Urban Astronomy II

[nevers]

Orion rising and Sirius follows. Be on the look-out for Saturn early in the morning! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[nevers]

Wow...you can see a star within the halo of M57 and part of the Veil with an 8" 'scope and 3/4 moon from near NYC? ...or did I miss something? I'll have to check it out again...<br /><br />Yes, some of the "city-slickers" I know, myself included have done the same thing in dark skies: set up your 'scope and spend an hour of two just gazing at the stars while the 'scope sits idle. It's a truly amazing thing!

 

[rocketbodypart]

Re: M57. It was a one time thing. The moon actually had passed over the horizen at that time- I think if you look at starry night program, you will see what I mean as far as that moon was concerned. We did see a star, it was super faint- and I only caught it for maybe 2 seconds. My friend saw it as well. It was quite rare. Everything about the evening was perfect. Both my friend and I were blown away.<br /><br />The Veil wasnt anthing special, but we did get to see it. <br /><br /><br />I checked out your website. Quite nice and interesting. My current goal right now is to get my hands on an upgraded scope- ie: better than the 8" that my friend has. I wouldnt want to go 10, as its so damn close to the 8- I was thinking more on the lines of a 16 . One day.....one day.

 

[nevers]

Hi RBP - <br /><br />That is some good observing then and a keen eye! Good job. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> Are you able to see any hint of M101 from you location? I know, now is not the prime time to try. I've tried many times even with the 16" and have failed even on the most perfect night my backyard could have offered.<br /><br />About a 'scope larger then 10" (or up to 12"): they become almost a hassle unless you get a truss design. That is my thought anyway. It is not the weight of the thing but rather the size of the tube. Transporting it to dark skies is sometimes a chore.<br /><br />Oh, and thanks for the kind words about my website. But, you didn't sign my brand new guestbook! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[nevers]

Hi Alex - <br /><br />Most of the pictures, wait, no...ALL of the astropix I've taken are with a similar camera with the settings you mentioned. I'm happy with them but of course, the results are nothing like you'd get with a conventional camera using film: especially shots of more "open sky" area of the Constellations. The background image at my website is a single frame taken from very dark skies, non-tracked with the camera set at ISO 400, f/2 x 15". The image size was set for "super-fine" detail and 1600 x 1200 pixels. I'm still waiting to be able to take a similar shot but with multiple images and then stack them together.<br /><br />The problem I have with open sky pictures is that they are much too big in file size to post a reasonalbe facsimile of them. Taken at the settings above, the file size often excceds 2mb. And once they are reduced to a manageable file size, I have lost the detail I was looking for.<br /><br />Pictures taken the same way from my backyard just do not work: there is too much ambient light. The f/ratio has to be changed to a higher (?) setting or the details become washed out. But by moving the f/ratio, I am also loosing the details of what I am trying to photograph. This is only for open sky shots. I do alright with afocal imaging with the telescope and digital camera in urban settings: even with a full moon.<br /><br />But anyway, my camera has a max/min ISO setting of 50-400 and the longest the shutter stays open for is 15 seconds. I can change the f/ratio from 2.0 - 8. It's not CCD photography but we all know, you get what you pay for.<br /><br />So, did you get a picture of that Thunderstorm? I'm sure it must have been pretty nice especially if there were a lot of lightning strikes.

 

[nevers]

Last weekend I did some more photography with the LXD55-AR5 from my backyard. I found that by using a 40mm EP rather then the 20mm I had been using I got better (or different) results. What I have found to a bothersome factor is "vignetting": especially on wide objects. In afocal photography the camera sees less then what is actually seen in the EP. You can see the difference in the pictures below.

 

[nevers]

I also took one of the "ET" or "Kachina Doll" Cluster. "ET's" 2 eyes are near the center with outstretched arms and feet towards the left hand side. I rotated the little inset picture to show the correct view. NGC 457 is also an urban target in Cassiopeia

 

[nevers]

Hey All - <br /><br />I'll be out of touch for a while and won't be able to respond back. I'm ok, just some personal stuff I gotta take care of. Somebody please keep this thread alive and above all...keep looking at the Stars.<br /><br />"Life is what happens while your busy making other plans" - John Lennon

 

[nevers]

Sorry, I'm back...things didn't get as bad as I thought they might. Yes, I've reached "Star" status (Thanks!) but I still feel like dust.<br /><br />Since my LXD55 mount got sent back to the Meade factory for repairs I thought I'd try some astropix using my 16" Starfinder. Of course, it doesn't have any tracking motors so I had to take short exposures. I tried taking some pictures of the Ring Nebula but they didn't come out very well. This one, of Orion was the best I got.

 

[nevers]

It's been a while since I did any serious urban observing. Last weekend I got my chance. I found a couple new targets from the "urban list" and couple more I think should be added to it. Here's the story...<br /><br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><br />2004/09/13-14 <br /><br />Location: TBY – Las Vegas, Nevada<br />Altitude: 2160 ft. ASL<br />Time: 2130 – 0400 hrs<br />Weather: <br />- Temperature = 88 - 72f<br />- Humidity = 18%<br />- Winds = SSW @ 0 - 5 mph<br />- Clouds = None<br />- Transparency = Best<br />- Seeing = Best<br />- Darkness = <br />Moon Phase: 1%<br /><br /> Telescopes Used:<br />- Meade 16” Starfinder Dobsonian (“Meg”)<br /><br />New Objects Viewed:<br /><br />- NGC 7243 / Cr448 / Mel 240 / OCL-221 (OC) / Mag: 6.4 / Size: 21’ / Lacerta<br />- NGC 7209 / Cr444 / Mel 238 / OCL-215 (OC) / Mag: 6.7 / Size: 25’ / Lacerta<br />- IC / PK100-5.1 (PN) / Mag: 12.6 / Size: 7” x 6” / Lacerta<br />- NGC 7296 / Cr451 / OCL-228 (OC) / Mag: 9.4 / Size: 4.0’ / Lacerta<br />- NGC 1502 / Cr45 / OCL-383 (OC) / Mag: 3.3 / Size: 7.0’ / Camelopardalis<br /><br />New Object from TBY:<br /><br />- NGC 7235 (OC) / Cepheus<br /><br />My LXD55-AR5 is still at the Meade factory so I decided I should take “Meg” outside to take advantage of a new moon: maybe I could capture some of the remaining urban targets I need.<br /><br />It took me a while to get into it seeing that I’ve already seen most everything on my list. Even though my neighbors have cut down a lot of the trees that had previously blocked my view of the southern skies, the few trees that still remain are now blocking my view of Scorpius and Sagittarius where the majority of the urban objects I need are located.<br /><br />Lacerta is one of those circumpolar constellations that have a few urban targets within its borders and ones that I’ve been putting off for quite some time. I’ve tried to find them in the past (with no luck) using oth

 

[nevers]

I got my LXD55 mount back from the Meade factory: and sooner than I had hoped for! Yeah...! I took some pictures last night. The first is of the open cluster in Camelopardalis (why didn't they name it "Giraffopardalis"?) that I saw last weekend in the 16". I checked it out last night and it is not as impressive in the 5" but it is still visible. I think it should be added to the "list".

 

[nevers]

I took another of M42: it's getting higher now. I can hardly wait to get to dark skies and try some pix!

 

[nevers]

Very nice...! That's more detail and definition then I've been able to get of Jupiter with my digital camera.

 

[newtonian]

Nevers - Thank you for the excellent images.<br /><br />Now, how are you taking the images and getting them to be digital?<br /><br />What are your favorite images?<br /><br />Are you as amazed as I am at the Hubble image of the Eagle nebula: pillars of creation? <br /><br />Have you been able to view Toutatis (before it went south)?

 

[nevers]

Hi SVM - <br /><br />Sounds like you at least had a good view to the East. I've been meaning to post pix of some of the objects you viewed but have not got around to stacking them yet. One in particular is a nice object: NGC 2169 or "The 37" Cluster in Orion. I've ben able to see it with down to a 5" 'scope and it's a nice "Urban" target.<br /><br />As far as the Christmas Tree Cluster. That one always made me wonder too: did I really see it or not? Pictures of it never looked like what I was seeing in the telescope. When I finally got to look at it from dark skies I realized "yes", that's what I saw: minus the nebulosity.

 

[nevers]

Here's a picture of NGC 2169 or the "37" cluster in Orion. I tried a couple of times to get a better picture but this is the best I could get...maybe darker skies will do it better justice.

 

[nevers]

Here is the globular cluster M2 in Aquarius. Of course it looks much better in real life in dark skies. I think this is a fair representation of what city dwellers can expect to see in a small scope at low power. The globular looks almost this good in dark skies when viewed through a large finderscope!

 

[nevers]

Last one for now: it's an open cluster in Perseus designated as M34.

 

[newtonian]

SVMsmiles- Yes, please do - I am enjoying the show.<br /><br />Brad - thank you again for the images.<br />

 

[nevers]

Hey TAAP! (Alex right? I hope I'm not screwing up) - <br /><br />Good to see ya back. Would love to see your pix of the Moon. I've been having trouble with my 'scope and camera and the "vignetting" thingy. I just can't get it all in one shot. I think it's because my refractor is an f/9.3.<br /><br />AND...Congrats on the new telescope! When you get a chance, you'll have to dig up the "Review" thread and post your thoughts. I don't think we have any Skywatcher brands in there. A moon filter would do ya good...one of the polarized variable ones if you can.

 

[nevers]

Hi SVM - <br /><br />The cluster is very small, but that's the beauty of digital. The final pix mostly come out way better then what I'm actually seeing through the 'scope at the given power: 25x in this case. Take a look again and add a little power to the cluster. You can plainly see it looks like the number "37": dark skies do help though.

 

[nevers]

Hi c_lou - <br /><br />Great report! Isn't M31 such a better dark sky target, but it's amazing we can still see in from the city. I've actually seen it from the edge of town with 8 x 26 binos. If you can see M110 your doing good! In M31, from the city, I've never been able to see any detail in the galaxy: just a bright core.<br /><br />Eta Cas is one of my favorite doubles. I was just checking with SNP about Iota Cas. I'm sure you've already figured it out but:<br /><br />In a nearly straight line with Ruchbah and Segin there is a little chain of 3 stars you should be able to see in your finderscope. They are ~1degree from Segin. From there, they point right to Iota about another 4degrees away. With the 3 stars at the edge of your finderscope, Iota should be on the opposite side. On the way, there should only be 1 other star (55 Cas) that might be visible in the finderscope. My notes tell me that my 100mm Refractor split the pair @ 60x. <br /><br />I guess that dew stuff really sucks: almost as bad (if not worse) then your neighbors garage light! Did you offer then a look through your 'scope yet? They might turn it off if they could see the difference for themselves. How far away is the light? Is there something you can put up to block it?

 

[nevers]

Hi SVM - <br /><br />Nice photo! Do you remember the magnification? And why can't it be cloudy during the day? What kind of filter do you have? The Orion Solar Filter I have renders the Sun into more of a yellow/red image.<br /><br />This weekend sucked...partly cloudy and breezy. I got a new 42mm 2" EP that I want to check out and it's still sitting in the box. Argh...

 

[nevers]

Hi Alex - <br /><br />Very nice photos, especially that first one. I like it a lot. It's nice (I mean sad) to see somebody else having problems with vignetting. I hate that and wish there were some other way to stop it. (Besides CCD or Prime Focus)<br /><br />Have you thought about getting Orion's SteadyPix camera mount? Of couse it won't do as much on a Dob as it would on a guided mount but still...at least you'd have one when that time comes.<br /><br />Thanks again for all the pictures everybody! Let's see some more...

 

[nevers]

Hi Alex - <br /><br />Why wait...it's nearly at 60 degrees around 5am. I took this shot late last month, the first with the LXD55. It's not as good I as thought it would be, the magnification is a little strong for the 'scope. Through the eyepiece I could see much more detail in the rings. Anyway...you should do much better with the bigger aperture.