wow...

[BLiTZWiNG]

Ok, with clear skies tonight I went back to viewing... no moon to disrupt my view of Saturn tonight! I saw the Cassini division and could tell the dark yellow middle from the light yellow top.. was very cool, gf was also impressed. Finally I'm impressed by Saturn!

Turned the scope to M42.. I was expecting to see colour (I guess only hubble and other things see these colours?) but I was still impressed by the sight...

I kept trying to locate the crab nebula but I wasn't sure what I was looking for 100%... only the rough location..

Anyway, it was a great night of viewing, even if it was only short.:D

Seeing was pretty good (somehow I'm guessing it was close to perfect), and it was pretty chilly and my finder scope fogged over but was still useful...

[ballaratdragons]

Well done Blitz.

If, or when, you step up to a 12" you will start to see a bit of colour.

Make a dew shield for your finder!

[BLiTZWiNG]

ahh... starting to understand it now.. I can't see myself upgrading to a 12" unless I build an upstairs onto the house for it to perma sit inside (gf likes this idea, go figure).

[ving]

yay!!

never looked for the crab neb myself.. maybe i should

[[1ponders]]

Its not too difficult to find but visually it only looks like a faint puff of smoke (in both an 8" and 11" SCT, you might get more detail in a newt.). At least it gets number 1 out of the way for the messier list.

[Starkler]

M1 needs a dark sky site to see and even then its one of the less impressive objects to view, pretty much as Paul described.

[gaa_ian]

Yep ... have to agree on M1
Makes a good story for a public night though
You know ... exploded in 1054, visible for 26 days in daylight.
Then, here have a look what is left after almost 1000 yrs:eyepop:

[DougAdams]

Hi Blitzwing,

Sounds like I shadowed your targets last night from Oakleigh. I got the 100mm ED out for 90 minutes. Spent about half that time looking at Saturn - pleasing with the 12mm Radian. Cassini was visible at the edges of the rings. Not like a couple of years ago with the Dob, where you could see it all the way around the planet.

Spent 20 minutes also looking for the Crab Nebula. I still can't find it. I think I'm looking in the wrong place, or more likely looking from the wrong place. From Oakleigh, the northern sky is just awash with sky glow.

Finished off with the Trapezium, which was at or near the zenith. I thought I could glimpse the 5/6th stars just blinking in and out. I quickly sketched them and went in to check my findings. It seems I did spot them - very difficult but they were there.

[rmcpb]

Bit like we all had the same idea. Finally clear last night so out with the scope and of course Saturn. Cassini division all around, fine slither of a shadow on the rings from the planet and dark equatorial band clean viewing up to 260x.

Quick tour through Carina, and of course a look at the Orion Nebula.

By that time I was pretty soggy from the dew so packed up.

A great night :)

[RAJAH235]

Hi Guys, Thought I'd throw my 2 pence worth in. My favourite object is ETA CARINAE NEB. Mainly ETA CARINA itself. The best views I have had have been from my light polluted caravan park where I live. During Christmas this year, I asked a couple of park visitors if they would like to have a look at the local sights. After their children went to bed, I showed them M42+abcde&f/Jewel Box/2070/etc etc.Conditions were very calm and steady. When I went to ETA, I could make out the dark lanes and specks in the lobes at about 234x mag. Tried 308x but seeing was not quite steady enough.
After they saw this, I showed them a H.S.T. photo. just so they could understand what they had just seen. They were fairly impressed (sort of)! It takes a bit of larnin' what to look for, don't it?
I was very happy tho!

[janoskiss]

Rajah,

In my experience, DSOs will not impress newcomers. (unless perhaps you have more than 1/2 metre of aperture...) For maximum impact, you've got to stick with Saturn, the Moon and Jupiter. I've showed people the Moon and they are quite taken by it, especially at high magnifications when there's a lot of detail in the twilight region. And when they see the rings of Saturn, the "Wow"s keep coming. When they see M42, I always end up having to explain what they're seeing and what they should be looking for.

[Striker]

Spot on Janos...

I think the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter are way more exciting to view then DSO....But I only think this because us Noobs are not educated......the pleasure in DSO is the knowlege of what your looking at......take that away and all it looks liks is a smudge.....

[iceman]

Yeh there's not much excitement in a faint grey smudge or a double star, unless you take the time to explain to them exactly why YOU think it's special.

When doing a tour for family members or friends, I always stick to the favourites first (moon and planets), then the brighter DSO's, a nebula, a globular, an open cluster. Always best to know your facts so you can rattle them off..

Otherwise you're just saying "here is a bunch of stars". :D

[gaa_ian]

Having done a fair few public viewing nights I would have to agree ....
Explaining the what is good, but explain why it is there, where it is & how it relates to our little corner of an outer spiral arm of the milky way makes all the difference.:eyepop:
Then show the DSO and it has a whole different effect.
I try to align some of our public nights with a setting cresent moon, always good value :astron:

[BLiTZWiNG]

Ahhh the process of learning the ins and outs of astronomy... keep it coming guys, this is all extremely informative for me =)

[ballaratdragons]

A tip that I use.

I show people the planets, clusters, nebs and some very distant Milky Way objects. :)

I then ask them if they want to see something in another galaxy.

YEAH!!!!!

Then I show them Tarantula. :eyepop:

WOWWW!!!!

Even though it is about the same wow factor as the stuff in our Milky Way they say a bigger WOW just coz it's in another galaxy.

THEN I say "want to see galaxies even further away?":eek::eyepop::P

By this time they are nearly wetting themselves!

At this piont I should ask if they would like to buy a telescope :D

I build each object up by distance.

[gaa_ian]

Have to agree there Ken ... I took the same approach for our Science week event with a group of about 50 people.
I never cease to be amazed how much pent up interest there is in Astronomy.
Most people's trouble is they just dont know where to start.:confused:

[Striker]

Thats why I am so keen to get involved in group meets....Looking at or finding objects is fun but I need to be educated.....like I said previously......the 1 meet I have attended taught me more then I could work out in 6 months....

The GOTO function is obviously great simply finding the objects you all speak about in these forums but the history and detail is what I need to learn....yes I have purchased books but nothing is better then someone explaining it to you first hand.

Last night I pointed out Saturn to my Mom and Sister at Moms place......they didn't believe me and said its just a star.......so I am taking my scope down to their place in 2 weeks to show them......I will show them.....

[Starkler]

Ever noticed looking at Saturn or other planets naked eye that they dont "twinkle" like stars ? This is to do with them having a real angular size whereas stars are so far away as to be a point source of light for practical purposes.

I remember showing saturn to my neighbor and he thought i was pulling some kind of trick. I had to shine the torch inside the scope and the eyepiece to convince him I wasnt hiding some small picture of saturn in there :lol:

[gaa_ian]

Most of us who have done public nights have had the same experience I think .... When you realise how long ago the planets were discovered, its amazing some people still dont know it is possible for us to see the planets in our scopes.:eyepop:

[iceman]

heh yep, had that last night..

"That's not real is it?"
"that's just a picture, isn't it".
"wow you can see the rings!"

[RAJAH235]

Hi Guys, Maybe my meaning was missed. I'm sure that you have had open nights for schools/Scouts etc,and we, the W.A.A.C.ers, have done the same.
My main aim is NOT to overwhelm the newcomer, but just to show what is up there, with a few basic facts thrown in. You know, index finger held up with arm extended = 1 degree. etc etc. Moon = 1/2 degree, CRUX = 6 x 4 degrees. Why the moon is not totally visible all the time? I tell them to get a friend to shine a torch/bed lamp on the orange they are holding out, while they turn around. Just basics.
When the kids AND the adults have had their turn at the t'scope, they come back and ask what else, other than the moon and planets can you see!
Our hobby is open to all, with all of the questions that they can think of.
Sorry if I've hurt anyones feelings.

[ballaratdragons]

We had a group come up from Melbourne a few years back and about 5 minutes after getting off the bus they where all asking about the bush fire!

What bush fire we asked.

They all pointed up to the smoke trail across the sky!

The Milky Way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BLiTZWiNG]

Got my first view of the moon the other night in a nice crescent... I've never seen it that detailed before!! GF was also impressed =)

[ballaratdragons]

Hi Blitz,

The Waxing or waning crescent of the moon is always spectacular to see. The shadows really show up all crater detail.

I personally find the full moon very boring!

[ving]

yes very boring... well except nakid eye. still amazes me :)

[RAJAH235]

I find the FULL moon about as interesting as an empty white dinner plate. Nothing there. :thumbsup:
When it's out, I'm not. :zzz: