Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob_K
Amazing the difference a better night makes, or maybe it's the fact I wasn't working backwards-&-forwards from chart to eyepiece tonight. 4.5" f8 reflector again at 43x (21mm eyepiece).
But there was much more to see anyway, what a beautiful field or two at low powers! I could pick up fainter extensions of NGC 346, and Lindsay 84 was quite easy (although dim) in direct vision. Could make out more of the tiny faint ones including NGC 422 in averted vision.
Away from the SMC, galaxy NGC 253 was stunning and I could see mottling and just make out some of the brighter 'lanes'. Maybe best view ever in this little scope, but then again my memory is not that... er... um... whatever... Comet 168P/Hergenrother was easy to see - I could make out about 4' of tail in around PA135 to 140. Had a squizz at ghost-galaxy NGC 247 and also the Fornax galaxy cluster. Tarantula Nebula surprisingly didn't look all that flash but 47 Tucanae was to die for!! 
Cheers - |
Thanks John, I really appreciate your response!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob_K
Hi Patrick, couldn't resist after all the great work you've put into this! 
So I did the 'tour' in pretty good skies tonight, 4.5" f8 reflector and 21mm eyepiece (43x). NGC 346 is a bright patch of nebulosity but I couldn't pick up the fainter extensions. NGC 371 showed as a reasonably bright nebulous patch and I was quite taken with the view, more subtle than 346. NGC 395 was just visible but the nebulosity was quite clear in averted vision. Lindsay 84 was harder again, difficult in direct vision but easier in averted vision. NGC 330 was easy, a bright small object at the low mag I was using, round with a brighter centre.
Then it got tougher! I could see NGC 411 in averted vision as a tiny dim patch but I didn't really get a glimpse of nearby NGC 422. NGC 361 was visible in averted vision, maybe a little more difficult than 411. IC 1624 was just visible, but of the triangle of tiny clusters near NGC 346, I could only clearly see IC 1611 (averted vision). Lindsay 56 was a fairly easy get but tiny and almost star-like. Didn't see a sign of Kron 50.
On another note, I tried for comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) tonight to see if it was in visual range of a small scope, and lo-and-behold I did manage to see it! But barely. It's a bad position for me, low in the west after sunset and in the skyglow from town. I could see it fairly well but only while moving the field or tapping the eyepiece. As soon as I stopped any movement I couldn't really pick anything out. Should be a reasonable easy get in a bigger scope, but it is fast disappearing from our southern skies.
Thanks again Patrick, more power to you! 
Cheers - |
Great to have such a good night and well done on seeing such detail with the trusty Tasco and those eagle eyes!