7134 replies to this topic

[aToas7er]

Sadly, I wasn't able to get out last night despite the excellent seeing conditions around Kansas City. However, Monday night I was able to get out to some Bortle 6 skies in the North of the city with my Celestron 130EQ.
After getting aligned and collimated (which is strangely fun, at least at this stage of the hobby), I aimed south to resume learning the skies in Scorpius and caught Antares as I'm finding it's easiest to begin my sightseeing from this bright star. Rho Ophiuchi and 22 Scorpii are fast becoming favorite targets. Next I tried fruitlessly to see M4 but it's just too bloody bright or hazy to pickup. Shooting around cornfields close to a large lake introduces a lot of humidity and I think that's truly not helping me and I need to start finding some nice close double-stars to begin determining the resolution I can expect in humid summer skies.
 
Since my sister and her friends were with me, I started to try and find some showcase objects. The park I setup in had wonderful views of the South, East, and North but was completely blocked to the West- so no Mars or Regulus. Instead, I focused on Vega and worked my way down to Deneb. Despite being clear as day to the naked eye, I had trouble distinguishing Deneb from the rest of the starfield around it in my eyepiece. I'm hoping repeated viewing will help me navigate around Cygnus more. After acquiring what I'm pretty sure is Deneb I tried looking at the North America Nebula. I was able to view what I believe was Xi Cygni but couldn't pick out anything from the nebula itself. As it was getting late and I needed to get to bed for work, we moved over to view Shedar in Cassiopeia and from there seek NGC281. Again, I was able to see the stars but not the gas and dust in that nebula. Sadly, Andromeda hadn't risen yet so we packed up and called it a night.
 
We're supposed to expect crummy weather until Sunday here so I'm going to use some planetarium apps to try and simulate the dirty skies we've got around here and learn to navigate the stars a bit better until then. But I hope to use this knowledge for when I travel to Colorado next week. I'll be getting out to some proper Bortle 0 dark skies and hope to cheat and return with a decent report then!

 

Thanks for the tips Josephus by the way. I'm excited to test out your video-finder trick to snap decent shots with a cellphone! Hopefully I'll be able to take some sweet shots as you did!

[Josephus Miller]

Great report!

The video trick was a game changer for me. I’m sure it’ll help you too , at least for the moon and planets. Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

Enjoy the darker skies!

[Jehujones]

And thank you so so much for everyone   that replied and share your experience and what do you saw with the bright sky Bortle.

 

I liked all the posts, and I do take notes on what objects (planets, stars, DSO) that you saw, so I will try to find it in my sky Bortle too. I live in what the light pollution map said Bortle 7 (but that was an old map result), maybe now my sky is Bortle 8, who knows.

 

I did finally find Andromeda galaxy again tonight at 2:30AM.

First time I saw Andromeda was last year in December 2022, then I stop stargazing for a while due to the rain comes and goes in California back in Jan to Feb 2023 earlier this year.

....

Then I got a 4 inch SkyMax Mak, and now I'm back at stargazing, so I'm trying to find the DSO objects that I saw before (which not much). But I finally found Andromeda again tonight, I was so happy, hihi. 

 

Thank you again for share with me what you saw, and help me in this thread too as what objects you saw, I will take notes and will try to find it my sky too.

  Hello again

 

 

[Snip]

"...maybe now my sky is Bortle 8, who knows..."

Actually, you're the only one who does know. By definition, a "Bortle" rating is something you do yourself to evaluate the conditions at the time you are observing. There are no instruments or equipment required, just your own eyes. Personally, I don't agree with the classifications but I think that going through the process every night will create good observing habits. Give it a try and tell us your results. 

[CowTipton]

Two nights ago I scanned around the Milky Way in the Cygnus and Sag constellations between Altair and Deneb with my AT102ED enjoying the stars.

Lots of doubles, a few open clusters, M71, M56, and M27.  No nebulosity visible (other than M27 with filter) as the sky was quite bright.

[UnityLover]

M13 and M57

[MrsM75]

Thank you so so much for all the comments in the thread, I love reading it as it helps me learn, and I have alot to learn. And I take notes on what people see, so I can try to find it in my sky too, I just have a small scope, there only so much a Mak capable of doing, but I will try.

 

Hi, if anyone here has a 4 inches or 3 inches scope, can you please see if you can find that thick texture Messier 75 Class I globular cluster in your sky please, pretty please next time you bring out your scope for viewing.

 

Please not the big aperature scope, as I only have a 4 inches Mak, and I want to know if you can see it with 4 inches scope.

 

Last year the whole month of November 2022 I was able to see M75 in my Mak, yep, the long focal length of Mak pick it up.

Now fast forward to summer July 2023, I no longer can see it, like it no longer exist in my sky.

For the last few days I put planets and whatever things in the sky on hold, and just concentrate on find M75, and I have no luck, and it driving me bonkers.

 

Please if you have some time to spare when you out there stargazing, can you see if you able to see it in your sky.

 

Here is my SkyMap of M75, I know it out there. It further down below Altair. And Saturn in Aquarius is to the left, pan scan over the ecliptic and it should get to M75 on the right.

But I have no luck find this globular cluster again, and I was out there last night for 2 hours, not looking at anything beside try to find M75, no luck.

 

Now I'm thinking it just no longer visible in my sky in the month of July or summer time. But I will not give up, will try to find it again and will do it everyday until November come, and when December Winter sky coming in and M75 no longer visible in Northern sky until Summer roll in again.

 

It just drive me bonker, as I saw it before, I saw it a whole month long in November 2022 last year, so I KNOW how M75 looks like. But now I no longer can find it.

 

 

Edited by housewife, 14 July 2023 - 09:54 PM.

[Jehujones]

I wanted to give it a try with my 80mm 600 focal but I overslept. 

By the time I woke up it was already 4:30 and the sky was a bowl of gray soup.

I didn't have my phone to measure the darkness but the transparency would only let me see Mu in Pegasus (3.50) and not Lambda (3.95)

As I looked to the west to find Sagittarius, it was not visible at all.

Moisture was dominating the sky.

Before I went to bed I set up the scope to align the pointer and then quickly looked at M4.

I know M4 has no comparison to M75 at all but I was using Antares for alignment and I was going to see what M80 looked like but got called away.

M4 was very dim in the 80mm because of the light glow to the southeast.

 

I'll try it again tonight.

I'm going to look for M80 tonight before going to bed just in case I oversleep again.

M80 is somewhat similar to M75 so I'll have an idea of what to expect.

 

 

"...Last year the whole month of November 2022 I was able to see M75 in my Mak..."

I'm confused because I thought you always observed after midnight because of your schedule 

 

M75 would have been well below the horizon at that time

 

 

 

 

You must have been chasing Saturn in the early evening before it set

 

 

 

[NDBirdman]

I didn't have my phone to measure the darkness.

 

I hope you don't mind this rookie's question, but there's an app to measure darkness, ie bortle?  If so, what is the name of the app?  I'd love to have one.

[Jehujones]

I hope you don't mind this rookie's question, but there's an app to measure darkness, ie bortle?  If so, what is the name of the app?  I'd love to have one.

Oh, for sure and it's free too. 

 

"Dark Sky Meter"

 

From the comments of several CN members it's fairly accurate 

 

 

[NDBirdman]

Cost $1.99 but cheap enough to play with.  I'll give it at try next few nights. 

Only thing I noticed was when I select clouds, it thinks for 3-4 seconds then shuts off.  I'll tinker with it.

Thank-you

[Jehujones]

Cost $1.99 but cheap enough to play with.  I'll give it at try next few nights. 

Only thing I noticed was when I select clouds, it thinks for 3-4 seconds then shuts off.  I'll tinker with it.

Thank-you

guess I forgot  sorry about that

 

I've never selected the clouds button because I didn't want any clouds... 

 

just kidding... the developer states that the server used for cloud prediction moves from time to time and may not be available.

[rjacks]

I live in Bortle 7 and there is a lot of ambient light in my neighborhood, so for me home visual astronomy is limited to the moon, planets, double stars, carbon stars, bright planetaries, and the very bright open clusters like M6, M7, NGC 6633, IC4756, and IC4665 (summer list). I can have a lot of fun with that small set of bright objects. I can make out some DSOs, like M13 and the brighter galaxies, but honestly the views aren't very satisfying. I'm happier with binoculars at a dark site than I am with my 16" dob at home.

[Jehujones]

 

[Snip]

"...     Last year the whole month of November 2022 I was able to see M75 in my Mak, yep, the long focal length of Mak pick it up.

Now fast forward to summer July 2023, I no longer can see it, like it no longer exist in my sky.

For the last few days I put planets and whatever things in the sky on hold, and just concentrate on find M75, and I have no luck, and it driving me bonkers.

 

Please if you have some time to spare when you out there stargazing, can you see if you able to see it in your sky     ..."

clouds moved into my southern skies last night so I wasn't able to give it a try with my 80mm and with a full-time job I cannot stay out late until next weekend.

 

I did go back and find your original post when you found M75 and it was between 7:30-8:00pm.

Don't give up, you found it once and you can do it again 

 

Be aware that the orientation of the sky probably looks different than it did last November:

 

November 4, 2022 7:45pm

 

 

Tonight at Midnight

 

[daveb2022]

 

 

Hi, if anyone here has a 4 inches or 3 inches scope, can you please see if you can find that thick texture Messier 75 Class I globular cluster in your sky please, pretty please next time you bring out your scope for viewing.

 

Please not the big aperature scope, as I only have a 4 inches Mak, and I want to know if you can see it with 4 inches scope.

 

Last year the whole month of November 2022 I was able to see M75 in my Mak, yep, the long focal length of Mak pick it up.

Now fast forward to summer July 2023, I no longer can see it, like it no longer exist in my sky.

For the last few days I put planets and whatever things in the sky on hold, and just concentrate on find M75, and I have no luck, and it driving me bonkers.

 

Please if you have some time to spare when you out there stargazing, can you see if you able to see it in your sky.

 

 I saw it a whole month long in November 2022 last year, so I KNOW how M75 looks like. But now I no longer can find it.

 

 

I'm not a highly experienced observer, but I think what you should do is to find M-55 (which is close by M-75) and see how different it looks to what you found last year. 

 

Mind you these images are using night vision, but it gives you an idea how the two compare. I'd think w/o night vision, M-55 would look more like a small hazy patch similar to your description of M-75. M-75 in my 4 inch scope without NV aid is almost stellar looking. Perhaps you saw M-55 last year. Best to use the same scope you used last year to look at M-55 to get a valid comparison. Of course you will have to factor in the position now compared to last year, plus you'd have to compared seeing, & transparency to last year's conditions.

 

You have supplied me with a challenge. Next time I'm out and in the area, I'll drop in a standard EP in my 4" scope and take a look.

 

 

 

 

M-75 & M-55 using a 4" refractor/NVD from a light polluted site.

[MrsM75]

Thank you so much for the help on find M75.

 

Last year first time I saw it was Nov 5, 2022  at 7:30PM California time, here is the screenshot of my post about it last year.

 

From In-The-Sky website it said: On Nov 5, 2002. From Glendora , M75 will become visible around 18:55 (PDT), 32° above your southern horizon. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting at 22:56.

 

I spot it at 7:30PM, so I guess it was at 32°

 

Last year I observe early because Winter time the Sun set early and the sky get dark early, so I went out there early, also because I want to catch the Mars Opposition too.

 

Now in Summer time I no longer observe early as the Sun does not set here in California till 8PM, Summer time is always like this here.

 

Screenshot of M75 I posted back in Nov 2022

 

Edited by housewife, 16 July 2023 - 07:43 PM.

[MrsM75]

 

You have supplied me with a challenge. Next time I'm out and in the area, I'll drop in a standard EP in my 4" scope and take a look.

 

Please Sir, please help the beginner me find M75.

 

Yes, it could be M55 I saw last year but I don't think it was, I will explain why.

 

This is the map of November 5, 2022 last year I saw it at 7:30PM

 

 

I all started out from the beginner me lost Saturn out of view, and I stump upon M75 by accident. When I lost Saturn out of view, got panic and go down two notches and to the right, and I bump into this dense round chunk thing.

 

It a VERY dense and thick texture cluster. Impossible to get through it. I was using a Mak, so long focal length.

 

I use my highest eyepiece I have the 6mm, so 1000 focal divided by 6, and I got 166x magnification.

So I was trying to zoom this M75, focus and defocus it use 166x, hoping I can get through it dense texture, but nope, impossible, so I gave up, lol.

 

It not M55 if it this dense, it looks like a piece of clay on the wall, it has NO nebulosity at all. M55 is rather a thin texture cluster it will show nebulosity, but this one doesn't. M75 is Class I globular cluster, so only M75 can be this dense thickness of texture at 166x (that is high magnification).

 

Whatever it was I saw in that month of November 2022, I no longer can see it in July 2023. 

[Jehujones]

 

{Snip}

"...Yes, it could be M55 I saw last year but I don't think it was, I will explain why..."

I think I agree with you and allow me to explain why

 

If you were observing Saturn, then I would imagine that you had it in view to see the rings and enjoy it.

Now consider this... at the time Saturn would have been about 17-18 arc seconds in diameter and the rings may have extended to about 35 arc seconds across. Now, if you bumped the scope and lost it, then you would still have the 6mm eyepiece in the scope.

 

M75 is about 400 arc seconds in diameter. That would be over 20 times bigger than the disc of the planet you were looking at.

(that explains why it looked like a "chunk")

 

M55 is 1,140 arc seconds in diameter. That's over 60 times larger than Saturn's disc.

I think you would have used a different description (maybe)

 

 

So, just for perspective:

 

Saturn = 18 arc seconds (35 for rings)

M75 = 408 arc seconds

M55 = 1,140 arc seconds

Moon = about 1,800 arc seconds (it varies)

M22 = 1,920 arc seconds

[MrsM75]

I did go back and find your original post when you found M75 and it was between 7:30-8:00pm.

Don't give up, you found it once and you can do it again 

 

 

Yep Miss, last year Nov 5, 2022 at 7:30PM-ish that was the first time I saw M75, I posted the screenshot of it in my above replied. 

I remember last year I run in here all excited saying I saw Pluto, I saw Plutooo.! I didn't know what Messier globular cluster was, so I thought the round grey blob was the planet Pluto. The forum told me, No, you did not see Pluto.! with that small Mak aperature.

Then I went on explain it was two notches below Saturn and to the right, then the sky map and it show M75.

 

It was Winter months so the Sun set early and the sky get dark early in California in Winter time so I go observe early after dinner time. Also because I was trying to find Mars in Mars Opposition too.

 

Now in Summer time the Sun won't set here till 8PM, so I don't observe early anymore. My husband work nights so I have all nights to observe, I make sure I get all the house work done first.

 

I no longer can find M75 in my sky Miss, I don't know if the Summer July months my South part of the sky it brighter than Nov Winter months.

 

I been trying to find M75 for a week already, I drop everything in the sky just to follow Saturn in Aquarius and the ecliptic to the right try to find M75, but no luck. 

[MrsM75]

Thank you Miss Jehujones for your help, I agreed with you.

 

let me explain it better, I'm sorry English is my third language.

 

Nov 5, 2022 at 7:30PM-ish I saw M75 at that time I use that toy Sarblue 60mm Mak with 750mm focal length, and I was using a 20mm eyepiece. This toy Sarblue is light, grab and run out of the house fast, so that was what I grab after dinner time.

 

When I lost Saturn I was actually using a 20mm eyepiece in a 750mm focal length, I don't know how much magnification is that. Saturn got out of my view, I got panic (brand new to the sky in Nov), while still have the 20mm eyepiece in, I went down two notches and then to the right, and I hit this very dense grey blob, No nebulosity, just round grey blob.

 

Right there I have a 10mm and a 6mm eyepiece in my bag, so I took the 6mm eyepiece as it the highest magnification I have, put in it focus and defocus and not able to get through the thickness of this grey chunk round thing.

 

So when I first found it in the eyepiece two notches down from Saturn and to the right it was using a 20mm eyepiece with a 650mm focal Mak (60mm Mak).

 

The month of November, I got obsess with Saturn (and Mars opposition), I keep went out when night fall to see Saturn and then I use the same method, two notches down from Saturn to the right, I hit this grey round chunk again.

Then I use my 70mm Mak (which also Sarblue brand), but this 70mm Mak has 1000 focal.

 

Still saw this same grey blob, it was so thick in texture, that I use that 6mm eyepiece on a 1000 focal length Mak (70mm Mak) which I was told it gives me 166x, I still not able to get through it dense texture.

 

Found this M75 in Nov was easy, as long as I got Saturn into view, then two notches down to the right, hit this this grey blob thing.

 

Then December come, I got excited over the Andromeda, and I spend a good two weeks tried to find Andromeda in my sky (even has a thread on it, lol). I forgot about M75

 

Fast forward now to July (half a year later), think of M75 again and now I no longer can find it, it like disappear from my sky.

Edited by housewife, 16 July 2023 - 09:49 PM.

[MrsM75]

Last year I only have two scopes, the toy 60mm Mak and a 70mm Mak both Sarblue brand.

Not until July this year I got my 102mm Mak by Skymax.

 

So last year when I see M75, all I had was two toy Maks both by Sarblue, one 60mm (750mm focal), and one 70mm (1000 focal).

 

It was accident that I saw M75, I was not looking for it at all, I don't even know what Messier object is or know what it suppose to look like. The silly me run in the forum said I saw Pluto with a 60mm Mak, that was funny, I genenuily think it was the planet Pluto.

 

I wish I can see it again, I know how it looks like, I saw it before. 

 

I know it not M55 because M55 is to the "left" of Capricorn Saturn in Nov 2022, and no way M55 would required two notches downward to get to it.

....

This grey blob thing required me to go two notches downward from Saturn, and pan to the right of it, and the only thing to the right of Saturn (two notches) down was M75 and Pluto. I was the one run in the forum like a mad person last year screaming excitedly that I think I saw Pluto, Lolol.

Edited by housewife, 16 July 2023 - 10:08 PM.

[Jehujones]

Thank you Miss Jehujones for your help, I agreed with you.

 

let me explain it better, I'm sorry English is my third language.

 

Nov 5, 2022 at 7:30PM-ish I saw M75 at that time I use that toy Sarblue 60mm Mak with 750mm focal length, and I was using a 20mm eyepiece. This toy Sarblue is light, grab and run out of the house fast, so that was what I grab after dinner time.

 

When I lost Saturn I was actually using a 20mm eyepiece in a 750mm focal length, I don't know how much magnification is that. Saturn got out of my view, I got panic (brand new to the sky in Nov), while still have the 20mm eyepiece in, I went down two notches and then to the right, and I hit this very dense grey blob, No nebulosity, just round grey blob.

 

Right there I have a 10mm and a 6mm eyepiece in my bag, so I took the 6mm eyepiece as it the highest magnification I have, put in it focus and defocus and not able to get through the thickness of this grey chunk round thing.

 

So when I first found it in the eyepiece two notches down from Saturn and to the right it was using a 20mm eyepiece with a 650mm focal Mak (60mm Mak).

 

The month of November, I got obsess with Saturn (and Mars opposition), I keep went out when night fall to see Saturn and then I use the same method, two notches down from Saturn to the right, I hit this grey round chunk again.

Then I use my 70mm Mak (which also Sarblue brand), but this 70mm Mak has 1000 focal.

 

Still saw this same grey blob, it was so thick in texture, that I use that 6mm eyepiece on a 1000 focal length Mak (70mm Mak) which I was told it gives me 166x, I still not able to get through it dense texture.

 

Found this M75 in Nov was easy, as long as I got Saturn into view, then two notches down to the right, hit this this grey blob thing.

 

Then December come, I got excited over the Andromeda, and I spend a good two weeks tried to find Andromeda in my sky (even has a thread on it, lol). I forgot about M75

 

Fast forward now to July (half a year later), think of M75 again and now I no longer can find it, it like disappear from my sky.

 

Last year I only have two scopes, the toy 60mm Mak and a 70mm Mak both Sarblue brand.

Not until July this year I got my 102mm Mak by Skymax.

I like to use the base of the "Teapot" to help me find M75. Maybe the orientation of the sky is different from when you found it before.

that's why just going down and over isn't working this time. 

[MrsM75]

Thank you Miss Jehujones, yep, it no longer work because Saturn is no longer in Capricorn, but it in Aquarius now. Saturn has move further left. And M75 is still between the tail of Capricorn and the head of Sagittarius to the 'Right".

I'm assuming M75 will not move right? Please don't scare me, only planets move right? Class I globular cluster don't move, yes? It better not move, because it already hard enough to find this thing.

Edited by housewife, 16 July 2023 - 09:57 PM.

[MrsM75]

I have a question, if anyone please help me find Neptune, I know right now Neptune is to the left of Aquarius Saturn. Miss Jehujones, can you help me find Neptune?

 

This year I got a new Mak, now I have a 102mm Mak Skymax 1300 focal length.

I have 30mm ep, 25mm ep, 20mm ep, 15mm ep, 10mm ep, and 6mm ep, that is all I have.

 

So from this map below, I saw Uranus, for sure it was Uranus as I use the Moon as my marker, it a teal bluish color star like when use a 20mm ep, more teal color to me. With the Moon was my marker in this map that night, I for sure saw Uranus.

 

 

 

So now Uranus saw already, now I want to concentrate on Neptune. I just cannot find Neptune with my 20mm ep in a 1300 focal length. I don't think it big enough magnification.

So under what magnification would Neptune be visible as a star like object?

 

My eyepieces, I have 30mm ep, 25mm ep, 20mm ep, 15mm ep, 10mm ep, and 6mm ep, that is all.

 

And 1300 focal length Mak 4 inches.

 

So what eyepiece magnification should I use to find Neptune Miss?

 

Uranus was easy for me to spot, as I know the color of it, teal bluish color and it where Jupiter is.

 

But Neptune? Still trying to find which blue star in the sky is Neptune, all I know right now Neptune is where Saturn is.

Edited by housewife, 16 July 2023 - 10:05 PM.

[Jehujones]

I'm probably not the best person to help with Neptune but maybe tomorrow I can give it some time.

I have to be honest with you, that photo is of my wife and not me.

I am Mr. Jones, but I like the photo to remind me of how I got started in this hobby.

She also loves Saturn, it's her favorite too.

[MrsM75]

I'm probably not the best person to help with Neptune but maybe tomorrow I can give it some time.

I have to be honest with you, that photo is of my wife and not me.

I am Mr. Jones, but I like the photo to remind me of how I got started in this hobby.

She also loves Saturn, it's her favorite too.

 

oh, I'm sorry Sir, I didn't know, please forgive me, I will call you Sir from now on.

 

Thank you Sir, anytime, I know your busy and your time is precious, just putting my question here, as I been trying to track down Neptune myself.