Hi Andrew,
Quote:
Originally Posted by vaztr
So was it a successful night? ...
... BUT I think I really achieved in my sky hunting - sure it took 25 minutes to find 1 thing, but I found it and I learned that 'straight up' might not be best for my scope and that persistence will get me there - even on washed out nights. ...
... Now what should I go and look for next?
Andrew
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Yes, I'd certainly call it a success.
I assume you are observing from the suburbia of Canberra, so the combination of sky-glow from suburban light-pollution and a gibbous moon is a pretty overpowering combination which will make the sky pretty bright -- far from ideal for galaxy hunting. What you likely saw was only the core/nucleus of the galaxy. The outer spiral halo is much bigger and fainter and only reveals itself well in a good dark sky.
One of the key elements in getting the best out of galaxy observing (and deep sky observing generally) is a dark sky. I'm willing to bet that in a few nights when the moon is absent, if you take your 'scope outside of Canberra's light-dome you will get a good view of M83 that will be much more impressive that what you have seen.
I've attached a .pdf of a Megastar map showing the position of M83. Please note the way the map is oriented -- west is basically up and north to the left. If you hold it in front of you facing east if should match the stars in the early evening. I reckon the best way to find M83 is to find the lowercase "y" - shaped pattern of stars formed by the 4th magnitude stars 1,2,3 & 4 Centauri (these designations are Flamsteed numbers). The top two stars in the "y" point at M83 -- as you can see from the map. This pattern of stars stands out well because they are all pretty much similar in brightness.
I've seen M83 in a 6x30mm finderscope under a dark sky -- so an 8" will show it well. Lacaille discovered it in a 1/2" 'scope around 1752. I've also seen indications of spiral structure in it with a 6" 'scope -- again under a pristine sky. A 12" will show spiral arms pretty well in a dark sky. But having said that, it's much easier to see that structure in a smaller 'scope, once you have seen it already in a larger 'scope, so don't expect it to leap out at you and hit you in the face. Learning to use a telescope is a bit like learning to play a musical instrument -- it takes time 'till you can do it really well so don't expect to be a pro overnight. Keep at it and work on you observing and finding skills and you will absolutely amaze yourself as to what you can see. Observing with a telescope is not a talent -- it is a skill that is learned.
As for what else to look for, well why not the other bright members of the M83 Cantaurus A* group ? I believe someone wrote an article on this galaxy group in the latest issue of Australian Sky & Telescope which might be helpful ...
Best,
Les D