Help on expectations

[Dunx.]

Hello IIS,

Today I have ordered my first telescope, (8" Skywatcher collapsible dob) after many weeks of bino viewing from the backyard. I'm very excited to get started and should expect my scope in about a week or less :)

I'm most looking foward to viewing galaxies and nebulae, and while I'm completely aware that I won't be seeing much colour (possibly no colour) and understand that the images in magazines and online are from seconds-hours of exposure, I was wondering what I might see through the eyepiece of a dob this size, particularly while viewing galaxies? If you could provide any links to pics that would be great.

Thanks for your help! :)

[Moon]

Duncan,
That's great news. Let us know how it goes when the dob arrives (and the skies clear!)
I recommend to start with brighter objects and see how you go from there (Moon, Planets, Messier objects, globular clusters) - they are all going to look really good in your 8". Orion Nebula (M42) is rising earlier each night - it's really bright and it's going to look a treat in your dob.
Most galaxies are going to look like small fuzzy things, and some will only be visible with averted vision. If you can take your dob to a dark site, of course they are going to look better. Even though they are hard to see, it is quite amazing that you can see them at all when you consider the distance and time the light has travelled to reach your eyes!
James

[DavidU]

Have a read of this
http://www.brighthub.com/science/space/articles/23032.aspx

I think Eric has a great link on what you can expect when looking with a telescope.

[toryglen-boy]

Hi Duncan

(Thats a good Scottish name!) 8" scope is an excellent instrument, the only thing that some people fall into, is that they expect see things like in books, or long exposure pics, and thats not the case, still and 8" scope will give you years of service, although i think you would be hard put to see much colour in objects, maybe the slightest hint of green in M42, but thats about it.

The best accessory you can have for your scope is your imagination, sometimes things can look small and fuzzy, and rather than thinking "is that it?" its more rewarding to actually think about what your seeing and how far away it is.


good luck on your journey


;)

[erick]

Maybe here helps:-

Strange - link problems. OK, find the "Actual Views?" thread in Observational Astronomy.

[Dunx.]

Thanks everyone.

Moon - that is what attracts me to a telescope most. Not what I see, but how far away it is, and the ridiculous size of it. It is fascinating.

As I said I am not expecting to see anything close to long exposure images.

Another question - can anyone direct me to a good collimation guide?

I think I'll be ok collimating, but any help I can get is always welcome.

I'll post a new thread to let everyone know how first light goes. :astron:

[erick]

http://www.andysshotglass.com/introduction.html

Check his video - "Collimating a Newtonian Telescope" over on the right hand side of the page.

[Dunx.]

Thank you for that great video erick. Would you happen to know where I could find that particular laser collimator? :question:

[toryglen-boy]

Bintel would do one, its a pretty generic piece

Andrews has one for $69 i believe


:thumbsup:

[bmitchell82]

learn how to use a cheshire before you go the laser route... this will make sure you actually know how your optics work, it gives you a greater idea when something goes wrong.

For instance

my tilted focuser a Astro systems laser collimator didn't pick it up, a 20 dollar ceshire ep did... little things like that

[shane.mcneil]

Hi Duncan

This (http://www.backyardvoyager.com/eyepieceviews.html) site gives a rough idea of what you will see. It is a bigger telescope though so I emphasise rough.

All the best.

Shane

[Dunx.]

Thank you for the tips everyone, I'm taking it all on board.

Shane - given that you have a 10" dob would you say the views from your scope are very similar to the views displayed in your link?

Thanks :)

[dpastern]

I would recommend a UHC filter for nebulaes, and possibly a Oxygen III filter as well. They're not cheap, but they're worth it. You won't really see much colour to be honest, but you will see faint willowy wisps of nebulae structure etc. Averted vision is probably the go, especially with only 8" and if you're viewing from the city. Start with the brighter nebulae first and then work your way to the brighter galaxies and then the fainter stuff. Globular clusters are a good thing to hunt down as well.

Dave

[Dunx.]

Thank you for the advice. I just took a look at your website, those pictures of the spiders are incredible. I've never seen them in so much detail.

[shane.mcneil]

Well, I've only had my telescope for a few weeks. And between the weather and a newborn baby I haven't had much opportunity to get out. So I'm probably not the best to ask. I have seen Jupiter though and I would say it is a fair representation. The scale relative to the eyepiece is good (depending on the eyepiece you use that is). As to detail, I have not seen it as clear as that image. But from what I've heard the viewing conditions have been lousy of late, plus I'm not sure if I've got my telescope collimated properly yet. I expect that on a good night I will.

I've done a bit of star hopping and found a faint fuzzy (don't know what it was) and I would say that the other pics seem accurate as well. But I don't know how an 8" would compare. I went with a 10" because I wanted as big as I could afford that would also fit in my car. Well it was what I could afford but it is bulkier than I thought and it wont fit in the car without leaving the family behind. Oh well.

Anyway I think you will be happy with what you are getting.

Regards

Shane

[Blackant]

Hi Duncan,

I've had an 8" Dob for a couple of months now, and I'd say the views although not quite always as good as that site you're talking about, they are pretty close.

On a good night of seeing I've clearly seen Jupiter with three to five bands, as well as the great red spot and shadows of moons as they pass over the planet. They are not quite as clear as the images from that site, but I think that's more to do with the unsteadiness of the atmosphere when viewing than the actual telescope, because at times they are very clear.

With nebula's, I haven't got a UHC filter (it's next on the list :D) but I get lovely views of eta carina, the swan nebula and other ones in Sagitarius.

Open and globular star clusters are great as well, and depending on what one you're looking at they will look similar to the ones on shown on that site.

I've seen a couple of galaxies, but as people say they are quite faint. It still blows my mind though, knowing what it is, and with a bit of practice and using averted vision you can make out their shapes and some little detail depending on what you're looking at.

I live way down south of Hobart and have pretty dark skies which would help me a lot too.

Oh yeah, the moon is absolutely awesome through an 8" :eyepop:
You can see mountains, craters, faultlines, wrinkle ridges, domes and all other kinds of cool stuff.

I hope this helps and have fun when your telescope arrives :)

Kind regards

Ant

[dpastern]

Thank you! There are better macro imagers than me, but I do the best that I can, and I enjoy watching spiders and insects go about their lives. They really are quite fascinating to watch, if only one takes the time to watch them and learn.

Dave

[stevoggo]

hi Dunx,
Some things look amaZing (moon m42 etc) and some look a bit...poor...but it is not always what they look like that makes them so interesting...
Any galaxy i have seen so far has been a bit underwhelming...but just the fact that i am looking at another galaxy blows my mind...
Its the mind processing what you are looking at that is incredible.....I find that is why people enjoy astronomy. It is almost irrelevant what it looks like...it is the fact that it is there!
I was blown away when i saw jupiter the first time...not because of the bands or spot but because of the moons...there they were in a straight line..as visible as anything...I didn't expect to see them, it suprised and amazed me.
All the best with the new scope.....
Cheers
Steve

[Dunx.]

Thank you again for the responses everyone.

The telescope should be arriving today according to TNT. I was wondering, given the combined experience of everyone here, what might be the first 5 things to target assuming I get a cloudless night. (Not looking good at the moment) :(

I'll most likely be using Stellarium as a star map for now.

I won't be able to view the moon as it rises too late/early. Most of my viewing window will be from 8-12pm. I live in South West Sydney.

If I get the scope working perfectly tonight I might set my alarm for 4am and have a geez at the moon.

Thank you

[shane.mcneil]

Well Jupiter is up and is most obvious at the moment. That would be one.

[erick]

OK that's Jupiter and the Moon ticked. Three more.

OK, here they are:-

NGC 4755 - The Jewel Box cluster in Crux (soon after it gets dark or it will be too low for you).

Alberio - lovely Double Star in Cygnus (go looking before about 9pm).

47 Tuc (NGC 104) - globular cluster in Tucana (leave this until later in the evening - it will get higher through the night. And you want more people to turn their lights out to really get a good view).

[erick]

And if you do get up for the Moon (Go on! You know you have to!), M42 in Orion.

[Dunx.]

Thank you for providing me with targets erick.

I'll post a message tomorrow morning from work when I'm buggered from looking at the moon all morning. :P

NGC104 looks to be in a perfect spot around 9-10pm. Can't wait.

I'll kick it off with jupiter and the jewel box I think. :D

[Dunx.]

Please delete this post mod.

[Dunx.]

Hey everyone,

I'd like to invite you to the opening and assembly of my first telescope.

It's sitting in that spot right this second just waiting for the clouds to part.

It seems well collimated and the finder scope is perfectly aligned :)

Only gripe: It was supposed to come with a right angled finder scope :(

I'll give 'em a call tomorrow and hopefully they can get one out.

Clear skies everyone!

Dunx. :astron:

[shane.mcneil]

Looks good Duncan. Hope you enjoy your new baby.

Happy viewing. Shane.

[barx1963]

Looks awesome Duncan, 8" is a great size to start off this journey. Ericks list is an excellent suggestion. Once the night has gone on a bit try for the Tarantula neb (NGC2070) just on the western end of the Large Magellenic cloud. Also check out M6 and M7 in the western sky just north of the stinger in the tail of Scorpius, use a low power eyepiece as they are fairly large objects.