Telescope Reviews: Unidentified Nebulositity!

Hey guys,
Okay, I've just got to start with two things: Enig, great sketch! and to AlanK, very impressive detective work!

Enig, I'm in a similar boat as you. I have a Z10, and limited equipment. No telrad, but I've learned how to starhop very effectively with the finderscope (I think it's the same model that comes with the Z8).

I HIGHLY recommend the Sky and Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas mentioned above. It's one of the first "accessory" purchases I made, and it has made all the difference for me. Here's how it could help you in your specific situation...

1. While skymaps.com has great maps of the whole sky (and a good list of target items!) the PSA has more stars plotted (each page is of a small area of sky), which will help you zero in on your target as you go from star to star.

2. The PSA has a helpful "ruler" showing the degree scale of the charts. You can point your finderscope at a region with bright stars (like the "teapot" in Sagittarius), compare your view with the scale in the PSA, and determine your field of view. (Your finderscope should be about 5 degrees or a bit larger).

3. The PSA plots stars down to about what you can see in your finderscope. So, the maps are very helpful for low-power starhopping. You'll see many more stars in the eyepiece, but this is an excellent way to get to your target. It's not "cluttered" with stars you can't see anyway. In your sketch above, the grouping of stars on the left is in PSA, and 3 of the 4 stars in the box shape on the right are in the atlas also.

4. You can make yourself a little wire ring that represents your field of view to scale and lay it on the chart. As you push the ring from star to star on the paper, you'll be able to predict exactly what will show up in the finder. Just take a piece of wire and wrap it around the right-sized socket from a wrench set, and you've got a perfect circle representing 5 degrees!

5. The PSA is filled with more than enough objects to view. From M22, you might then say, "Hey, maybe I can see M54, M70, M69, M8, M7, M6, ...." They're all nearby!

6. It's small, spiral bound, sturdy, and organized well. I know there's a use for more detailed atlases, but this one is great for someone working at our level!

7. It's the same view you'll see in your finderscope--not inverted like in the eyepiece.

The cost is about $20, but you can probably find it cheaper if you look around. It is well worth the money. Just think--hundreds (thousands?) of dollars worth of enjoyment for just a fraction of that price!

Think of it this way--you could see a lot of neat things by just wandering around Paris. But if you purchase the tourist map, you'll know what they are, and you'll be able to find things on the next block you'd have otherwise missed!

Sorry the post is so long, but I've enjoyed my PSA so much, I just wanted to pass along the blessing to someone else.

--------------------
Tim

Zhumell Z10 dob
Meade 60mm refractor
Zhumell 1.25" eyepiece and filter kit
Zhumell sky-glow, UHC, and OIII filters