Hey,

Just wondering if you pros out there can give a newbie help on finding NGC 5128 in australia and some minimum telescope requirments.

Hello,.,I just looked on my computer program by meade ,.,.it says ngc 5128 is in centaurus.,,RA-13:25:30.0.,.,DEC,.,- 43:01.0,.,.,mag,.,7.0.,.,size.,.18.2 arc min.,.it is also listed as C77 centaurus A,.,  at mag 7 you should be able to see it with a small scope under dark skies,.,.but don't quote me on that.,.,good luck.,O+O

There's a Telrad finder chart at http://www.utahskies.org/deepsky/caldwell/charts/c077.htm 

You may want to disregard the bogus Caldwell "catalog" number, however.

Dave Mitsky

 Thank you very much guys my school holidays start next week so hopefully i can convince my best mate to drive me out to a dark area to set up and have a search, i ave aa 5" reflector which a focal length of 650mm what eyepeices do u recommend?, wide field? so 25mm> or larger?

This galaxy is bright and big almost 1/2º. Use binoculars first if you have some. These are my notes from when I observed NGC 5128 from a dark beach in Southern Costa Rica, Central America. I was using a f/6.8 80mm ED refractor, at 85X magnification

Mar, 19/07  NGC 5128 Large. bright!, odd shape. Oval with a prominant dark bar bisecting it E-W. Brighter centre.  

From a dark location it will be a piece of cake. Even from a less than ideal location it shouldn't be all that hard. Like I said, give it a go with the binos first.

Bill

 The moon will be a problem for the next fortnight.