I'm Crabby!

On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 17:29:49 GMT, (Nick
Theodorakis) wrote:


Any tips for getting a look at M1? It seems to be my nemesis. I tried
again last night and coudn't find it.

I'm using a 4.5 in Dob (Orion Skyquest) in moderately light-polluted
skies -- suburban Indianapolis, northwest of the city. (The
southeastern sky is hoplessly lost in light-glow, but the sky western
sky isn't too bad.)

M1 is no prize. I figure the only reason people look at it at all
are because of it's nature as a supernova remnant with a high speed
pulsar in the centre. But as an object to look at, it is dim and
only "comes alive" in some very large scopes. Seeing it isn't too
difficult, but any lack of sky transparency or light pollution really
does a number on it's visibility. However, while you are in the
vicinity, try for the Eskimo nebula in Gemini.
-Rich

There are a number of binocular objects in
a dark sky that I cannot see with an 8" from
suburbia. M4 and M51 are among them. I
know what they look like. They are old friends.
They are easy to find. They just don't present in
my home skies.

M1 I have never seen at all. Last night, used an
ETX90 with a GoTo. It was dead centering
everything else. Nada. Tried tapping the OTA, as
that sometimes reveals dim objects. Still nothing.
Fished around. More nothing.

So... maybe it's a matter of finding the thing, as
some suggest. Maybe it's a matter of recognition,
as other suggest. Here's a vote that it's none
of the above - none of the objects visible above
your suburbia, that is.

-Larry (Normally a star-hopper) C.



"Nick Theodorakis" wrote in message
...

Any tips for getting a look at M1? It seems to be my nemesis. I tried
again last night and coudn't find it.

I'm using a 4.5 in Dob (Orion Skyquest) in moderately light-polluted
skies -- suburban Indianapolis, northwest of the city. (The
southeastern sky is hoplessly lost in light-glow, but the sky western
sky isn't too bad.)

Do I need a bigger scope? Darker sky? Better chart? Or more patience?

I cannot see with an 8" from
suburbia. M4 and M51 are among them. I

Hi:

There is no doubt that both of these are difficult from poor skies. They are
doable, however, if you keep after them. I've seen both from a site less than 1
mile from a big shopping mall. How? By waiting for special nights, waiting for
their culminations, using 100x and above while searching, and waiting till
after midnight. Even doing this, M51 was tough in a 4.25 inch. It was much
easier in a 6, with both it and NGC 5195 visible as dim blobs.


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Do I need a bigger scope? Darker sky? Better chart? Or more patience?

Nick

Nick:

You have gotten lots of good advice.Your post stimulated my curiousity so I
decided to see if I could see M1 from my backyard with my Space Probe 130ST, a
fast Newt about the same size as your Skyquest.

I live in San Diego, a city of about 1.3 million so the light pollution is
significant, skies are Magnitude 4.2 at the Zenith on the best nights.

When I read the vary bits of advice, the one that seemed most important was
Sketchers suggestion that you make sure the M1 was well above the horizon.
Since the Crab is rising in early evening, one is tempted to give a look while
it still mired down in the light pollution.

I kept looking through out the evening but it wasn't until about 10:00 when the
Crab Nebula was almost 40 degrees about the horizon and finally out of the muck
of light polution that I was able to detect the Crab Nebula with adverted
vision at the very limits of my ability. Yes it was there but I would not have
expected anyone who had not been doing the faint-fuzzy thing a few years to see
it...

This morning I woke up about 3:30 and the sky being clear, I set the scope up
again. The Crab Nebula was nearly overhead and the sky was also significantly
dark. At this time M1 was much easier to find, visable with direct vision at
about 50X. I decded to give it a try in the $50 Telestar/Meade 60AZ-A that I
have been playing with. Surprisingly I was able to spot M1 with this scope as
well when conditions were good.

The bottom line here is that dark skies are important in finding and observing
a faint target like the M1 but that with patience, darker skies can come to
you.

So, if you were searching in the evening, I suggest that the next time you are
up early, spend a few minutes and see if you can find it.

Best wishes, clear skies

jon