What a fantastic intro to star gazing!

[Chillie (Henry)]

Hi everyone,

Last night (Monday) a mate picked me up from home and took me around to his girl friends house to give me a look through his telescope. WOW! The things I saw! Like the title says, it was a fantastic intro to star gazing.

Equipment:
Sky-Watcher 12" Collapsible Dobsonian
Standard eye pieces and a 2X Barlow lens

Location:
Back yard of mate's girl friend's house

Conditions:
A lot of light pollution (glare from street lights) and the stars were twinkling more than usual. (Sorry about the non-technical terms)

My Mate set up his Dobsonian and pointed it a Saturn. I saw the rings edge on and some moons. He then pointed it towards M55. That showed up as a grey cloud. He showed me a couple of "dust clouds" and a galaxy.

We are in the main flight path between Melbourne and Adelaide and saw a jet flying over head, so he point the scope at that. WE had trouble keeping up with it. I could barely see the outline but he saw the lights from the jet's side windows.

My mate was trying to see the Horse Head Nebula (more on that later) when I spotted a star size object moving rapidly from left to right in the bottom third of the eye piece. I think it might have been a satellite but I'm not sure.

Had a look at the Milkyway and what looks like fog to the naked eye is actually numerous stars.

We used both lens's and the Barlow on both lens's. We had the dust cover on the top tube with the small cap off just to try it, and in some cases, it was an improvement to not having the dust cover on.

My mate has had this scope for one to two months and also owns a short barrelled reflector.

So, was I impressed? Yes! Will I be buying or ordering my own telescope tomorrow? No. I have to do a bit more research as to where to buy, and also work out my finances. But I am planning to order my own 12" Dobsonian in the next month or two.

Now back to the Horse Head Nebula. My mate has helped me to get started in this hobbie, so I told him that I would ask here and email him a link to this thread (he's not one for joing a forum himself). I have listed what equipment he has at the start of this post (he also has a moon filter). What does he need to see the Horse Head Nebula?

Any advice will be appreciated. BTW My mate's name is Robert.

Thanks for reading about my first experience.

Cheers,
Henry.

[Lismore Bloke (Paul)]

Welcome to the site and glad you had a good observing session. The Horsehead Nebula is a difficult object visually. You need very dark skies, experienced eyes and a Hydrogen Beta filter to have any hope. I have a 12" dob and have no chance from my site in suburbia. The nearby Flame Nebula is dim enough, I have no hope of lassooing the Horsie, unless with a camera.

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

Originally Posted by Chillie

My mate has helped me to get started in this hobbie, so I told him that I would ask here and email him a link to this thread (he's not one for joing a forum himself). I have listed what equipment he has at the start of this post (he also has a moon filter). What does he need to see the Horse Head Nebula?

1. Inky black skies with excellent seeing, with the constellation being as high as possible
2. it can be glimpsed in a smaller instrument, but i would recommend a 16" dob for a really good view.
3. Experience and knowing how to see
4. Luck

although as far as the horsehead goes, i think you can forget that one until next year.




glad you enjoyed youself though !!

[mozzie (Peter)]

hi and welcome ive been observing for 3 years know and still havent got the horse head in my opinion forget it there is way more exciting things to see double stars galaxies nubulaes open clusters globular clusters planets and the most detail of all the moon start on these and learn the skies then everything else will fall in place
mozzie

[Chillie (Henry)]

Thanks for the welcome.

Now that I've calmed down and gathered my thoughts, I remember my mate telling me that he needs a Hydrogen Beta filter. I think the only filter he has is a Moon filter.

He also showed me a double star, a hot blue star, and a red star.

When I said:

He showed me a couple of "dust clouds" and a galaxy.

I meant to say: He showed me a couple of "gas clouds" and a galaxy.

I have taken my next step towards getting my telescope by requesting an increase in my credit limit.

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Originally Posted by Chillie

I have taken my next step towards getting my telescope by requesting an increase in my credit limit.

Yep, welcome to the money pit
Of all the hobbies or past-times I've had over the years, this one's the most obsessive

[erick (Eric)]

Henry - "dust" clouds, "gas" clouds - probably both present! Visually, they'll either look bright to us (reflecting light (if dust) or emitting light (if gas)) or dark, blotting out the starlight behind!

Long exposure photos of bright nebulae can tell us more about whether it is more gas or more dust - Look at a photo of the Triffid Nebula (M20) to see both together.

[h45e (Anthony)]

Actually, sorry to jigh jack, but with the dust cover on the dob's... why can you take off the sml cap from the dust cover?

[erick (Eric)]

To "let it breath?" Actually I understand it is so you can use a reduced aperture for solar observing. Under some conditions, the observed image can be better with a smaller aperture?

[Jen]

Hi there Chilli welcome to IIS
Nice story there for us to read thanks buddy sounds like you are now hooked for life say good bye to sleep and hello to the heavens above
Jupiter is back early in the morning again now so get onto that one

start saving ya pennies cause ya gonna need them
you will want everything in the ASTRO SHOP
Happy shopping for your dob you lucky thing you

[Chillie (Henry)]

Anthony, Back when I went to school in the '70's, my science teacher said it was to cut down the amount of light entering the telescope. My mate said it did make a difference when viewing.

OK! I have another correction (I should learn my numbers) It was actually M42 I was looking at and not M55. Who cares what I was looking at? It's all fantastic viewing.

Jen, Thanks for the welcome. I'm a night owl anyway so the hours don't worry me. According to Stellarium, Jupiter and Neptune are up now (5:23am).

All my hobbies are expensive and I'm on a pension.

[Jen]

Oh and just another tip Chillie make sure you buy your dob on a full moon cause as always when someone buys a new astro toy guaranteed the clouds will come and you will have a lot to answer for

[h45e (Anthony)]

jen: dont have to tell me... grrrrrr

[Chillie (Henry)]

Jen, I don't mind if the clouds come in as long as they bring rain with them.

I also can confirm that my credit card limit has increased so I hope that I can order my new Dob tomorrow (Friday).

[Jen]

Originally Posted by Chillie

Jen, I don't mind if the clouds come in as long as they bring rain with them.

I also can confirm that my credit card limit has increased so I hope that I can order my new Dob tomorrow (Friday).

no your not allowed to buy on a new moon
Happy shopping

[marki]

Originally Posted by erick

To "let it breath?" Actually I understand it is so you can use a reduced aperture for solar observing. Under some conditions, the observed image can be better with a smaller aperture?

You are right Eric, the small cover can be removed and a proper solar filter (coronado, daystar, lunt etc) attached. The image is only better when the mirror is mud (less then optimum figure).

Mark

[pgc hunter]

Originally Posted by Jen

Oh and just another tip Chillie make sure you buy your dob on a full moon cause as always when someone buys a new astro toy guaranteed the clouds will come and you will have a lot to answer for

What about when someone sells a scope? Do we get a reverse-curse, i.e. It becomes clear?

[Jen]

Originally Posted by pgc hunter

What about when someone sells a scope? Do we get a reverse-curse, i.e. It becomes clear?

hey you could be onto something here its been crystal clear here for a week now and recently someone on here (very sad) sold there 10inch dob
ok guys start selling ya toys LMAO

[Jazza11 (Jeremy)]

Originally Posted by Jen

Oh and just another tip Chillie make sure you buy your dob on a full moon cause as always when someone buys a new astro toy guaranteed the clouds will come and you will have a lot to answer for

LOL luck im getting my 10" dob a day after full moon so if the clouds roll in hopfully they will be gone by new moon

[Jen]

Originally Posted by Jazza11

LOL luck im getting my 10" dob a day after full moon so if the clouds roll in hopfully they will be gone by new moon

nice work have fun with your new dob