Good targets for a Celestron 130 EQ?

Binca (Bianca) · #1 15-12-2010, 09:00 PM

Yeah, the title basically says it all. Apart from the moon and planets, what are some other good, easy to find targets for a Celestron 130 EQ? I have about 8 different magnification eyepieces, plus barlow lens, lunar filter and some other coloured filters.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, because although I have had the scope for 8 months, I have barely had a chance to really use it thanks to clouds, being busy and being tired. Mostly clouds. Oh, and cold.

But yeah, thanks in advance

mental4astro (Alexander) · #2 15-12-2010, 10:05 PM

Hi Bianca,

Have a look in the Observation & Visual Astronomy forum. Every month there is the Observation Challenge. It is designed help both beginners through to the experienced with suggested monthly targets. It isn't a competition. The idea is to help plan sessions if you are stuck for ideas, revisit old favs., expand your visual experience, and increase your knowledge of the stuff in the sky. It's range of targets can be from naked eye through to big scope stuff.

This following link takes you to a thread in the Beginners Talk forum which lists all the Challenges over the last year and has a short blurb describing them & with tips on how to best observe the targets:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=58900

Merry Christmas,

Mental.

Binca (Bianca) · #3 15-12-2010, 10:53 PM

Thanks, that thread/challenge is a great idea - and really useful!

I was half thinking of the Pleiades myself actually, but I am thinking I will also go for the grean orion nebula and mira as well. That will be my list for now, to make things nice and easy for me

mental4astro (Alexander) · #4 15-12-2010, 11:04 PM

No worries.

Another option is to get to a local star party, either at an astro club or maybe some IIS boys & girls do get-togethers Adelaide way too.

You will gain a huge amount from a visit, especially if you take your scope too. Folks there will be able to point out objects and maybe also share some of their gear too. Check out the "our community" heading in the left margin for club listings, and the Star Parties forum where you can also ask for info on local gigs.

ZeroID (Brent) · #5 16-12-2010, 01:54 PM

Bianca, you have a whole sky to choose from with a 130mm. Get Stellarium (free) and get to a Star party for some pointers, there is plenty to see up there.

Brian W (Brian) · #6 25-12-2010, 08:43 PM

Hi I started with an Orion 4.5" short tube reflector on an EQ mount and there is a whole sky out there to see. From a dark site the Messier 110 is easily doable. Much of the H-400 is possible and even the fainter nebulae are visible.

I second the idea of Stellarium. It was designed for a small to mid sized instrument and pretty much whatever is in the program will be visible to you.

Brian

kustard (Simon) · #7 26-12-2010, 08:00 AM

Hunting for globular clusters are always fun when you're first starting out.

pgc hunter · #8 26-12-2010, 07:26 PM

Lot of nice bright open clusters from Monoceros thru Puppis, Canis Major and down to Crux which will look nice in your 130. There's also the Magellenic clouds and 47Tuc. Great area to play around in, you'll see several nebulae and clusters in any one field of view. Ofcourse there is also the Pleaides which your scope can frame entireely with a low power eyepiece and the usual showpieces of Orion.