DSOs and galaxies

[janoskiss]

I have my shiny new dob and it's given me nice views of Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon. But that's pretty much it in my suburban back yard. I checked out some of the brightest DSOs but they're very unimpressive. M42 looked looked much better with a small scope 100km out of Melbourne than it looks here through the big scope.

I hope to take the beast out of Melbourne to darker skies and check out some DSOs. This w/e the Moon is up all night but w/e after should be good. I'm willing to drive as far as it takes to get out from under any clouds.

I'm looking for suggestions on what might be good DSO targets for my 8" scope. I'd be especially interested in seeing galaxies other than our own.

[Starkler]

Download RTGUI (http://www.rtgui.com) and you may never have to ask such a question again :)

As for DSO's looking unimpressive, theres very few that are bright enough to give a 'knock your socks off view' , especially galaxies which are always "faint fuzzies" compared to other classes of objects.

You could also try hunting down some planetary nebulae, which are smaller objects that you can view at higher powers, so sky brightness isnt so much of a factor.

[[1ponders]]

Have a chop at some globular clusters. 47 Tuc and Omega Centauri will blow you sock off in a 10 inch dob.

[rumples riot]

In the LMC look for the tarantula nebula and in carina, near the cross look for eta carina nebula.

[janoskiss]

It runs on Windows only, so it's no good to me. I have several astronomy programs with searchable databases of DSOs but there are so many things in the sky, it's hard to know what to choose.

[ving]

when hunting DSOs in your GSO, dont expect to see them as you do in pics. most are grey smudges or have some green to them. the fun part is hunting the fainter ones...

like hunting? :)

[ballaratdragons]

Hey Janos,

If you are going to a DARK spot, try the Pinwheel Galaxy (not far from Southern Cross) and Sombrero Galaxy (not far from Pinwheel). Then really test yourself and scope by moving a little bit further from Sombrero and see how many faint Galaxies you can find in the Virgo Cluster!

Very exciting seeing some of the Virgo cluster. WOW factor '10'

If you can't find them, you eventually will with time (weeks, months) as you get used to your scope.

[janoskiss]

Thanks for the tips. I've looked up your suggestions and I think you have given me enough to keep me busy for a few nights at least.

Ken, you managed to confuse me for a while, because I found the Pinwheel Galaxy but in the wrong hemisphere. I eventually found the Southern Pinwheel. :)

[ballaratdragons]

O.K. So I wasn't speaka da good engalish. (I thought it would've been obvious)

SOUTHERN Pinwheel.

Or to be more pedantic - M83!

Sorry Janos, I will have to use the full name of things in future. I have a habit of shortening or abbreviating things.

[janoskiss]

Yeah, that's the one. Please excuse my ignorance, I didn't know nothin' 'bout no DSOs till I got my first scope just over a month ago; not about pinwheel (northern or southern), whirlpool, not even M42! I couldn't believe when I learnt you could see structure in galaxies with amateur scopes! (i.e. see more than a faint dot.)

[ballaratdragons]

Beleive it or not it will all seem natural after a while.

I won't excuse your ignorance as you have none. Experience is what you don't have yet.

Just think, fairly soon you will be giving info to newbies in here as you learn and experience more.

One of the greatest things a person can do is pass on the things we learn.

Look what you've done, you have made me sound all serious and sensible.

Ummm . . . the sky is up that-a-way. (ah! that's better)

[gaa_ian]

I would agree with rumples & 1 ponders as to good DSO's
Planetary nebulas such as Ghost of jupiter, Saturn nebula, Helix, & ring nebulas are great targets showing interesting structure.

[janoskiss]

Apart from Ghost of Jupiter, none of these are up at night. I suppose I'll have to wait a few months. :)

[ballaratdragons]

Janos,

If you want a really, really dark spot go to Mount Arapiles. It is the darkest (supposedly) place in Australia and it is in Victoria!

Reason for darkness: dark non-reflective soils in the whole area.

[Starkler]

Planetaries brighter than mag 12 , greater than 30 degrees above horizon at 10.30 tonight.

ngc3132 is my fave


RTGUI+S Search= "planetary". Objects above 30°, Brighter than Mag 12
Data is for 29-01-2005 at 22:30:27 Local Time, GMT= 11:30:30:27
Lat=-38°1.9' S, Long=-145°15.2' E, Location File= RTGUI.HOM, Catalog= FULL.RTG

1. NGC 1535 Eridanus Planetary
Alt=57.3° Az=314.2° Mag=10.0 R.A. = 04h 13.1m Dec = -12° 48.0'
2. NGC 2022 Orion Planetary
Alt=42.9° Az=358.5° Mag=12.0 R.A. = 05h 42.4m Dec = 9° 04.8'
3. NGC 2438 Puppis Planetary inside M46
Alt=55.5° Az=055.4° Mag=11.5 R.A. = 07h 42.1m Dec = -14° 44.2'
4. NGC 2440 Puppis Planetary
Alt=58.0° Az=059.9° Mag=11.0 R.A. = 07h 42.3m Dec = -18° 13.3'
5. NGC 2867 Carina Planetary Caldwell 90
Alt=50.3° Az=138.5° Mag= 9.5 R.A. = 09h 21.6m Dec = -58° 19.7'
6. NGC 3132 Vela Planetary EightBurst Caldwell 74
Alt=40.7° Az=114.4° Mag= 8.0 R.A. = 10h 07.3m Dec = -40° 26.8'
7. NGC 3195 Chamaeleon Planetary Caldwell 109
Alt=41.3° Az=168.9° Mag=12.0 R.A. = 10h 09.5m Dec = -80° 52.9'
8. NGC 3211 Carina Planetary
Alt=43.2° Az=144.4° Mag=12.0 R.A. = 10h 18.0m Dec = -62° 43.0'
9. NGC 3918 Centaurus Planetary BluePlanetar
Alt=30.8° Az=140.9° Mag= 8.5 R.A. = 11h 50.5m Dec = -57° 12.0'
10. IC 418 Lepus Planetary
Alt=64.3° Az=349.3° Mag=11.0 R.A. = 05h 27.7m Dec = -12° 41.8'
11. IC 2448 Carina Planetary
Alt=48.8° Az=156.5° Mag=12.0 R.A. = 09h 07.1m Dec = -69° 58.2'
12. IC 2501 Carina Planetary
Alt=47.9° Az=140.9° Mag=11.0 R.A. = 09h 38.9m Dec = -60° 06.4'
13. ABELL 12 Orion Planetary 198.6-6.
Alt=42.2° Az=005.3° Mag=12.0 R.A. = 06h 02.6m Dec = 9° 39.2'
14. Abell 21 Gemini Planetary 205.1+14
Alt=33.4° Az=030.3° Mag=10.3 R.A. = 07h 29.2m Dec = 13° 14.8'

[janoskiss]

Thanks Starkler. Xplns (http://www.astroarts.com/products/xplns/) finds the same objects below or at the mag 12 limit. I would have assumed that mag 10 was already too dim to see even with a scope. I guess not... Can't wait to dive in!

[astro_south]

Janos

If you get out earlier you could also try for the Eskimo Nebula - just a short hop from Saturn at the moment. I thought it would have made the list above, but then I realised the 30 degree criteria on the list, and it must just creep under it from Melbourne.

If you make it out to a dark sky sight and want the veiw to knock your socks off - try the Fornax galaxy cluster (as reported in Nov/Dec Sky&Space). Try to find the field with the most galaxies in. Another galaxy that hasn't been mentioned is NGC5128 - just a short hop from Omega Cent. It has an obscuring dust lane that splits the galaxy light into two halves resulting in a ghostly hamburger appearance.

[Striker]

Thanks Andrew......you had to mention food(Hamburger) in a astronomy forum......grrrrrrrrr.....lol....BR B...I'm Hungry

[gaa_ian]

Great list Starkler ....
Yep... centuarus A (ngc5128)it is a superb galaxy.
Another one that just begs for a bigger scope ... beware of appeture fever :P

[janoskiss]

Good stuff guys, the list is growing! I'll let you know how I go. I'll just have to print myself some good charts that I can see under the light of red LEDs.

Thanks for the warning. For now, budget and need for portability will keep the fever under control. Apart from the exceptional value for money, I got the 8" because I figured it would just fit in the hatchback, but now it looks like it's gonna be a squeeze, and I might not be able to use the original packaging.

[ballaratdragons]

Yes, the bigger the scope the bigger the transport problem.

1. Buy a station-wagon.

2. If you know someone else interested in peering through your scope, use their car.

3. Borrow a bigger car on viewing trips.

4. Last resort - use a trailer (not recommended).

[gaa_ian]

For transporting the OTA, consider the padded bag option ... I did this for my GSO 10"
It works a treat & means I can carry the OTA & the base at the same time.

[janoskiss]

I like option No. 2, but people I know, who would be interested, also drive hatchbacks. For me it's too soon to be thinking about going bigger. I'm sure there is lots of interesting things my new 8" Dob can show me. It should keep me busy for quite a while.

[ballaratdragons]

There is also the possibility of an excellent product called a 'Roof Boot'.

It's amazing how much will fit in them. The only problem some people have is reaching high enough to load/unload one.

[janoskiss]

After a long wait, we had clear skies for one night over Victoria last night. So I took today off and spent last night with my Dob near 90 mile beach. Just got back.

Had an awesome time! Thanks to all who responded on this thread for helping me get started.

This is what I managed to find:

Omega Centauri & 47 Tucanae I already checked out from my back yard. Much better this time without the light pollution. ditto m42. Dark skies really up the wow factor for these objects!

Things I saw for the first time:

Eta carina & tarantula nebula. Not only these objects themselves but also the areas of the sky they're in are astonishing. I spent ages looking at and around these two. :eyepop:

ngc5128 -- yes Andrew, I saw the hamburger!
m83 --- core clearly stands out, but no structure (no hint of spiral arms)
m104 --- faint but there, not much structure
n3918 --- blue planetary did show hint of blue, but maybe I imagined it because it was very faint. I lost it when I upped the magnification.

I looked and looked for ngc3132 but could not find it. Maybe it's too faint.

By the end of the night I got much better at star hopping. Initially I found it really difficult, because the scope shows so many more stars than the charts I printed do (with all stars to mag 10). Eventually, I worked out thja I could rehearse the star-hop journey from a bright star to target with the binos before attempting it with the Dob. The $26 I spent on a 2nd hand 7x50 was well worth it. (The Andrews 10x32 "bonus" binos are not so useful. Too much magn., too little aperture.)

Finally, Jupiter was the best I've ever seen it. At 300x it was just starting to show a little atmospheric shimmer. Really need tracking at 300x though. Saw the GRS for the first time this morning.

Was out till 5:30am. The thought of sleep had not crossed my mind all night. It hit me after I packed up and started driving. I had to struggle to keep my eyes open to make it back to my accommodation some 5kms from the site. Slept till early a/noon.

:cheers:

[ballaratdragons]

Well done Janos.

Isn't it amazing what you can see from a dark site.

You certainly whittled away on your 'search for' list.

I got fogged in again last night at 2:00a.m. so had to give it away.
You certainly had a long night to take it all in.

Hope you can get to 90 mile beach often.

Enjoy!

[astro_south]

Janos

nice to see you got away to some dark skies and found the ghostly hamburger. You mentioned that you had trouble finding n3132 (Eight Burst Nebula). Your 8" should easily be able to see it, but I guess you have to know what to look for. When you look directly at this planetary it will appear starlike (ie the star imposed near the central star dominates the view). When you look just away from it to a neighbouring star you will notice (with averted vision) a haze / fuzz around the target - almost like it is out of focus. Did you have a detailled enough star chart when you hunted it down? If not, get into some planetarium software like CdC and make your own finder charts.

Also, recently I have found that using high powers can help with planetary nebula. Infact when you hunt for this I would suggest starting at around 70 to 100x magnification to help it stand out from stars. Do you have a UHC / OIII as this will also help in identifying the planetary (using the blinking method)?

regards

Andrew

[RAJAH235]

Janos, I don't know if you have any star charts or atlas's. IMO, the Herald-Bobroff is the best Astro Atlas (about $100.00). Sky Atlas 2000 is pretty good.(loose leaf). An excellent ref. book is Hartungs Astro obs. for Southern T'scopes ($80.00). (bit light on, but O.K.). Burnhams lot more detail ,but there's 3 editions.(southern hemi).
Orion area from H.B.AA.
ps. Black stars on white.(not enough light).

[iceman]

Excellent report Janos, well done! So many new people enjoying their new toys.. that's what astronomy is about! :D

[janoskiss]

Thanks for the tips re finding n3132. I used two charts to help me navigate:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~janosk/ngc3132-nav-small.jpg

The top one is an overview with all stars to mag 6.5 and ngc3132 near the top right corner. The bottom one is a zoom-in on target with stars down to mag 10. The circle is 5 degrees in diameter.

Don't have any filters and I'm missing out on the mid range magnifications. I have 7 Ploessls but still nothing between 10 and 20mm. (Andrews was out of stock of 15mm when I ordered the Dob.)

[iceman]

Do you have a barlow? If not, that'd be my next must-buy item, it'll give you all the mid-range mags you need.