, but well worth a look.

Rik

[NickMilner]

If you want to have a go at sketching "Talither" is quite a master at the art and has regular articles in the S@N mag, there is also a paperback book that won`t cost an arm and a leg 10P, less than a pint of beer from Amazon, a large chunk of the book, which runs to 173 pages, is devoted to sketching, also quite a lot of info for those just starting in the hobby.

Sounds interesting. What's the book called? Thanks!

[Craig_Billo]

M42 was the first thing i pointed my brand new 130p at last night. and wow is what i said. As said by RikMcRae it wasnt the most colourful image i have seen of it but i have seen it for my self first hand, thats the experience of it for me.

[John]

I get great views of M42 with my 4" refractor on a good, dark night so 130mm should be impressive. Like all nebulae and galaxies, dark skies with little or no artificial or moon light in the sky are the key to decent views. Even M42 fades to a pale shadow when there is moonlight in the sky.

So pick your nights to view galaxies and nebulae !.

[chard]

I've been having the odd look at M42 for the last 10 years or so. A couple of weeks ago was the first time I've ever seen any structure in it! I am in inner London though so was well chuffed.

I was so excited I bought a Baader Neodymium LP filter from Flo. Hoping it might help me see some of that structure before another decade goes by.

[Rols]

well its good to see the enthusiasm for M42, it seemed quite clear in my scope so if it gets better i cant wait for a clear night, i'v been having a think about what my next purchase might be and i'm leaning toward a micro focuser (not cheap) i have my meade ccd now and would like to get my first image at some point, i'm enjoying the thought of not having to look through my EP's and getting a look at some live views.

@Chard, i can imagine the frustration trying to get a clear night from that location!

@Craig Billo I was'nt expecting any colour, i was just happy to see something, i was under the impression there was no visible colour without the use of a camera?

lets hope for a clear night tonight!