Sights to see through a 4.5inch...

[Craig.a.c]

I have been interested in astronomy for sometime now and have only just purchesed a 4.5inch tasco reflector (114mm - 900mm Tasco Luminova). I have viewed Jupitar, Saturn, Venus, the Orion nebula and various open and clobular star clusters. Just wondering if any of you could recomend other beautiful sights to see. I have a number of colour filters, nuteral density filter and a neo-dinyium filter. Any input would be apreciated.

Cheers - Craig.

[John Saunders]

Craig - it depends on what you are interested in looking at. Admittedly, with a smaller scope you are going to see less, but you can still see plenty if you know what you are looking for. My first scope is that size, but I've moved on to bigger!

As a suggestion, try the Eta Carina nebula. There are also a number of clusters you might consider. Have a look at the "Jewel Box" near the Southern Cross and Pelaides is always worth checking out. You might like to have a gander at the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds. What I did early on was just move across the Milky Way and stop when I found something interesting, then tried to work out what it was I was looking at from the star charts and Stellarium.

Others will give you better advice - I'm just a novice...

[Karlsson]

The good news is... head some 20 km out of Wagga and you will be under reasonably dark skies. If you are prepared to travel 50 km or more you could be under almost black skies - and this makes a BIG difference!

I suggest you look for Rob_K's (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/member.php?u=1527)observation reports posted to this forum - he has a 4½" Tasco and observes under dark conditions... You will be amazed to see what the possibilities are... :)

[Rob_K]

Hi Craig! Yes, I would follow Karlsson's advice and find a dark place out of Wagga. The moon is currently moving further back in our evening skies, so there will be some good observing conditions coming up (weather allowing!).

I wouldn't worry too much about using the filters at the start - you want the most light possible coming through. Also, make sure your eyes are adapted to the darkness before you start viewing (allow 20 mins or so). This will also let your mirror cool down. Really makes a difference!

It is a small telescope, so don't expect too much at the start. Get yourself a copy of Astronomy 2008, which has charts you can use to find the brighter deep space objects. And use your lowest power eyepiece (the one with the highest number) - higher powers are only good for the brightest stuff like planets and the moon in these scopes.

The brightest galaxies like NGC253 will only look like faint hazy patches, but the more you use the telescope, the more you will see. Try the brighter globular clusters, working down from the brightest, and you will find that over time (practise) you will be able to find fainter & fainter ones.

Above all, use it and enjoy it!

Cheers -

[Craig.a.c]

Thanks for the replies people, much appreciated.

[Blue Skies]

A what?!? :shrug:

I had to go and do a search for it and came up with filter used in photography that takes out part of the orange spectrum to make images appear sharper.

Have you used it much? (has anyone used it observing?) Are these going to be the next big thing?

[glenc]

Here is a list of bright southern objects.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=28860
Your 4.5 inch will show most of them from a dark site.
A 4.5" will show objects brighter than magnitude 11.5 or 12.
The faint and small planetary nebulae will be difficult.