Astronomy thread/Kìng a teri tanhìyä tìftia

BlueHusky2154 · January 11, 2018, 11:56:37 PM

I was able to catch it in my camera, at least.
It's just barely visible.

Toliman · January 12, 2018, 06:21:20 AM

Good image

I would say that nebula is good visible on your image. Also dark area in central part of this nebula is good visible on your image.

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä · January 14, 2018, 04:23:18 AM

Nice image, ma TEA! The Flame is definitely visible. It gives me an idea of its brightness compared to M42.

I've been out under the stars last night and this evening.

Last evening, four of us got together and set up the club's 24 inch (609 mm) 'scope at a dark site. We were treated with unexpectedly good conditions. Transparency was a little suboptimal, but it improved as the night went on. We ob served for nearly four hours, with one little warmup break. The temperature went from about 30 F (-1 C) to 19 F (-7 C) during the time we were out, and dew/frost started to become a major issue. We observed M31, MGC 833, 835, 838 and 839, NGC 1300, 1297, NGC 1600, 1601, 1603 (interesting multi-center galaxy), NGC2261 (Hubble's variable nebula), NGc2244 (Rosette nebula, nebulosity was very strong with UHC filter), NGC 2264 (Christmas tree and Cone nebula. We were able to glimpse the hard-to-see cone with averted vision), NBC 891, NGC 1275 (Perseus Galaxy cluster. I saw five galaxies.), M42 (The Trapezium was amazing in the big 'scope, hints of color visible), M1 (detail visible!), and M82 (lots of detail visible, including an unusual dust lane). We all agreed this was a night we would not forget for a long while!

Tonight, I set my 16 inch (406 mm) 'scope at home. The air was 'murky', with traces of fog visible, and frost forming on some surfaces, but not others. It was quite a bit warmer than last evening, but still close to or below freezing. Transparency was dreadful, with the air acting as a giant nebula filter. As a result, I didn't have a lot of luck with nebulae other than M42. I repeated a number of objects from last night. It was conditions more than a smaller 'scope that prevented me from seeing many of them. I looked at M42 (saw 5, maybe 6 stars in the Trapexium!), Algeiba, NGC2244 (Nebulosity was slightly visible without the filter, not at all with UHC filter!), NGC 2264 (looked weird without nebulosity!), M78, M33, M31 (was real dim due to the gunk in the air), Perseus star cluster (Melotte 20, I believe), the Double cluster (looked very interesting. Not as bright as normal, bu the stars were steady pinpoints!), M1 (Not near as nice as the previous night!), Gamma Andromadae (may be my favorite double star now), M34, M35, 36 and 37 (All very interesting. M37 was really pretty, the attenuation and good seeing made the dimmer stars stand out.), California nebula (H beta filter helped a little bit, more than I expected, given the conditions.), M44, M67 (pretty!) NGC 2907 (All the Leo galaxies were like dm cotton balls), M65 and 66. I wanted to get M95 and 96, as well as M105 before calling it a night, but I unexpectedly lost alignment at that point. But the alignment held for nearly 2.5 hours, which is very good for that 'scope. As a side note, I discovered a backwards truss tube (The truss tubes are pinned, and normally can only go on one way.), and a loose not on the secondary mirror holder. These problems may explain some collimation trouble I had been having. A good night. In winter, you take what you can get. I left the 'scope up in case we have good conditions tomorrow evening, which according to the weather forecast, is unlikely.

Toliman · January 14, 2018, 08:24:29 AM

Nice observation!

Here still clouds and no hope to change

Quote from: `Eylan Ayfalulukanä on January 14, 2018, 04:23:18 AM
NGC 2264 (Christmas tree and Cone nebula. We were able to glimpse the hard-to-see cone with averted vision)

Did you use any filters for observation Cone Nebula?

Quote from: `Eylan Ayfalulukanä on January 14, 2018, 04:23:18 AM
and M82 (lots of detail visible, including an unusual dust lane).

Yeah, dust lines in M82 are very interesting even through my 12inch telescope, through 24 inch it must be really gorgeous.

Vawmataw · January 14, 2018, 06:24:41 PM

When I search Messier objects on Google:

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä · January 14, 2018, 10:52:29 PM

Ma Toliman, we used a UHC filter on the Christmas Tree cluster/Cone nebula. Even with the filter, the big aperture and good conditions, it took averted vision to see the cone. The nebulosity in the star cluster was quite amazing.

As for M82, I had never noticed this perpendicular dust lane before. It was very evident in the 24 inch. For some reason, I never looked at M82 last night. Socked-in clouds tonight, so that's it for deep sky astronomy in January

Toliman · January 15, 2018, 07:00:17 AM

Quote from: `Eylan Ayfalulukanä on January 14, 2018, 10:52:29 PM
As for M82, I had never noticed this perpendicular dust lane before. It was very evident in the 24 inch.

That perpendicular dust line must be good visible on good dark sky hrough 24 inch telescope - I saw it already through my 12 inch (but only when sky conditions were really excellent).

Quote from: Vawmataw on January 14, 2018, 06:24:41 PM
When I search Messier objects on Google:

HRHN

Like M4, M16 and many others...

BlueHusky2154 · January 15, 2018, 07:33:48 PM

I went out to my favorite spot last night with my 6". It was insanely cold, and my car actually got stuck in the snow. I got out of it, and also had some good observation. The Flame Nebula was visible as a faint glow with dark patches with my 25mm eyepiece. I called it a night after 30 minutes. It was around -10F.

Toliman · January 16, 2018, 05:08:57 AM

Quote from: TEAgaming2154 on January 15, 2018, 07:33:48 PM
I went out to my favorite spot last night with my 6". It was insanely cold, and my car actually got stuck in the snow. I got out of it, and also had some good observation. The Flame Nebula was visible as a faint glow with dark patches with my 25mm eyepiece. I called it a night after 30 minutes. It was around -10F.

That snow ... xD
This is reason, why I don't like snow too much.

Nice that you had good observation. Flame Nebula is really not too hard to observe (at least for me), odd that it was hard to observe for `Eylan Ayfalulukanä :-\had

Vawmataw · January 16, 2018, 06:40:24 AM

QuoteThe Flame Nebula was visible as a faint glow with dark patches with my 25mm eyepiece.

Did you use it to get your car out of the snow?

QuoteI called it a night after 30 minutes. It was around -10F.

That's fair given that you have some time to see several objects.

BlueHusky2154 · January 16, 2018, 12:53:13 PM

I wish I could do that. I literally dug out a path for my tires by hand. It worked fine.

Toliman · January 16, 2018, 01:41:23 PM

Quote from: TEAgaming2154 on January 16, 2018, 12:53:13 PM
I wish I could do that. I literally dug out a path for my tires by hand. It worked fine.

That's why I have snow shovel in my car at winter season.

Quote from: Vawmataw on January 16, 2018, 06:40:24 AM
QuoteThe Flame Nebula was visible as a faint glow with dark patches with my 25mm eyepiece.
Did you use it to get your car out of the snow?

Interesting idea xD

BlueHusky2154 · January 17, 2018, 08:19:38 AM

"Don't mind me, I'm just melting some snow with a miniature version of the Flame Nebula."
Maybe I should start bringing my propane blowtorch for this situation. It's the one tool I don't usually carry around.

Toliman · January 18, 2018, 06:04:18 AM

I had finally few hours of clear sky tonight (well, weather was crazy so it was not easy observation)

I started after midnight - sky was clear and I observed some star clusters in Auriga ang Gemini (M35, M36-38 + few less bright) + Orion Nebula, but clouds come and snow started fall ... I almost wanted go sleep when I saw that sky is again clear ... so I continued with observation - I observed some galaxies in Leo, Ursa Major and Canis Venatici (mostly Messier galaxies in these constellations) + bright globular cluster M3.

Snow disappear again when I woke up...

BlueHusky2154 · January 18, 2018, 11:03:26 AM

Next time my skies are clear, I'm going to galaxy-searching. Some can be quite elusive and hard to find. Wish me luck.

Toliman · January 18, 2018, 11:28:12 AM

Quote from: TEAgaming2154 on January 18, 2018, 11:03:26 AM
Next time my skies are clear, I'm going to galaxy-searching. Some can be quite elusive and hard to find. Wish me luck.

Fingers crossed for you

Yeah, many galaxies are really quite elusive and hard to find however with you new 6inch telescope and reasonable dark sky you should be able find all Messier galaxies (+ few other bright pieces) without bigger problems

BlueHusky2154 · January 18, 2018, 03:49:25 PM

I have very dark skies where I live, so I should be good in that department. Sadly, only a handful of people in my area are interested in amateur astronomy. We have a spectacularly dark sky.

Toliman · January 18, 2018, 04:00:32 PM

Hmm ... my situation is a bit different: I have many friends interested in astronomy but I have not spectacular dark sky in place where I live (it's not too bad - I can see many things even on my urban sky, but for really dark sky I must go away - it's approx. 1 hour ride)

BlueHusky2154 · January 19, 2018, 12:30:37 AM

We have a rarely-used public recreation area 15 minutes from town with few trees to block the view. It's a great spot to set up telescopes.

Toliman · January 19, 2018, 07:13:33 AM

Quote from: TEAgaming2154 on January 19, 2018, 12:30:37 AM
We have a rarely-used public recreation area 15 minutes from town with few trees to block the view. It's a great spot to set up telescopes.

Sounds good!
I have few similarly good places with dark sky (and with completelly free horizon) but as I wrote, it mean at least one hour drive.

Bright meteor over Michigan from 16.1.2018:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/953485852604280832
https://twitter.com/z_lawler/status/953459321404317696/video/1