Deep Sky Objects with 8 inch scope

[bobneil]

Hi,
I've just purchased an 8 inch celestron and was wandering what deep sky objects can be observed (with reasonable results) with this scope. I enjoy looking at M42 but I am becoming frustrated that I can't see much else. My observation point is suburban Adelaide.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[Paddy]

I haven't used an 8 inch scope in your light conditions, but I'd reckon you should have no trouble with 47 Tucanae NGC 104 a spectacular globular cluster near the small magellanic cloud, the tarantula nebula NGC 2070 and other nebulae around the Large Magellanic Cloud, Eta Carinae nebula NGC 3372 and various clusters around that area, the Jewel box cluster NGC 4755 near beta crucis (star at the pointers end of the cross bar of the cross - the cluster is on the pointers side of the star). M41 is another nice globular cluster in Canis Major not far from Sirius. There's heaps more but that would be a start.

If you have binoculars, its also woth just scanning the sky and noting fuzzy different looking patches, then pointing your telescope at them. You will be surprised at what you find. The challenge is then to work out what it was that you've been looking at.

Do you have some software or maps that will help you find things? If not, Cartes du Ciel is free software that will help you print star maps to help you. You can look up NGC and Messier objects and print out charts showing where they are.

The site for Cartes du Ciel is http://www.ap-i.net/skychart/

I'm sure you will get a zillion more suggestions! Happy star hopping, there is a lot to look at up there.

[ngcles]

Hi Bob & All,

Well, maybe not quite a zillion suggestions but try this excellent thread here:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=30400

Started by Glen Cozens and frequently updated and added to by him and I'm certain you'll find enough to keep you busy for a looooong time. You will need some maps though like Cartes du Ciel -- as suggested by Paddy.

Failing that, there are one or two articles that you might find useful in a certain astronomical magazine freely available at the local paper shop ... :whistle:

Best,


Les D

[Screwdriverone]

Yes, I second that, apparently there a number of quite well written articles such as "Binocular Higlights" or "Deep Sky Delights" written by some hack that walked in off the street and struggles to cobble two words together sometimes...... :) :lol:

Sorry Les, couldnt resist! nothing like gratuitous self promotion, even if it does come from me! ;)

Bob, seriously, the AS&T magazine is superb for helping you find objects and lists a lot of "backyard" visible objects under polluted skies so its well worth it.

Add to that, a good Astronomy book and Planisphere as well as the must have item - Astronomy 2009, and you will have HEAPS to look for.

Glenc here on IIS is a prolific list maker, look for his posts which include some Deep Sky Objects lists and Messier lists which I have printed out and laminated and use as a bookmark so I can find objects super fast by going straight to his list.

Whew, thats a start, anyway, see how you go and dont forget the cardinal rule: "If you have ANY questions, check on IIS for the answer"

Cheers

Chris

[Paddy]

Yes - after my post last night, I thought another very useful source are the observing articles in Australian Sky and Telescope. Also useful is "Atlas of the Southern Night Sky" - subject of a recent thread on IIS

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=23186

and a review by yours truly

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=23186

That book will keep you going for a long time, as well as Glen's excellent lists on IIS

[mark3d]

grab Stellarium - more good free software :)

i always get stuck on m42 as well.. if only there were other things so spectacular yet so easy to find!

pleaides is nice in a wide angle EP.. and easy to find..

[glenc]

Here is a good place to start: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=25155&d=1175207414
But try and get out of town if you can.
Also try: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=37536
And: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/dunlop1826/BrightDSOForSouthernObservers#

[ausastronomer]

Hi,

Everyone so far has steered you in the right direction in terms of targets, observing lists and other resources.

My advice is to fill the car full of petrol and drive to dark skies. Until you have observed under "proper" dark skies (not 10 mins out of Adelaide) a few times, you will not appreciate how much difference they make in terms of making the target "hit you in the eye". I live about 80km north of Sydney and have infinitely better sky conditions at home, than you would get in suburban Adelaide. I don't waste my time observing DSO's from home. When I get the telescope out at home, which isn't all that often, it is usually for moon, planets or double star observations. If I want to observe DSO's, I drive 1 hr west to Bucketty or 4 hrs nth West to Coonabarabran. If you are keen to observe from home and not travel I suggest you refine your target list to focus on targets
less affected by light pollution like, moon, planets, double stars and variable stars.

Cheers,
John B

[bobneil]

Hi folks,
Thanks your responses. I have used a few references that you have mentioned but still struggling. I'm sure time and experience will rescue me. I'm heading to the countryside tonight so hopefully I will have better luck and clear skies.
BTW Les D, Engadine is a lovely place. I lived there for a couple of years in the early 90's.

[Screwdriverone]

I recommend that you spend a night or two on a chair with a red light and star chart and no telescope and just LOOK at the night sky with your eyes and try and trace out the constellations, navigate your way around from the planisphere/chart and become familiar with what you are seeing.

Unless you spend a bit of time knowing what bright star belongs to what constellation, trying to "star hop" using a guide or a book, is pretty much useless which is why you might be struggling.

Add to that, if you are not familiar with the brighter stars and shapes of the constellations, YOU WILL BE HOPELESSLY LOST when you get to a dark sky site and see MILLIONS more stars and you will say to yourself; "what? were did all those stars come from?" and you will have a BUGGER of a time trying to star hop then.

I found this out EVEN after i spent a few nights looking from my backyard. When I drove 60kms out of Sydney up to Linden in the Blue Mountains, the first thing I said when I got out of the car and looked up was "WOW, whats that big cloud up there, and the club members there said "The Milky Way, dummy"" :lol:

There were SO many stars visible, I could barely find the constellations as they looked so different, usually I lined my scope up manually on the South Celestial Pole and couldnt because there were too many stars visible in the finderscope and I didnt know what I was looking at.

So......what all this boils down to is familiarity. Spend some time just looking up and making the sky your friend, talk to yourself (lots of us do it) and discuss with your charts what you are looking at and then when you want to find something like a "smudge" or a little cloud with your scope thats just near a big star or cluster of them, you will know what neighbourhood to look in first.

Whew, started out a small comment, grew to an essay, sorry, that happens with me sometimes..

Cheers

Chris

[tonybarry]

If you have Stellarium, and a laptop, then you can look at the laptop, work out where you are and what you want to see ... and tell the scope to go there.

I obtained from this website a list of the 100 brightest galaxies of the southern night sky. That's been really helpful.

Regards,
Tony Barry