Yes, I really can't wait to try a dark site. Until then I'm going to do the best I can in the yard. It's also annoying that the back fence is about 30" up so it limits things a bit! Thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allan
Once you get use to observing from a dark site, then observing DSO from the city becomes decidedly depressing. I barely spend any time observing galaxies from my backyard, that's not to say they are hard to find as there are still a huge number to see even in your 10", it's just that they don't reveal much detail because of all the sky glow. Stick with the bright ones like NGC 253 that Malcolm suggested to start with and go from there. Or else drive to a dark site and go nuts observing galaxies everywhere.
Both the 24mm eyepieces you mention will be a nice improvement over the plossl you are using. They will be good for general widefield DSO, but something around a 2mm exit pupil or 10mm I think in your dob, will be much more suitable for observing galaxies. There's an old saying I like to repeat, and that is spend the most money on an eyepiece focal length that is double the f/ratio of your telescope. That works for me as I find I spend most of my time using my 10mm and 13mm eyepieces observing DSO's.
I use Sky Safari to find objects and also control my dob. You can set it up to display the exact FOV for the eyepiece you are using. That way when you are trying to identify an object, you just compare what you see in the eyepiece with the display on Sky Safari.
Some more tips for observing DSO's. Drive to a dark site. Use a seat. Use a hood and/or eye patch. Use a dim red torch and protect your night vision. Use averted vision when looking at targets. Don't drink alcohol or caffeine(I think) because it mucks with your night vision. Don't hold your breathe because the loss of oxygen mucks with your night vision to. Try observing targets when they are at least 30 degrees above the horizon. When observing faint targets, give the telescope a tap every now and then as the movement will help your eye detect detail. Buy a narrow band filter for observing nebula. Drive to a dark site.
|