Observing reports

Re: All nights should be like this

Aratus — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:30:36 GMT

Megawatt.

I found the DSI quite difficult to get to working at first, but with practice it has became a lot easier. The latest software is better too. There are a range of similar cameras so plenty to choose from.

I tend to use the DSI like another eyepiece. It extends the range of the telescope. It also provides a record of the observation. M27 is a good target. It fills the frame nicely. I would recommend 30sec exposures though, it brings out the central green hues. Compare this 30sec exposure (taken last year) with the 15sec exposure above.

Re: All nights should be like this

Megawatt — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:07:01 GMT

Great pictures of M57 and M27. Makes me want to get into astrophotography.

Re: All nights should be like this

Aratus — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:10:12 GMT

Many thanks Kevin.

I made the post up rather quickly and missed out a couple of observations which I've now added to the orginal post. I could have stayed up later there were several interesting items coming up over the horizon. The trouble is I hate having to pack away everything when I'm tired. I end up dropping expensive filters or eyepieces; or hitting garden ornaments with the tripod!!!

Re: All nights should be like this

Kevin Bozard — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:11:46 GMT

That was a good night Aratus. Thanks for sharing the report, and the images. Nicely done.

All nights should be like this

Aratus — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:21:20 GMT

Between two rain fronts the sky cleared, and it was at dusk. I've waited weeks for a proper clear night like this.

Attaching the 0.63 corrector lens made sure I got a wide field of view. First on the list was a decent view of M29 in Cygnus. (all mention of what I thought it looked like this time have been deleted! ) The stars are a lovely blue white and as my eyes got used to the dark, more and more of the fainter ones were revealed. As I noted previously there is one solitary red star. I took some 15 second exposures.

Next on the list was the Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888). I found the 'W' of stars around which the nebula appears. However despite all attempts using a UHC filter the faint nebula proved elusive. Switching the eyepiece for the DSI however revealed the nebula with 15 second exposures. It is a beautiful sight which belies the violent interaction which has caused it. I was a little confused about the scale of it, and didn't realise at the time that I had only imaged half of it. Another night maybe.

Time for a revisit of some favourite planetary nebulas. M27& M57

Although the 0.63 corrector lens wasn't ideal for smaller objects like this, they have their own charm when seen in their starry settings. I imaged M57, the Ring Nebula. Not very detailed or particularly well exposed, but the central star can be seen.

M27 is always a bright target. Through the telescope a grey thick hyperboloid shape. With 15sec exposures the red edge is exposed with a slight greenish interior. It is interesting that the red (hydrogen) always appears first before the green (oxygen) (EDIT: Photo added later)

And so the night went on. Not a cloud in the sky, so I did a lot of sweeping about and generally enjoying the leisurely pace; not having to rush through fear of cloud. I came across M71, a globular cluster in Sagitta which I hadn’t seen for many years. The cluster appears to me to be like an arrow head, which I always think is appropriate since it is in the constellation of ‘the arrow’. Again I took some 15sec exposures.

Jupiter is too low for me at the moment, but Uranus was well placed. Again the corrector plate wasn't going to give me the biggest view, but with Uranus I find that it makes little difference. I was delighted to see 2 of its satellites, (later identified as Oberon and Titania). I imaged the planet (0.3sec) and the satellites (8sec). and lined up the 2 images using the background stars. (The overexposed Uranus being removed of course)

I finally had the luxury of retiring for the night not because of cloud but simply because I'd had enough for one session. All nights should be like this!