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Posts Made By: Dave Mitsky

August 5, 2002 05:32 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

A newly identified comet

Posted By Dave Mitsky
An ephemeris for this comet is available at http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Comets/2002O4_1.html

Dave Mitsky

August 19, 2002 06:03 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Deep sky filters-do they work?

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Narrowband and line filters do indeed work but don't expect miracles from them. Paradoxically filters often show the most improvement on objects under dark skies. But if you want a great view of the Cygnus Loop or the Horsehead Nebula LPR/nebula(r) are the definitely the way to go.

See http://www.cloudynights.com/accessories/filters.htm and http://www.cloudynights.com/howto/filters.htm for further information.

Dave Mitsky

August 23, 2002 07:45 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Last Question....maybe

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Tom,

Since you seem determined to do astrophotography, it would probably be easier and cheaper to simply get an appropriate SCT and be done with it. Of course, you'd then be settling for a telescope that is a jack of all trades but a master of none.

Dave Mitsky

September 10, 2002 07:39 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Time to hunt for IC342

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Inge,

I observed this Local Group galaxy on Thursday night from Cherry Springs State Park using a friend's new 14.5" f/4.3 Starmaster. IC 342's core was visible but not much else. We also visited the more difficult Maffei I.

Dave Mitsky

September 10, 2002 07:59 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Who discovered Jupiter's dark barges?

Posted By Dave Mitsky
There's nothing particularly special about dark barges appearing on Jupiter, Ron.

See http://atmos.nmsu.edu/ijw/1997/0721.html for instance.

Dave Mitsky

September 17, 2002 07:10 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Time to hunt for IC342

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Inge,

I observed IC342 at the BFSP almost two weeks ago using a 14.5" f/4.3 Starmaster Dob. It wasn't much of a target visually with only the brighter nuclear core being visible.

Dave Mitsky

September 23, 2002 06:37 AM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Favorite Barred Spiral Galaxies

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Debbie,

NGC 7479 in Pegasus is perhaps the best autumn barred spiral galaxy. It was quite a sight through a 24" Tectron at the Black Forest Star Party earlier this month.

Another barred spiral is NGC 2543 in Lynx.


See http://www.psiaz.com/Schur/astro/ccdimagepages/n7479.html and http://www.psiaz.com/Schur/astro/ccdimagepages/ngc2543.html for images of these objects.

Dave Mitsky

September 27, 2002 12:18 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

"Top ten" list of open clusters

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Inge,

Here's my "top ten" list of favorite open clusters:

1. NGC 3532 (the best open cluster in the sky, see http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/ngc/n3532.html )
2. M24 (even if it isn't a true open cluster)
3. NGC 7789
4. NGC 2477
5. NGC 869 & NGC 884 (the Double Cluster)
6. NGC 2362
7. M11
8. M46
9. NGC 6231
10.M37

Other noteworthy open clusters include M6, M7, M35, M36, M38, M44, M45, M47, M50, M67, M93, NGC 188, NGC 225, NGC 457 (the Owl or E.T. Cluster), NGC 663, NGC 1502, NGC 1528, NGC 1907, NGC 2158, NGC 2169 (the "37" Cluster), NGC 2264, NGC 2360, NGC 2539, NGC 4755 (the Jewel Box), NGC 6802, NGC 6939, and Stock 2.

Dave Mitsky

October 9, 2002 04:00 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

Q: best 5 objects to view right now?

Posted By Dave Mitsky
How about M17, M22, M31, M45, and, ahem, the Double Cluster under the non-stellar DSO category.

Dave Mitsky

October 12, 2002 12:02 PM Forum: Deep Sky Observing

observing nebula

Posted By Dave Mitsky
Mary,

Given your visual limiting magnitude I'll venture to say that NGC 7000 (the North America, not North American, Nebula) will be next to impossible to see. This is a very expansive nebula and is best seen with binoculars and small rich-field telescopes using narrowband (UHC, UltraBlock, etc.) or O-III filters (see http://www.cloudynights.com/howto/filters.htm). At sites where the Milky Way is rather obvious the North America Nebula should be visible. At very dark sites it will be sharply delineated and the more difficult Pelican Nebula may be discernible as well.

M1 does not require a particularly dark sky or nebula filtration although broadband and narrowband filters will improve some of the Crab Nebula's aspects. I've logged M1 with my Celestron 20x80's from dark sites.

Dave Mitsky

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