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General Astronomy >> General Observing and Astronomy
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BuffaloTri
member


Reged: 04/23/12

Re: Help with M56 new [Re: magic612]
      #5272897 - 06/15/12 01:45 PM
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Thanks for the suggestion. I took a quick stab at M3 one night when it was almost directly overhead, and had a lot of trouble looking up through the straight through finder. I'll have to try again and have a bit more patience this time.

M3, M13, M92, and then M56. Surely I'll be able to find one of those!

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buddyjesus
Carpal Tunnel
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Reged: 07/07/10

Loc: Davison, Michigan
Re: Help with M56 new [Re: BuffaloTri]
      #5273214 - 06/15/12 04:33 PM
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I find it easiest to use one if you stand to the side, bend at the hips and then turn your head 90 degrees to look through a straight through finder. I also have mine mounted at the top end of the scope to make it easier on my neck.

M56 is moderately easy to get if you have an equatorial. From alberio I go east to the next naked eye star and then head north to the next naked eye star. It is right next to it. This object is a bit dimmer than the other globs in the messier list though.

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magic612
Post Laureate
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Reged: 09/30/08

Loc: S. of Chicago's light dome
Re: Help with M56 new [Re: BuffaloTri]
      #5273699 - 06/15/12 10:51 PM
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Quote:

Thanks for the suggestion. I took a quick stab at M3 one night when it was almost directly overhead, and had a lot of trouble looking up through the straight through finder.



You're welcome. And another suggestion: Try around 11 or 12 at night; it should be a little lower and easier to try and spot then (but still high enough to be above the "muck" of the light pollution), as it will have revolved towards the west.

Quote:

M3, M13, M92, and then M56. Surely I'll be able to find one of those!



You will.

And it will be a great feeling when you do; so please be sure to report back - even if you're still struggling to find them. We'll help you get there.

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REC
Carpal Tunnel
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Reged: 10/20/10

Loc: NC
Re: Help with M56 new [Re: GeneT]
      #5274164 - 06/16/12 10:42 AM
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I have a 5" Mak and have pretty good views of M13 at about 125x. You should be able to find it in a pair of bino's to get you in the general area and then in the finder scope at low power. It lies in between the two stars in the keystone. After 11pm it pretty high in the sky and LP becomes less of an issue.

Good luck,

Bob

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ensign
professor emeritus


Reged: 12/16/08

Loc: Southwestern Ontario
Re: Help with M56 new [Re: GeneT]
      #5277014 - 06/18/12 12:04 PM
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Quote:

Hopefully you can find a dark sky site not too far from your home. Dark skies will reveal you things you never thought possible to view.



+1

The difference will be like . . . er . . . night and day.

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BuffaloTri
member


Reged: 04/23/12

Re: Help with M56 new [Re: ensign]
      #5312722 - 07/11/12 11:42 AM
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Success!

I have to admit, I cheated. I broke down and bought a larger finder scope. What a difference that made!

Last night I started with Vega once again because it is easy to find with the naked eye, and every hop in Lyra has something nice to see. Eventually I worked my way to M56, but I could not see it. I was certain that I was in the right place because I could see all of the stars shown in the Pocket Sky Atlas through my finder. My previous finder was too small show everything. I stared for a while, eventually wiggled the telescope a little bit, and saw something. I bumped up the magnification and checked again. Sure enough, there was a faint gray cloud! It would disappear if I looked at it too long, but it would pop right out after moving the telescope a bit.

Frankly, I was more excited by finding M56 and seeing my first GC than I was by the actual view of M56 itself. I ended the night by viewing Albireo and a carbon star (another first for me!).

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blb
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Reged: 11/25/05

Loc: Piedmont NC
Re: Help with M56 new [Re: BuffaloTri]
      #5312798 - 07/11/12 01:11 PM
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What kind and size of finder scope did you get? A 9x50 RACI finder?

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BuffaloTri
member


Reged: 04/23/12

Re: Help with M56 new [Re: blb]
      #5313847 - 07/12/12 08:12 AM
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Quote:

What kind and size of finder scope did you get? A 9x50 RACI finder?



I bought a 10x60mm RACI from Stellarvue.

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bassplayer142
professor emeritus


Reged: 10/03/11

Loc: Michigan
Re: Help with M56 new [Re: BuffaloTri]
      #5314273 - 07/12/12 12:58 PM
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You will not live down the purchase of the RACI. They are amazing spotters that work well with any atlas. My star jumping skills at least doubled in time and productivity with the addition of it.

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FirstSight
Postmaster
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Reged: 12/26/05

Loc: Raleigh, NC
Re: Help with M56 new [Re: BuffaloTri]
      #5314562 - 07/12/12 03:11 PM
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Quote:

Quote:

What kind and size of finder scope did you get? A 9x50 RACI finder?



I bought a 10x60mm RACI from Stellarvue.



The SV60? If so, you can improve its performance even more by eventually replacing the stock 23mm EP with a higher-quality one with a wider e.g. 70 deg AFOV. I have a 24 Panoptic in mine.

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brianb11213
Postmaster
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Reged: 02/25/09

Loc: 55.215N 6.554W
Re: Help with M56 new [Re: FirstSight]
      #5314796 - 07/12/12 05:58 PM
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Respectfully suggest staying well clear of the M56. That part of the country has pretty horrendous light pollution. The road itself is usually pretty badly congested too.

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