Resolution of Hercules Cluster with a 6" Telescope

I live in the suburban area of a large city and would like to share
experiences viewing M13 with a 6" telescope (my 6" is a
Schmidt-Cassegrain). Under very good viewing conditions for this
area, and using a premium eyepiece at 110x, I am able resolve the
cluster to a small degree -- maybe about 20-50 stars. (Using my
higher power eyepieces results in running out of light for a
satisfactory view.) In contrast, M22 resolves very well even though
it is much lower in the sky. Could anyone please share their success
in resolving M13 with any 6" under similar viewing conditions.

I spotted M13 from farmland 20 miles outside a city of 800k with low power
on ân 8" Dob. I don't think I even upped the power as it took some 2 hours
for me to locate it manually and had to keep it centered. I think I
resolved more than 50 stars so it wasn't resolved to small degree, if I
understand you correctly.

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I spotted M13 from farmland 20 miles outside a city of 800k with low
power
on ân 8" Dob. I don't think I even upped the power as it took some 2
hours
for me to locate it manually and had to keep it centered. I think I
resolved more than 50 stars so it wasn't resolved to small degree, if
I
understand you correctly.

Hi Mike,

I'm just curious as to why it took you 2 hours to locate M13 when it is
visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. Do you have a Telrad? If you
don't, then run (don't walk) to your nearest astronomy store and get
one.

"Paul Lawler" wrote in message hlink.net...
"Mike" wrote in message
...
I spotted M13 from farmland 20 miles outside a city of 800k with low
power
on ân 8" Dob. I don't think I even upped the power as it took some 2
hours
for me to locate it manually and had to keep it centered. I think I
resolved more than 50 stars so it wasn't resolved to small degree, if
I
understand you correctly.

Hi Mike,

I'm just curious as to why it took you 2 hours to locate M13 when it is
visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. Do you have a Telrad? If you
don't, then run (don't walk) to your nearest astronomy store and get
one.

Sir:

During the summer where I live, the degree of light pollution and
other airborne pollutants is so large that even on cloudless, moonless
nights sometimes less than 10 stars are visible without optical aid.
Seeing the constellation Hercules on locally very good nights of
seeing requires full dark-adaptation. Probably at most only two
Messier objects are visible without optical aid during the year.

"Charley Tichenor" wrote in message
om...
"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
hlink.net...
"Mike" wrote in message
...
I spotted M13 from farmland 20 miles outside a city of 800k with
low
power
on ân 8" Dob. I don't think I even upped the power as it took
some 2
hours
for me to locate it manually and had to keep it centered. I think
I
resolved more than 50 stars so it wasn't resolved to small degree,
if
I
understand you correctly.

Hi Mike,

I'm just curious as to why it took you 2 hours to locate M13 when it
is
visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. Do you have a Telrad? If you
don't, then run (don't walk) to your nearest astronomy store and get
one.

Sir:

During the summer where I live, the degree of light pollution and
other airborne pollutants is so large that even on cloudless, moonless
nights sometimes less than 10 stars are visible without optical aid.
Seeing the constellation Hercules on locally very good nights of
seeing requires full dark-adaptation. Probably at most only two
Messier objects are visible without optical aid during the year.

WOW... and that's from a farm 20 miles outside the city? That's truly
frightening.

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 19:22:03 GMT, "Paul Lawler"
wrote:

"Charley Tichenor" wrote in message
. com...
"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
thlink.net...
"Mike" wrote in message
...
I spotted M13 from farmland 20 miles outside a city of 800k with
low
power
on ân 8" Dob. I don't think I even upped the power as it took
some 2
hours
for me to locate it manually and had to keep it centered. I think
I
resolved more than 50 stars so it wasn't resolved to small degree,
if
I
understand you correctly.

Hi Mike,

I'm just curious as to why it took you 2 hours to locate M13 when it
is
visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. Do you have a Telrad? If you
don't, then run (don't walk) to your nearest astronomy store and get
one.

Sir:

During the summer where I live, the degree of light pollution and
other airborne pollutants is so large that even on cloudless, moonless
nights sometimes less than 10 stars are visible without optical aid.
Seeing the constellation Hercules on locally very good nights of
seeing requires full dark-adaptation. Probably at most only two
Messier objects are visible without optical aid during the year.

WOW... and that's from a farm 20 miles outside the city? That's truly
frightening.

Must be California or the UK. :-)) There aren't that many places
with the light and particulate pollution that bad. Although even here
in the flat lands of Michigan it sometimes gets very hazy. OTOH I've
been able to see the Andromeda Galaxy, naked eye, from the Saginaw
Valley State University observatory site which is close to campus
housing and parking lots. The site is just 2 miles north of a large
mall on the north side of Saginaw with tremendous light pollution
from the parking lots.

Here we get a lot of "nature's pollution" in the form of hydrocarbons
from the growing vegetation.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Hi Mike,

I'm just curious as to why it took you 2 hours to locate M13 when it is
visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. Do you have a Telrad? If you
don't, then run (don't walk) to your nearest astronomy store and get
one.

Sometime when things get rough, my stubborn part comes out. Basically,
outside Honolulu M13 is visible as a smudge, but with my dob I would have to
aim and then fine tune blindly~ all the while kneeling, crouching, swerving
my patent back, standing on my toes... If a Telrad is a go to device I have
since replaced my dob with computerized SC. Lot of light pollution here
(old ladies afraid of what lurks - boo!) and some vog - volcanic fog. I
deserved M13 tho; she was my white whale. Argh...

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Hi Mike,

I'm just curious as to why it took you 2 hours to locate M13 when
it is
visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. Do you have a Telrad? If
you
don't, then run (don't walk) to your nearest astronomy store and
get
one.

Sometime when things get rough, my stubborn part comes out.
Basically,
outside Honolulu M13 is visible as a smudge, but with my dob I would
have to
aim and then fine tune blindly~ all the while kneeling, crouching,
swerving
my patent back, standing on my toes... If a Telrad is a go to device
I have
since replaced my dob with computerized SC. Lot of light pollution
here
(old ladies afraid of what lurks - boo!) and some vog - volcanic fog.
I
deserved M13 tho; she was my white whale. Argh...

No, a Telrad is a 1x finder which projects concentric red rings against
the sky at 4, 2, and 1/2 degree. Although in highly light polluted
skies, it's value is lessened by not being able to see the stars at 1x.

Yikes.... you're in Honolulu, too? Do I know you? Do you know me?
*eek*

"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
ink.net...
No, a Telrad is a 1x finder which projects concentric red rings against
the sky at 4, 2, and 1/2 degree. Although in highly light polluted
skies, it's value is lessened by not being able to see the stars at 1x.

Yikes.... you're in Honolulu, too? Do I know you? Do you know me?
*eek*

I just joined the HI Astronomical Society this year. Maybe I'll see you at
Dillingham?

"Mike" wrote in
:
"Paul Lawler" wrote in message
ink.net...

Yikes.... you're in Honolulu, too? Do I know you? Do you know me?
*eek*

I just joined the HI Astronomical Society this year. Maybe I'll see
you at Dillingham?

Yes, yes. Please look for me. I usually have a 12.5" blue Litebox dob.