Advice on location for gazing and cool first targets

[Pims30]

Hello guys i am new here , first of all thanks to iceinspace and thanks to you all !!!!
Just got my new scope few months ago , i have been using it from sydney within the city which is great tho but it ll be my first country side night out with my baby next week , in the blue mountains ... so i would like to know if katomba is good enough and what are the best targets to start with, close by or deep sky ?

[noeyedeer]

what I do, is first start with objects in the west as they will the the first to set. basically plan an observing session before you go so you know what to find before when you get there. obviously depending on the view you have, that's the easiest way to go about any session.

either use online resources, or star charts or software apps. but start from the west/north west. also it depends on what you're wanting to see also. have fun and clear skies

and welcome :)

Matt

[Pims30]

Thanks a lot Matt!!
I have been trying to get a view on m83 the last few weeks from the city but i haven't see it !!! So i was hoping to get some clear sight and maybe few shots on this one ... lets see ...

[noeyedeer]

oh and targets, try Omega Centauri, Centaurs A before the get too low. there's plenty of targets in the milkyway to browse through. others would be planetary nebs and other globular/open clusters? there's heaps to see .. that's why planning ahead is wise, so you can spend time and appreciate the target.

if you're there early in the morning the smc and lmc .. 47tuc etc

Matt

[noeyedeer]

no worries hope ya get to see it :) if all else fails, have a star app on your phone so you can see what's around when you're there and hunt things down

Matt

[Pims30]

That sound amazing !!!! Thanks for your time ... i will let you know and post some cool pictures hopefully .... take care

[Wavytone]

Hi Richard,

Depending where you are this may or may not be convenient - the northern Sydney Astro society (NSAS) has access to a good site in Terry Hills, see their website for details.

If you want dark skies in the blue mountains:

1. Hargraves Lookout at Shipley Plateau, west of Blackheath;

2. Victoria Falls Rd - on the Great Western Highway proceed through Blackheath and keep an eye out for a dirt road signposted Victoria Falls heading north into the National Park. if you reach Mt Victoria you've missed it (i.e. turn around).

About 2km in you will be on a high ridge, about as good as it gets in the mountains. At night you may find you receive a visit from the NPWS ranger just checking on what's going on.

3. Hassans Walls, which means driving into Lithgow then up the road to the ridge.

[madwayne]

Hi Richard

We have a small observing group down in the Southern Highlands that have a semi dark site in Burradoo, between Bowral and Moss Vale. We organise get togethers through Facebook, Southern Highlands Star Gazers is the page. I'm the administrator of the page as well as the one who generally organises our get togethers. Feel free to join the page and come down for a look. I have a 12" goto dob and we were looking at M83 the other Saturday night, very nice galaxy.

I've said it many times before but the red carbon star in the same field as Mimosa (Beta Crux) is very cool and easy to find. You are also within the general vicinity of the Jewel Box (NGC4755) a very nice bright open cluster.

Our observing nights are very casual affairs, no need to worry about red light torches (although some in the group do have them) and dimming headlights etc. We do have plans for a dark site in the future but as the group is very much in its infancy this will come in due course.

Wayne

[Pims30]

Thanks a lot guys !!! I will check all of this out ... also except planetary what else there is to see from the city ?

[Wavytone]

Get SkySafari Pro on your iDevice and you can see what's up, and what's not.

Bright clusters and multiple stars that show some colour and will test the resolution of your scope,
Bright planetary nebulae (an OIII filter helps even in the city provided your eyes are shielded from bright light);

[haroon132]

Hi Wayne, this is Haroon newbie on this forum I have decided to apply for the membership as well hope to join you guys soon.