Dave47tuc
10-06-2005, 07:44 PM
Hi All :D
Observing with an 18” Obsession is a thrill for any observer. On many occasions I have used such a scope. The scope has Argo Navis DSC on it. This makes finding objects in the sky very easy. So more time is spent viewing than finding them.
My friend Julian owns this scope. We observe from a private property on the Mornington Peninsula. Skies are dark to the South and West, with some light pollution to North and East. Limiting magnitude is about 6 at the zenith.
We are lucky that between us we have the drool factor eyepieces to use. Mostly Naglers, just about the whole range. We also use filters with the UHC and O111 being most popular. We also use a 2” UHC that is awesome.
The scope itself is very smooth to move, it has a JMI focuser, which I find very good. I know some don’t like them much. I think my focuser on my 10” a bit better.
The scopes finder is only a Telrad, which is fine with DSC. There is a dew heater on the secondary and the scope is set up permanently in a shed to be rolled out when needed.
I know many have used big scopes so I don’t need to tell you what it is like. For those who have not, I’ll try to paint a picture for you.
My first look with such a scope was very much the wow factor! I see why aperture fever grabbed so many people. I have looked at well over 100 objects with this scope now.
Messier objects are really bright. Structure in a lot of the Nebula, which you cant see in a small scope.
Globular clusters are resolved down the core in most of them. What can I say when it comes to 47Tuc and Omega. These two are better than any photo could show.
Lets take the Great Orion Nebula. In a 31 Nagler and UHC filter I tend to find it hard to find the words to describe it. Its like one of those fans Japanese women use. The structure of the Nebula run way out of the field. I said once it looked very 3D. The Nebula filaments seem to just jump out at you. Just very WOW.
Put in a higher power say 22 Nagler and instead of the 4 Trapezium stars there are 6 easily. They are just beckons in the nebula.
On the night of 9 June I had 6 hours with this scope and it was a great night.
It had just rained in Melbourne so the skies were clear. So one just had to get out and observe. I was lucky having the nest day off.
First Jupiter is so bright in such a scope you think of getting a Moon filter for it. So much detail can be seen. Not just the Normal 2 or 4 belts. Many finer belts can be seen so many bumps and knots festoons white ovals, darks spots it’s amazing.
Forget your little Apo this scope stomps on them.
I have not spent much time on this scope on the other Planets. Pluto has been seen.
I have not looked at any other Planets with this scope yet.
When observing globulars most resolve really well. But I proved this scope could be beat. We tried to find some super faint Globulars. Terzian 5,10 and 11. Sorry to say on this night we could not see any of them. Need to take the scope to darker skies.
Or get a bigger scope.
The Argo Navis has tour modes, so we went on a Planetary Nebula run. We used a 9 mm Nagler with an O111 filter in it. Lets say when they say the Blue Planetary, NGC 3918 is just fantastic. Yes blue it is. What about the Eight-Burst Nebula. NGC 3132.
This is one of the best or even the best Planetary in the sky. Yeh shoot me down but there is so much detail to see and the shape is unreal. There are so many smoke rings in the sky it would take me forever to explain them all.
I have seen many of these in my 10” but the 18” really shows what these objects are.
The Nebulas you can see is just which one do you want to look at.
Go for brighter ones say the Lagoon Nebula M8 and Triffed M20
This scope to me shows more detail than photos do. No not the reds and blue colours.
But detail that photos burn into. The Dark lanes in the Triffed is so alluring its puts you in its spell. Creepy is a good word for it.
Where this scope really shines is on Galaxy’s. M83 is just how a Galaxy should look. Spiral arms, detail that’s hard to explain. Its like it just draws you in. Same with NGC 5128 the dark lane has so much detail in it its incredible.
But what about the faint ones, how many do you want to see. Just pan around the Virgo Cluster, just one after another.
A funny moment was I was looking at Sky Atlas 2000 (I still love my chats)
So I looked at region in Antlia. NGC No’s 3258, 3268,3281,3271,3358 and 3347.
In the scope I panned around and saw over 12 Galaxy’s!!!
Sky Atlas 2000 is not detailed enough for this scope. I left my Uranometria at home. Not any more. I have both new and old editions.
I could go on and on which I have done, but I hope you have enjoyed the read.
The 18” Obsession is a pure delight to use. If you have never looked through big glass, do try to some day its amazing.
Clear Skies. At night. Let it rain by day. :D
Observing with an 18” Obsession is a thrill for any observer. On many occasions I have used such a scope. The scope has Argo Navis DSC on it. This makes finding objects in the sky very easy. So more time is spent viewing than finding them.
My friend Julian owns this scope. We observe from a private property on the Mornington Peninsula. Skies are dark to the South and West, with some light pollution to North and East. Limiting magnitude is about 6 at the zenith.
We are lucky that between us we have the drool factor eyepieces to use. Mostly Naglers, just about the whole range. We also use filters with the UHC and O111 being most popular. We also use a 2” UHC that is awesome.
The scope itself is very smooth to move, it has a JMI focuser, which I find very good. I know some don’t like them much. I think my focuser on my 10” a bit better.
The scopes finder is only a Telrad, which is fine with DSC. There is a dew heater on the secondary and the scope is set up permanently in a shed to be rolled out when needed.
I know many have used big scopes so I don’t need to tell you what it is like. For those who have not, I’ll try to paint a picture for you.
My first look with such a scope was very much the wow factor! I see why aperture fever grabbed so many people. I have looked at well over 100 objects with this scope now.
Messier objects are really bright. Structure in a lot of the Nebula, which you cant see in a small scope.
Globular clusters are resolved down the core in most of them. What can I say when it comes to 47Tuc and Omega. These two are better than any photo could show.
Lets take the Great Orion Nebula. In a 31 Nagler and UHC filter I tend to find it hard to find the words to describe it. Its like one of those fans Japanese women use. The structure of the Nebula run way out of the field. I said once it looked very 3D. The Nebula filaments seem to just jump out at you. Just very WOW.
Put in a higher power say 22 Nagler and instead of the 4 Trapezium stars there are 6 easily. They are just beckons in the nebula.
On the night of 9 June I had 6 hours with this scope and it was a great night.
It had just rained in Melbourne so the skies were clear. So one just had to get out and observe. I was lucky having the nest day off.
First Jupiter is so bright in such a scope you think of getting a Moon filter for it. So much detail can be seen. Not just the Normal 2 or 4 belts. Many finer belts can be seen so many bumps and knots festoons white ovals, darks spots it’s amazing.
Forget your little Apo this scope stomps on them.
I have not spent much time on this scope on the other Planets. Pluto has been seen.
I have not looked at any other Planets with this scope yet.
When observing globulars most resolve really well. But I proved this scope could be beat. We tried to find some super faint Globulars. Terzian 5,10 and 11. Sorry to say on this night we could not see any of them. Need to take the scope to darker skies.
Or get a bigger scope.
The Argo Navis has tour modes, so we went on a Planetary Nebula run. We used a 9 mm Nagler with an O111 filter in it. Lets say when they say the Blue Planetary, NGC 3918 is just fantastic. Yes blue it is. What about the Eight-Burst Nebula. NGC 3132.
This is one of the best or even the best Planetary in the sky. Yeh shoot me down but there is so much detail to see and the shape is unreal. There are so many smoke rings in the sky it would take me forever to explain them all.
I have seen many of these in my 10” but the 18” really shows what these objects are.
The Nebulas you can see is just which one do you want to look at.
Go for brighter ones say the Lagoon Nebula M8 and Triffed M20
This scope to me shows more detail than photos do. No not the reds and blue colours.
But detail that photos burn into. The Dark lanes in the Triffed is so alluring its puts you in its spell. Creepy is a good word for it.
Where this scope really shines is on Galaxy’s. M83 is just how a Galaxy should look. Spiral arms, detail that’s hard to explain. Its like it just draws you in. Same with NGC 5128 the dark lane has so much detail in it its incredible.
But what about the faint ones, how many do you want to see. Just pan around the Virgo Cluster, just one after another.
A funny moment was I was looking at Sky Atlas 2000 (I still love my chats)
So I looked at region in Antlia. NGC No’s 3258, 3268,3281,3271,3358 and 3347.
In the scope I panned around and saw over 12 Galaxy’s!!!
Sky Atlas 2000 is not detailed enough for this scope. I left my Uranometria at home. Not any more. I have both new and old editions.
I could go on and on which I have done, but I hope you have enjoyed the read.
The 18” Obsession is a pure delight to use. If you have never looked through big glass, do try to some day its amazing.
Clear Skies. At night. Let it rain by day. :D