----- Original Message -----

From: Greg Doughty

To: backbayastro@...

Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 8:02 AM

Subject: [backbayastro] Local astronomy shops?

 

Hi all,

 

Are there any local shops that stock eyepieces?  "Local" can be used loosely here.  I am hoping to find a Nagler 17mm.

 

Thanks,

 

Greg

ki4bbl

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Doughty [mailto:ki4bbl@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 08:02 AM
To: backbayastro@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [backbayastro] Local astronomy shops?

Hi all,

Are there any local shops that stock eyepieces? "Local" can be used
loosely here. I am hoping to find a Nagler 17mm.

Thanks,

Greg
ki4bbl

Roy, I don't know. Has anybody ever seem that dark lane? Kent or Ted?



________________________________
From: Roy Diffrient <mail@...>
To: "backbayastro@yahoogroups.com" <backbayastro@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 1:57 AM
Subject: Re: [backbayastro] Re: IC 5146 (Cocoon Nebula)


 
I agree with that filter choice, given no UHC. Just to clarify, with my scope & skies, the OIII made IC5146 invisible, it was minimally visible with the H beta, and the UHC provided the best view. The long dark lane leading to the nebula is not visible here, only the very faint ghostly circular patch of the nebula. But if you can see that dark lane you can use it to help you find the nebula. I think the best view was at about 150X.

Roy

Sent from my iPod

On Jun 14, 2012, at 12:37 AM, "nranderson_deepskyobserver" <nranderson.deepskyobserver@...> wrote:

Ok it sounds like I'll have to depend on seeing it either with my broadband filter or *gasp* unfiltered as I don't have a UHC filter. Because the broadband filter doesn't cut out the H-beta emission line, I'm hoping that it will suffice and still increase the contrast. It's worked wonders for several objects, especially the Iris Nebula.

-Nick Anderson

--- In backbayastro@yahoogroups.com, Roy Diffrient <mail@> wrote:

Yes, I've seen it without an H-beta filter, but just barely, in my 18" f/4.5 with a UHC filter and good conditions in my mag 5 sky (SQM 20.0). My OIII filter did not help at all, and the H-beta didn't help much either. This is a real toughie for an 8". Good luck, and let us know your results.

Roy

Sent from my iPod

On Jun 13, 2012, at 4:37 PM, "nranderson_deepskyobserver" <nranderson.deepskyobserver@> wrote:

I'm planning to go on another trip to my 6.7-7.0 limiting mag site in Bland/Wythe County this weekend. Has anyone seen this nebula without a H-beta filter? In an 8-inch scope?

I'm hoping to also re-observe NGC 7635 (Bubble Nebula) and NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula) in addition to attempting the ever-elusive Cave Nebula (Sh2-155). The Cave is often considered the most difficult object on the Caldwell list...even more challenging than the Bubble Nebula.

-Nick Anderson



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Yahoo! Groups Links

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Yahoo! Groups Links

Not to spam you guys with another observing report...but THE MILKY WAY LOOKS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING RIGHT NOW!!! I just took a study break to go outside and check on the stars and I think it's the best I've ever seen it here! After realizing I could faintly make it out from the front of my apartment, I biked to one of my observing sites and the view was almost worth shedding tears over! Even with the skyglow from nearby Christiansburg, it was easily visible from Cassiopeia to almost-Scorpius with a mottled appearance. The Great Rift was undeniable. This is probably also the best unaided eye view I've had of M8. With averted vision I could actually detect its oblong shape for the first time!

Just thought I'd share. It's a shame I couldn't be out all night observing like I usually would have.

-Nick Anderson

Ok it sounds like I'll have to depend on seeing it either with my broadband filter or *gasp* unfiltered as I don't have a UHC filter. Because the broadband filter doesn't cut out the H-beta emission line, I'm hoping that it will suffice and still increase the contrast. It's worked wonders for several objects, especially the Iris Nebula.

-Nick Anderson

--- In backbayastro@yahoogroups.com, Roy Diffrient <mail@...> wrote:

Yes, I've seen it without an H-beta filter, but just barely, in my 18" f/4.5 with a UHC filter and good conditions in my mag 5 sky (SQM 20.0). My OIII filter did not help at all, and the H-beta didn't help much either. This is a real toughie for an 8". Good luck, and let us know your results.

Roy

Sent from my iPod

On Jun 13, 2012, at 4:37 PM, "nranderson_deepskyobserver" <nranderson.deepskyobserver@...> wrote:

I'm planning to go on another trip to my 6.7-7.0 limiting mag site in Bland/Wythe County this weekend. Has anyone seen this nebula without a H-beta filter? In an 8-inch scope?

I'm hoping to also re-observe NGC 7635 (Bubble Nebula) and NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula) in addition to attempting the ever-elusive Cave Nebula (Sh2-155). The Cave is often considered the most difficult object on the Caldwell list...even more challenging than the Bubble Nebula.

-Nick Anderson



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

Yes, I've seen it without an H-beta filter, but just barely, in my 18" f/4.5 with a UHC filter and good conditions in my mag 5 sky (SQM 20.0). My OIII filter did not help at all, and the H-beta didn't help much either. This is a real toughie for an 8". Good luck, and let us know your results.

Roy

Sent from my iPod

On Jun 13, 2012, at 4:37 PM, "nranderson_deepskyobserver" <nranderson.deepskyobserver@...> wrote:

I'm planning to go on another trip to my 6.7-7.0 limiting mag site in Bland/Wythe County this weekend. Has anyone seen this nebula without a H-beta filter? In an 8-inch scope?

I'm hoping to also re-observe NGC 7635 (Bubble Nebula) and NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula) in addition to attempting the ever-elusive Cave Nebula (Sh2-155). The Cave is often considered the most difficult object on the Caldwell list...even more challenging than the Bubble Nebula.

-Nick Anderson



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

I just wrapped up a brief one-hour observation tonight. I've never seen such disparity between transparency and seeing: 10/10 and 1/10 respectively. Mars was heavily distorted at 96x and Arcturus looked like a "flaming star". However for the first time since I've been here in Blacksburg, I was able to see M13 with just the unaided eye. It wasn't easy but definitely there. This is leading me to think that my site has closer to a 6.0 limiting magnitude than 5.8. Maybe it's even beyond 6.0! Along with M33 I never tried M13 unaided eye in the fall, so perhaps I'll be able to see M33 too on a night of perfect transparency.

I managed to log 5 new Herschel 400 galaxies in Leo: NGC 2903, NGC 3190, NGC 3193, NGC 3326, and NGC 3327. NGC 2903 was the most interesting of them. That galaxy is of special significance to me because it was the first galaxy I knowingly saw spiral structure in (and that was just last month at the ECSP). I want to try NGC 2903 again in my scope this weekend at my darker site.

At 11:30 pm I lost Leo to the skyglow, so I ended my observation short. Besides I have a calculus test to study for tomorrow and I'll have plenty of time to observe this weekend.


Herschel 400 objects seen so far: 87

-Nick Anderson

I'm planning to go on another trip to my 6.7-7.0 limiting mag site in Bland/Wythe County this weekend. Has anyone seen this nebula without a H-beta filter? In an 8-inch scope?

I'm hoping to also re-observe NGC 7635 (Bubble Nebula) and NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula) in addition to attempting the ever-elusive Cave Nebula (Sh2-155). The Cave is often considered the most difficult object on the Caldwell list...even more challenging than the Bubble Nebula.

-Nick Anderson



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Yahoo! Groups Links

Like most everyone I live in the city and the light pollution makes observing less than pristine. The moon, major Messier's, and on very clear nights, I had one last year, a

NGC or two. And the weather? don't get me started. I'm in withdrawals, I needed something to do. So, thanks to GG's suggestion I went on line and printed out Al's D.S.O.L.

I started on the 4th of May, 2004 with Sigma Orionis and observed 6 others just to test my light polluted yard. "Hey, that was neat", they actually popped into view by using the co-ordinates provided. On the 8th I went again and added 15 more. I could not see them naked eye but had no problem seeing them through the lens. My last object was Aug. 12 at 5am, Theta 1 Orionis (I know, I should have got these when I started, had to wait till Orion became visible again to finish). Not only was this fun, I learned a lot about doubles. Most are in the 1 - 5 mag category, but they do through in some 7, 8's that are very dim. Some look like Jupiter and a moon (4 - 6 mag difference), some look like headlights coming at you. Blue, red, and yellow but most are white. There are even some triples and others that have other stars in the FOV. Sometimes the target wasn't at the actual co-ordinates listed, but was close by (don't know why) probably due to telescope pointing errors.

All and all, I would recommend everyone taking advantage of this list. It was fun, I learned my way around the constellations better, a lot of very pretty views AND, you don't need to be in a dark place for most. You can print out a neat log that has boxes for info and a circle to make a little drawing.

Good Luck and have fun.

Dale Carey





----- Original Message -----
From: astrochesspilot
To: backbayastro@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 8:05 AM
Subject: [backbayastro] Re: Double Star Program



I found this list very helpful when I did the Double Star Club.

http://www.astronomy-resources.com/mapug/AstroDesigns/MAPUG/ALDbleSt.htm

It includes common names and SAO numbers, which were handy in searching in planetarium software like Cartes du Ciel.

Tom, Double Star Certificate 404