Good but not good enough

[risingmoon (Sandra)]

I eventually bought a 9mm eyepiece but it is too strong. I couldn't get a 10 or 12 but now I looked at the sit and saw there is a 12 which I think will be better so will invest in it. I took all the advise given and decided on the 9.
I did get some great pics of saturn tonight on just the 25ml eyepiece and also a nebula but not sure what they were called.
It was at the bottom of the 3 stars which went 3 down and 3 smaller across. It was beautiful and saw the rings around Saturn.
The attachments are taken with my little sony cybreshot camera so the nebula didn't come out and the rings of Saturn were not quite as clear as what I actually saw but it was the first time I have seen this and taken a pic of it so I am over the moon.
While travelling the sky I saw 3 falling stars go across my view.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Hi Sandra
The nebula sounds like it was probably the Orion Nebula (3 stars down and three across sounds like a description of Orion's belt). M42.
Yes it is beautiful.
But your Nexstar 8SE should have been able to identify it for you?
Did you have it aligned?

Why not try to get to one of our dark sites?
Pony Club (Mangrove Mountain) is on tonight (Saturday 24/3).
Its less than an hour up the F3 from you.
I can show you how to align the Nexstar and how some of its features work.
You can also try a range of our eyepieces in your scope.
You can also have a look through a variety of different style and size of telescopes.

alternatively, there are other gatherings in and around Sydney.
Not sure if they are all free (as Pony Club is free).
There are directions in a sticky at the top of the "Star Parties..." forum.

Love to see you there.
al

[risingmoon (Sandra)]

Hi Allan,
No I didn't have my scope aligned as I was trying to get one and I failed 2 times so just went scouting in the sky on my own. I still have a few problems with my Go-To thing so now I am doing it the hard way.
It would be great to go to the Pony Club tonight. I will definatley meet you there. I will be wearing a foot support boot so you will know to look out for it.

I was still overwhelmed when I saw Saturn. It didn't even look like anything to the naked eye.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Sandra
Your 8SE will give good pictures of the bright parts of a nebulae such as M42 but there will be no colour even from a dark site. For most places within the Sydney area it won't be easily seen due to the light pollution. Using your 26mm eyepiece the FOV is about 36 arcmins (M42 is 66 arcmins across).

When you look at Saturn the main ring should be clearly shown but little else with the 26mm eyepiece. If the conditions are not good a 15mm eyepiece will give a larger view but probably no better detail. The 9mm eyepiece will only be suitable when conditions are good.

Taking photos of the planets will require careful adjustment to exposure times to avoid washing the image out due to over exposure.

Like Allan says try to look at what others are doing at an astronomy gathering.

Barry

[risingmoon (Sandra)]

Unfortunately Mangrove Mountain is 1 1/2 hours drive from where I am on Google maps and my foot will not be abe to take such a drive at the moment. It is only good for 1/2 driving as I drive with the boot on to save pain in the foot.
When I take it off in another 5 weeks time I will go there. It sounds like a really nice place. Sorry Allan.

[risingmoon (Sandra)]

Hi Barry,
I thought I would try my luck with the camera and knew it would not get much as it is only a small digital and no time exposures. I held it up against the lense to see if it came out but for what I got, it wasn't too bad.I know now about the 9mm as it was very windy last night so I have ordered a 12mm eye piece now. It is good to make mistakes as that is the only way to learn. The 25mm will just have to do for now.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by risingmoon

Unfortunately Mangrove Mountain is 1 1/2 hours drive from where I am on Google maps and my foot will not be abe to take such a drive at the moment. It is only good for 1/2 driving as I drive with the boot on to save pain in the foot.
When I take it off in another 5 weeks time I will go there. It sounds like a really nice place. Sorry Allan.

My Mother in law lived at Fairfield, and I recall it was only about 40 minutes to the Peats Ridge turn off of the F3.
But I keep forgetting it is probably another 30 minutes or more from that turn off.
Oh well, we will see you when you are better.
You will always know when through the Star Parties threads.
Hopeful for April New Moon then.