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GeoffW1
20-12-2014, 03:27 PM
Hi,

I thought this was a good potted intro to Orion, the Trapezium, and M42, maybe handy for school astro nights and such, even as a handout perhaps.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/see-orion-nebula-3d12172014/?et_mid=711240&rid=246616806

Cheers

mental4astro
21-12-2014, 01:44 AM
Thanks for the link, Geoff. The Trapezium is one of my favourite clusters. Not just for the affect it is having on M42, but as a test piece for scopes, eyepieces and seeing conditions for the night.

I keenly remember viewing M42 through my 8" dob some two years ago from home.. That night seeing was terrible, with the Trapezium boiling at even 100X. Two nights latter, also from home, I took out my 17.5", and was treated to one of the most spectacular nights I've ever seen, with seeing so steady I punch the beastie to 400X and the image was tack sharp. Not even a flutter. The climax though was not just seeing the four stars that make up the Trapezium, Trap A, B C & D, and not just the two other stars routinely seen in it, Trap E & F, but also Trap G, H & I!!! Images, photos, maps and even sketches of the real guts of the Trapezium are hard to come by. Found this out when I started to research the Trap. to verify what I had seen was not a bad reaction to a mozzie bite, :lol:

I like to chase down the Trap. every now and then just to see how good conditions are and if I can make out Trap G, H & I again. I had another squizz tonight through a 12" scope. Conditions were great, but no luck with this trio. These three require some more aperture grunt to see.

Cheers,

Alex.