Telescope Reviews: The Crescent Nebula

If interested, the link takes you to the sketching forum note and link to a sketch of the Crescent using an 80mm refractor and the MallinCAM Hyper Color set on 28 seconds and 50% gain. It was piggybacked on a Dob that is also on a platform. The viewing conditions were average. This is certainly a case where the small aperture limits what even a small refractor can get, but the detail and color was still very good. I could not see the object at all in the 12.5 Dob; I jut knew I was in the right vicinity and went for it using the camera and the 80mm.

The object on the screen was a little over 2 inches (the inner more well-known section) so even if folks try this with an 80-mm, the detail may not be readily apparent until you sit and look at it a bit.

The B&W image on a small security high resolution monnitor was also good, but, of course, no color.

Bottom line: small aperture works, but if the object is dim, you still need decent tracking and extended times to make the camera sing.

Roland

Sketch Forum Thread on Crescent Neb with Sketch Link