starlog 8.2.05

[ving (David)]

after a lengthy colimation session last night i took my scope into the back yard.... cheryl decided she wanted to hang some washing out at the same time and turned all the outside lights on! GAH!

anyhow... all objectives accomplished:

1. find M1: done. just a smudge on the EP but done. now I can add it to my finds list.

2. split rigel in orion: done at 266.6 magnification it was tricky tho! (i also split aplpha crux while i was at it)

3. try saturn at a high mag: done at 266.6 and stable as the seeing was good. but i can see myself buying a new focuser soom and focusing was a bit dificult.

the rest of the night i scaned the eta car area.

hands up if you thing the jewel bow cluster is purdy...
try ngc 3293. I think it rivals it. look at it at about 50x. it also has a little nebulosity if someone wants to image it.
very pretty indeed.

just a small report on my new 2" sv30mm... I can see nebulosity around alnitak that i could never see before. this EP really is great!

[iceman (Mike)]

For $69 i'm gonna gets me one of those!

I love the jewelbox too!

Did you notice improvement after collimating?

[ving (David)]

yeah, the stars look much neater

if you get a chance look at ngc 3293 ice, i recon its better than the jewelbox.

heres a map:
http://www.seds.org/Maps/Pics/carina.gif

[rmcpb (Rob)]

M1 has always defeated me in my 8". Maybe I should have kept the larger scopes

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

I'll have to wait until probably Sat night to see it coz of crummy weather!

[ving (David)]

hang on rob... your in the blue mtns right... my light pollution lvls are prolly higher than yours. you should be able to see it. make sure you are looking in the right spot.

my scoipe is an 8"er too.

[silvinator]

hey ving, did you need to use averted vision to be able to see M1? was it a faint or a bright smudge? just so i know what I'm looking for next time I'm out.

[ving (David)]

faintish silvie. no averted vision needed.

[Dave47tuc (David)]

Great to see some starlight geting into your scopes

Guy's M1 should be easy in anything over a 8"

No its not bright but it is big so that can make it a bit difficult.

Keep trying you will get it. Its all part of the fun

[ving (David)]

oh i forgot... also spotted some galaxies too.

ncg 1097 in fornax and m77 in cetus

always good finding galaxies

still havent seen andromeda tho... whens that up again?

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Next november and december ving, is the best time up here (lat 26deg 38'). but you might have to move a bit further north to get a decent view. You'd be lucky if it got to 10 degs above the northern horizon in Sydney wouldn't you?

[rmcpb (Rob)]

Originally posted by ving
hang on rob... your in the blue mtns right... my light pollution lvls are prolly higher than yours. you should be able to see it. make sure you are looking in the right spot.

my scoipe is an 8"er too.

Have to check where I'm looking

[ving (David)]

er.. yeah thats right.... i'm gunna quit my job and move