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Nice start. Averted vision is very important. How about using higher power to darken the sky a bit to make some DSOs stand out better. Another tip from Sue French in the August Sky and Telescope is to use higher power on globular clusters and planetary nebula to bring out more detail.

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Yep...averted vision (even scanning) is one technique.

Also be a pirate...meaning use a eye patch. Makes it much easier and more comfortable to view. Helps in baffling fatigue also.

Don’t be a one-eyed pirate…meaning alternate eyes. If you have fairly decent vision in both eyes, switch eyes at the eyepiece. This will also battle fatigue.

Be a one-eyed hooded pirate...meaning baffling stray light around you and the eyepiece. Some use this technique with great results, though fogging the eyepiece can happen with this.

Be a one-eyed hooded pirate that likes to travel…if necessary. Meaning finding or observing from the darkest site possible, will be a huge advantage on deep sky observing. Even slightly darker skies then your backyard will produce big dividends.

Yes, higher power is something I been saying for years and years (actually decades and decades).

DSO’s as a whole should not be subject to what some might call “optimum magnification”, for many variables exist. Such as sky conditions (both seeing and transparency), scope condition (optics, collimation), object (size, magnitude, surface brightness), and of course the observer himself.

I like to push the power for most objects...particularly galaxies, planetary nebula, tight globs. Even large nebula like M-42 can reveal great detail using more than just low power.

Know that each object has its own character. For instance one galaxy may look best (detail included) in my 22” at 200x, while another may require 400x or more.

So when a certain galaxy per say is in view, I will continue step by step to push the power. In many instances detail will start to emerge. Even on nights where seeing is only fair, I’ll still push the power a bit.

Many times on these type of nights, seeing will settle for moments of time, this is where patience is good to have at the eyepiece (heck, that should apply at all times). So when those moments come, many times detail will pop or emerge.

My two main scopes are the 22” dob, and the 8” refractor. Both scopes I have (and will) continue to push the envelope. In fact last year, I really pushed the big refractor while observing many ARP’s.

I was amazed on the detail I could see on many of them, so technique can go a long way on what can be seen.

Oh, I need to say some of my best views ever was with the 22” dob on M-82 and M-104 at 715x to 1002x, using Naglers 3.5mm and 2.5mm respectively. The views were Hubblesque!!!


Karl
E.O.H.


Chesmont Astronomical Society
Telekit (Swayze optics) 22" F/4.5 Dob
Homemade (Parks Optics) 12.5" F/4.8 Dob
TMB 8" F/9 Refractor(The Beast)
Astrozap 6" f/8 Refractor
Orion 4" f/6 Refractor

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So many galaxies, so little time!

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