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rocco13
Got Milk?
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 2862
Loc: Phoenix, Arizona
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My favorite dark sky site is well south of the metro area, and from there, it's basically dark all the way to Mexico. Went out again last weekend and spent some time observing objects that I didn't realize I could see from 33° north. I won't go through the whole list, but two objects alone were worth the price of admission. (In this case, that price is about $35 in gas).
Omega Centauri and Centaurus A were stunning to say the least. I always manage to spend a few minutes on any notable globulars, like M13, M3, M5, M15, etc when visible. But Omega Centauri is in a class by itself. I was absolutely taken in by this object, amazed at not only the size, but the clarity I was witnessing, considering it was maybe 10° off the horizon. Conditions were darn near excellent, as there was no flickering or other atmospheric aberrations. Through my Panoptic 22 (about 78x), it looked like a photograph, fully resolved to the core. In my Nagler 12T4, it extended beyond the FOV.
Centaurus A was one of those galaxies I remember seeing in numerous books as a kid. With those dark bands bisecting it, it is truly a sight to behold when looking through the eyepiece, seeing it in real time. Well, maybe a few dozen million years off of real time, but you know what I mean. It was a little higher off the horizon, and higher magnifications seem to dim it more than usual, but structure in the dust bands was still visible.
I had started the night off with finding Comet Boattini right off the bat, as a large nebulosity was visible between a diamond-shape grouping of four stars. By the end of the night, it had definitely moved, obscuring one of those four stars. It was big, with low-to-medium brightness, and appears to be something that the slightest bit of light pollution would wash out.
Although I ran out of steam around 1am, I wish I had stayed longer and took advantage of such good seeing conditions. Those two objects, along with the comet, made this an unforgettable night of observing.
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Rocco
Zhumell Z12
Super C8 (1984 vintage)
Celestron 102 f/5
and a cheap pair of binoculars
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Steven Aggas
sage
Reged: 04/15/08
Posts: 476
Loc: Arizona
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Quote:
Centaurus A was one of those galaxies I remember seeing in numerous books as a kid. With those dark bands bisecting it, it is truly a sight to behold when looking through the eyepiece, seeing it in real time. Well, maybe a few dozen million years off of real time, but you know what I mean. It was a little higher off the horizon, and higher magnifications seem to dim it more than usual, but structure in the dust bands was still visible.
That is a very sweet galaxy.... My friends, Ron and John, from MI came to Arizona for some viewing last year and were just stunned by the detail in the dust clouds across Centaurus A. Black cirrus clouds are what the dust looked like, suspended in front of the golden core region.
Steven
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Mr. Wizard
Walking on a Dob: http://darkskyobserving.com/MtGraham.html
Elements in Harmony I, an 8"f6 German Equatorial - Stellafane Winner,
II a 20"f4.2 Newt-Dob - Astrofest Winner,
III a 6"f3.5 Finder/Newt-Dob, and
IV a 36"f4.5 Newt-Dob - "If it's up there, it's in here."
Apache-Sitgreaves Center for Astrophysics
www.DarkSkyObserving.com
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Mr Q
sage
Reged: 02/25/08
Posts: 351
Loc: N Central New Mexico
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Rocco - When I first moved out here to NM, I was looking around the southern sky with my 10" newt and swept by Omega Cent. It floored me! First object I ever could scan on lp with it still filling the f.o.v. Yes, a truly an amazing sight, even in binos. And with the clear NM sky right down to the horizon, which is 40-50 miles distant, a whole new world of observing has opened up for me. Mr Q
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What goes around, comes around, eventually.
Meade DS-10(10" newt)
10x50, 10x70 binos
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desertrefugee
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/06/07
Posts: 1341
Loc: Arizona
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In the remote southwestern Arizona desert, I had a similar experience with Omega Centauri in March. It was just coming up from the side of a mountain. The FOV included that mountain, a lone Saguaro cactus and the most magnificent glob in the sky. As I commented then, "Oh, to have had a camera on that view". Omega Centauri was enormous - dwarfing the cactus!
And we were calling Centaurus A "The Hamburger Galaxy". And it does look, for all the world, like a celestial hamburger!
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"Illimitable ocean, without bound, Without dimension, where length, breadth, and height, And time, and place are lost." - Milton
-Darrell
N. Phoenix, AZ
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boatstar
super member
Reged: 04/10/05
Posts: 149
Loc: Cowtown, Texas
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I was fortunate to explore these two gems with the 30" Obsession out at the 3RF site in Crowell, Texas a few weeks back. I had marvelled at the cluster before, but this was my first visit with that galaxy. It was simply stunning.
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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1975
Loc: Cayce, SC
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On a mission for Omega Centauri myself, but having trouble finding a site where the sky is dark enough and the view is low enough. Tried last night at a place, but clouds rolled in about when I got there. Glad you got to see it so well. 
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--Dawg, the Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Orion 120ST ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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Bill Weir
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 1364
Loc: Metchosin (Victoria), Canada
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Those two objects are truely spectacular. I've observed them both from extremely dark skies in Costa Rica. Any passing clouds made black pits in the sky. Sadly the only scope I had was my little ED 80 refractor. Even with that they took on a photographic look. Even some of the dust lane of Centarus A was visible.
The other object that I though was truely spectaculr was M83. From the northern latitudes of Canada it is often over looked because it is so low to the horizon at all times and hindered by twilight at this time of the year. With it hanging high in the sky and with it very dark. Spiral structure was detectable even with that small aperture. The face on spiral look was classic.
I really, really want to get to a big scope close to the equator.
Bill
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6'' Orion SkyQuest
12.5'' f/5 Custom Truss Dob
William Optics 80mm ZenithStar ED II
f/5 25" newtonian on a giant GEM, any time I want
Observing sessions grand total for 2009, 102.
So far in 2010, 17.
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Rob S
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/16/07
Posts: 518
Loc: NZ
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Well, sorry to say guys, i've just come in from a couple of hours viewing, with Omega Centauri at 60 to 70 degrees altitude. I can tell you something for nothing, it looked pretty *BLEEP* good in my XW7. Even people who are not astro guys reel back from the EP with unrepeatable expletives on seeing it, it's that good.
Rob.
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8" f5 Dob with Feathertouch
Brandon: 16
Pentax: 7, 10 & 20XW
TMB: 30 Paragon
TV: 8 & 13 Ethos;
5 & 13 NaglerT6;
24 Panoptic
Leica Trinovid 8x50 BN
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Downward Bound
Adrenaline Junkie
Reged: 03/29/06
Posts: 2742
Loc: Seattle
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I have twice carried my 85mm to Australia and twice to Hawaii to view Omega Cen. Absolutely stunning!!!! I hope some day to see it through an scope of great aperture however. That said I think I found 47 Tuc to be more appealing and interesting to view.
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Bill
'flector: R200SS, 22" f/3.6 (on order)
'fractors: PST, AT-66, TV-85, FS-102, NP-127, TMB-152
'bins: 15x63, 10x52, 22x85
410+028B, Sphinx, Telepod, EZ Touch, G-11
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Achernar
Postmaster
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 5212
Loc: Mobile, Alabama, USA
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In the middle of the Conecuh National Forest I too got an outstanding view of Omega Centauri and NGC-5128 with my 10-inch. They were scraping the horizon but Omega Centauri over ran the field at 100X with stars You should check out NGC-2997, 3132 and 3201 at the next opportunity as well. NGC_2997 and 3132 are a spiral galaxy and planetary nebula in Antlia, and NGC-3201 is a very bright globular in Vela. It was bright enough to resolve into a large swarm of stars right through the light dome of Mobile Alabama from my semi-dark site.
Taras
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15-inch F/4.5 Dob under construction
10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
A whole bunch of eyepieces, filters and other accessories....
One curious cat
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exile
super member
Reged: 01/15/08
Posts: 125
Loc: Guangzhou, China
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Hi, Rob. Perhaps, like me, you can remember a time when the southern sky received merely cursory mention in most astronomical books and magazines; where all the charts were printed upside down and all the celestial spectacles worth writing about on paper were north of 30 degrees declination south. Perhaps also, like me, you can detect a certain irony here...
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90mm Scopos f6.7 Apo Triplet on EQ1
Tak FS78 f8.1 on Vixen SP
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Rob S
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/16/07
Posts: 518
Loc: NZ
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Quote:
Hi, Rob. Perhaps, like me, you can remember a time when the southern sky received merely cursory mention in most astronomical books and magazines; where all the charts were printed upside down and all the celestial spectacles worth writing about on paper were north of 30 degrees declination south. Perhaps also, like me, you can detect a certain irony here...
I've only had the scope for a year ;-}
Rob.
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8" f5 Dob with Feathertouch
Brandon: 16
Pentax: 7, 10 & 20XW
TMB: 30 Paragon
TV: 8 & 13 Ethos;
5 & 13 NaglerT6;
24 Panoptic
Leica Trinovid 8x50 BN
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exile
super member
Reged: 01/15/08
Posts: 125
Loc: Guangzhou, China
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Good one... my most loved scope was an 8" Odyssey; I saw a lot with that from Oz. (Related thread) question for you: I have heard some reports that Centaurus A is visible to the unaided eye using averted vision from a very dark site. Personally, I've never been able to do it. How about you? Have you heard this from anybody you know?
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90mm Scopos f6.7 Apo Triplet on EQ1
Tak FS78 f8.1 on Vixen SP
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Rob S
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/16/07
Posts: 518
Loc: NZ
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Quote:
Good one... my most loved scope was an 8" Odyssey; I saw a lot with that from Oz. (Related thread) question for you: I have heard some reports that Centaurus A is visible to the unaided eye using averted vision from a very dark site. Personally, I've never been able to do it. How about you? Have you heard this from anybody you know?
I'll ask around.
Regards,
Rob.
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8" f5 Dob with Feathertouch
Brandon: 16
Pentax: 7, 10 & 20XW
TMB: 30 Paragon
TV: 8 & 13 Ethos;
5 & 13 NaglerT6;
24 Panoptic
Leica Trinovid 8x50 BN
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dgs©
Postmaster
Reged: 03/29/04
Posts: 15060
Loc: West Monroe, Louisiana
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I caught Omega Centauri once from my backyard. Normally I observe from the front sidewalk, but Omega Centauri only gets 10° above my southern horizon (I live at 32½°N) and the trees across the street block stuff that low. So I have to take the scope up to the top of the hill in the backyard and look back over the house to catch Omega just over the treetops. I wish it would get higher. 
I can tell there is a lot of atmosphere to look through way down there. Makes me wonder just how fine it must look for those who can see it high overhead. 
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- david
8"Ø Newtonian on SVP, Moonlite CR2, Telrad
PST Oberwerk Ultra 15x70 Orion Ultraview 10×50
Hand-me-down Sears Refractor (Discoverer) 60mm×900mm
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world, remains and is immortal." --Albert Pike
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Castor
member
Reged: 03/26/08
Posts: 85
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Quote:
Those two objects are truely spectacular. I've observed them both from extremely dark skies in Costa Rica. Any passing clouds made black pits in the sky. Sadly the only scope I had was my little ED 80 refractor. Even with that they took on a photographic look. Even some of the dust lane of Centarus A was visible.
The other object that I though was truely spectaculr was M83. From the northern latitudes of Canada it is often over looked because it is so low to the horizon at all times and hindered by twilight at this time of the year. With it hanging high in the sky and with it very dark. Spiral structure was detectable even with that small aperture. The face on spiral look was classic.
I really, really want to get to a big scope close to the equator.
Bill
Hi Bill,
I too have observed Omega Centauri (NGC5139) and Centaurus A (NGC5128) from Costa Rica (Lat.10°N), through a friend's 12"LX200 (also 8"SCTs, 8"Dobs, small APOs, etc.) and the views are awesome. Pictures simply don't make justice to the views in medium/large aperture telescope of these objects. Any size scope can give you excellent views of Omega Centauri, but an 8-incher or larger will give take you on the Grand View experience. I hope on your next trip to the southern skies (or low-latitude northern) you can be able to view them in a medium size scope - it's worth the ticket!
P.S. Just don't forget your Wide-Angle EPs.
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Thunderhead
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/27/05
Posts: 562
Loc: Melbourne, Australia
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I've observed Omega Cen at 442x in my 12" dob, under moonlight. The FOV was basically covered in glinting sand-grains spilt over a delicate mist. I've also had 47 Tuc at 625x in the 10" dob on one particulary good night, you can see resolution right down to the core, with streamers, lanes and chains erupting out of it. It's like you're actually IN the cluster looking towards its center!
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SAB - Melbourne, Australia
GSO 10" F5 Dob with flocking & dewshield
12" (304mm) F4.6 truss dob with premium optics
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 11688
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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The views I had of Omega Centauri through the 36" Yard Scope at the Winter Star Party and through a 22" Starmaster at very high magnification from Lake Titicaca in Bolivia were two of the most memorable that I've ever had through an eyepiece. 47 Tucanae was spellbinding through the 22".
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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Sardinia
member
Reged: 11/21/05
Posts: 52
Loc: Elkins, New Hampshire
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Not to hijack this thread with another question, but as a Yankee boy due to do some traveling, how far south into the former Confederacy do I have to drive to get a good look at Centaurus A NGC 5128, after which I have long lusted?
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starramus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 1124
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"I wish I had stayed longer and took advantage of such good seeing conditions."
You shoulda put on some Starbucks and got caffeinated up. Those Double Shots of expresso work well too. Those rare nights are too far and few in between to pass up.
I have only seen Omega Centauri in boiling and roiling turbulence as i live on the leeward side of a mountain range. Makes me yearn for a trip to Oz.
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