TheSkySearchers

Got out the Bresser NT150, a 150/1200mm (F/8) Newtonian, for a first light. This scope came with just the OTA, no finder. So I attached a Rigel Quick Finder next to the focuser:



The Celestron Omni CG4 EQ mount handles this scope very well – this was my main concern when I got the Bresser over a year ago:



This scope allows access to dimmer asterisms and open clusters (requiring high magnifications as well as aperture) which were difficult or impossible to see from home before. So I can now return to targeting NEW deep-sky objects, which consumed all of my astronomical observing for 8 years.

I scanned the Interstellarum Atlas charts for appropriate open clusters and asterisms in Cygnus and came up with a couple of Dolidze open clusters to start off this first light.

• Dolidze 36 (Cyg, OC, chart #17 right) – NEW; using 160x, I see 19 stars ranging from mag. 9.5 to 12.1, with the five brightest stars forming a rectangular pattern.

• Dolidze 1a (Cyg, OC, chart #17 right) – NEW; using 200x, a pattern of 7 stars ranging from mag. 11.4 to 12.5 in the form of a snaky line with an arrow tip at one end. Interstellarum plots a “Do1” and a “Do1a”, cluster while the Dolidze Index lists a “Do1”, “Do1b” and a “Do1c” – non-contiguous parts of the same cluster. I’m treating them as separate clusters.

• NGC 6888 or Crescent Nebula – using 69x and OIII filter, nebulosity visible with averted vision.

• Jupiter – using 200x, got the clearest views I’ve ever seen from this planet from any of my scopes that I can recall. Besides the equatorial belts and the southern zone, the shadow of Europa was present along with the GRS.

Another satisfying session, with the biggest scope I’ll probably ever use in my lifetime. Meaning that I can't transport anything bigger than this on my own to darker sky sites - without a car.

Lovely session and a nice set up!

Thanks nFA!

Nice night, Terry. That Bresser looks to be a beast - hopefully you will be able to pull more out with it!

KingNothing13 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:53 pm Nice night, Terry. That Bresser looks to be a beast - hopefully you will be able to pull more out with it!

Thanks Brett. The key (besides aperture) is the long focal length providing the higher magnifications needed to pull out fainter stars from the dimmer open clusters and asterisms. .

Nice objects, nice session!
Thanks for you observations!

Nice session and report Terry.
Thank you for sharing it with us.

Nice work Terry, I had a look at the Bresser nice scope for that detail work pulling apart the clusters. 200x on Jupiter must be wonderful.

John Baars wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:09 am Nice objects, nice session!
Thanks for you observations!

Thanks, you're welcome John!

Peter802 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 10:19 am Nice session and report Terry.
Thank you for sharing it with us.

Thanks, you're welcome Peter!

Greenman wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 10:48 am Nice work Terry, I had a look at the Bresser nice scope for that detail work pulling apart the clusters. 200x on Jupiter must be wonderful.

Thanks Tony! This may have been the first time I've used 200x on a planet. In the past, I've mainly been a deep-sky observer, so I'm still learning about planetary observing.

Nice catches Terry! Jupiter shadows transits are always fun.

Thanks Andrey - seeing the shadow transit was a pleasant surprise, adding icing to the wonderful view of Jupiter I had with this scope!