Telescope Reviews: M108 and 97

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Observing >> Deep Sky Observing

Pages: 1

Dennis_S253
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/22/11

Loc: West Central Florida

M108 and 97
#5659226 - 02/03/13 01:00 AM

So I'm out viewing tonight as I got a clear night and I don't have to get up in the morning. I'm using the 6" and it appears that M108 and 97 are visable using averted vision only. I think I'm in a yellow zone. They were about 50 degrees above the horizon. So I guess I need a darker site????

Post Extras:

Astrodj
sage

Reged: 08/24/11

Loc: Missouri

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Dennis_S253]
#5659296 - 02/03/13 02:19 AM

I can get M97 from my red zone quite well with a 10" dob and UHC filter(not the owl face per se, but the disc), but M108 eludes me completely. M108 is visible in my 5" SCT from a green zone, but really dim. I have yet to detect it from my red zone in any of my scopes.

Clear Skies,

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Erik Bakker
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/10/06

Loc: The Netherlands, Europe

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Dennis_S253]
#5659352 - 02/03/13 04:22 AM

Dennis,

All you need is some really dark skies. Then you see them easily.

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Ed D
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/30/10

Loc: Sunny South Florida

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Erik Bakker]
#5659623 - 02/03/13 09:48 AM

Dennis, I agree with the darker skies. A 6" in dark skies is simply amazing, making M108 and M97 (and A LOT of other stuff) very easy to see.

Also, I find that the sweet spot for me for DSO (galaxies, nebulae) with my 6" is a 3mm exit pupil. For any 6" scope that would be any eyepiece that gives 50X, or close to it. Here's a link to the Celestron web page that explains it simply and easily. Hope that helps.

Ed D

Edited by Ed D (02/03/13 10:08 AM)

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Dennis_S253
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/22/11

Loc: West Central Florida

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Ed D]
#5659799 - 02/03/13 11:34 AM

Thx for the info guys. Ed, I'll have to give that a try. It was getting late and cold so I packed it up. I was getting in a hurry and don't remember if I tried any Ep's other than my 32mm.

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azure1961p
Postmaster

Reged: 01/17/09

Loc: USA

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Dennis_S253]
#5660004 - 02/03/13 01:29 PM

In magnitude 6 or better I can see both with an 8" sct or reflector. I wouldnt even dream of it in a magnitude 5 sky. I love the surface detail and superiposed star on M108 - a very very nice object. You definately want a dark sky though. 6.2v was good actually.

Pete

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akulapanam
member

Reged: 08/27/12

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: azure1961p]
#5660038 - 02/03/13 01:56 PM

I guess both targets need really dark skies. M97 is barely visible with the Orion light pollution filter from my red skies with a C9.25. M108 is invisible.

Post Extras:

Mike4242
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/02/11

Loc: Memphis, TN

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: akulapanam]
#5660805 - 02/03/13 10:01 PM

M97 was quite difficult in my 10" dob from my red zone back yard, but it was pretty easy from our club's green zone site.

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Tony Flanders
Postmaster

Reged: 05/18/06

Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Dennis_S253]
#5661170 - 02/04/13 06:28 AM

Quote:

So I'm out viewing tonight as I got a clear night and I don't have to get up in the morning. I'm using the 6" and it appears that M108 and 97 are visable using averted vision only. I think I'm in a yellow zone. They were about 50 degrees above the horizon. So I guess I need a darker site????

I must admit I'm a little surprised; I would expect them to appear more prominent in the yellow zone through a 6-inch scope. My first notes on M97 -- through a 7-inch scope in a yellow/green zone -- describe it as "bright" at 120X. M108 is definitely harder.

Obviously, darker skies always help.

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Tony Flanders
Postmaster

Reged: 05/18/06

Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: azure1961p]
#5661179 - 02/04/13 06:35 AM

Quote:

In magnitude 6 or better I can see both with an 8" sct or reflector. I wouldnt even dream of it in a magnitude 5 sky.

My notes through my 7-inch scope at my local city park, NELM around 4.7, say:

M108: OK @40X, slightly better @60X or 80X. Vague sense elliptical EW.
M97: really obvious with UHC filter @40X, substantial fairly bright circle. Just barely visible @60X without UHC, impossible other powers.

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Dennis_S253
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/22/11

Loc: West Central Florida

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Tony Flanders]
#5661423 - 02/04/13 10:10 AM

Tony, it's kinda funny. I was sitting here yesterday thinking, what would Tony say? So I went to your web site and was reading your notes. To be honest, I don't remember if I tried any higher EP's. I guess my thinking at the time was wrong. I figured higher mag would just make it dimmer. Nebula and Galaxies are new to me. I guess I have a lot to learn. Weather permitting I'll try again tonight.

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azure1961p
Postmaster

Reged: 01/17/09

Loc: USA

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Dennis_S253]
#5662580 - 02/04/13 10:06 PM

M97 under mag 6.2v sky's for me seemed to max out at 120x and 70x was pretty good - both either UHC or OIII if I recall. I never never never saw the eyes though. I tried - a lot. Finally at a similar sky with a 17.5" while it was visible i stopped kicking myself for missing it with the 8".

Pete

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starrancher
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/09/09

Loc: Northern Arizona

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: azure1961p]
#5662715 - 02/04/13 11:46 PM

Quote:

M97 under mag 6.2v sky's for me seemed to max out at 120x and 70x was pretty good - both either UHC or OIII if I recall. I never never never saw the eyes though. I tried - a lot. Finally at a similar sky with a 17.5" while it was visible i stopped kicking myself for missing it with the 8".

Pete

I feel like a spoiled brat then . You gotta come out to the Southwest Deserts Pete ! My first trip out to Joshua Tree with my AR5 , the "eyes" were unbelievably present . I had no filters at the time . I recall using 120x on that .
You should see Androneda through the SN8 at 31x ! Unreal! ...And the Triangulum at about 50 to 60x . It'll knck you socks off ! .....Heck , it might even blow your hair back .

But seriously , I feel fortunate when I read through some of these threads . The arid Southwest really is telescope country .

You can't get a better filter than the dark sky location filter .
Josh Tree is like a green/blue zone . Now in Arizona , up on the Coconino plateau , it's more a grey/black zone at the county line 40 minutes out of Kingman .

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Dennis_S253
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/22/11

Loc: West Central Florida

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: starrancher]
#5662802 - 02/05/13 01:13 AM

Tonight was actually a great night here in Florida. M108 and M97 was kinda low on the horizon at 9:45 but I took another look. M108 best view was at 67X but it was there without averted vision and M97 at 80x also. Bagged 5 other galaxys after that. I can't belief I was just a casual viewer for years. Jupiter and Saturn and the moon and some open clusters and M42 and 43 and Hercules. Wow, all the things I was missing.

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jack45
Post Laureate

Reged: 07/07/03

Loc: Lacey WA

Re: M108 and 97 new

[Re: Dennis_S253]
#5662821 - 02/05/13 01:32 AM

I use a 12" and can find them real easy. The 23mm Axiom gets both in view, no filter needed. Also M109 is about the same as M108, also a little easier to find. The 17mm T/4 is also a good eyepeice to use.

Clear Skies!

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