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When talking about Orion, we‘re actually referring to the main part
of a much larger cloud of hydrogen gas and dust, which spreads
out over half of the Orion constellation. The expanse of this
enormous cloud stretches several hundred light years.
Ring Nebula (M 57)
M 57 in the Lyra constellation
Right ascension: 18:53 (Hours: Minutes)
Declination: -33:02 (Degrees: Minutes)
Distance from Earth: 2,400 light years
The famous Ring Nebula M 57 in the constellation of Lyra is often
viewed as the prototype of a planetary nebula; it is one of the
magnificent features of the Northern Hemisphere’s summer sky.
Recent studies have shown that it is probably comprised of a ring
(torus) of brightly shining material that surrounds the central star
(only visible with larger telescopes), and not of a gas structure
in the form of a sphere or an ellipsis. If you were to look at the
Ring Nebula from the side, it would look like the Dumbbell Nebula
(M27). When viewed from Earth, we are looking directly at the pole
of the nebula.
Dumbbell Nebula (M 27)
M 27 in the Fox constellation
Right ascension: 19:59.6 (Hours: Minutes)
Declination: -+22:43 (Degrees: Minutes)
Distance from Earth: 1,360 light years
The Dumbbell Nebula (M 27) in Fox was the first planetary nebula
ever discovered. On July 12, 1764, Charles Messier discovered this
new and fascinating class of objects. We see this nebula almost
directly from its equatorial plane. If we could see the Dumbbell
Nebula from one of its poles, we would see the shape of a ring,
and we would see something very similar to what we know as the
Ring Nebula (M 57). In reasonably good weather, we can see this
object well even with low magnifications.
Possible objects for observation:
The following section details several interesting and easy-to-find
celestial objects you may want to observe through your telescope. The
pictures at the end of the manual show what the objects will look like
through your telescope’s eyepiece.
Terrestrial objects
Take note of the examples below, including Mount Rushmore and the
golf course. Start with the 20 mm eyepiece and focus until the image
is clear. After mastering the 20 mm eyepiece, switch to the 12.5 mm
eyepiece and practice scanning and focusing until the image is clear.
Choose several terrestrial objects to practice focusing on, but never
point your telescope at or near the sun, or you risk blindness.
The Moon
The moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite.
Diameter: 3.476km
Distance from Earth: approx. 384,400 km (average)
The moon has been known to humans since prehistoric times. It is the
second brightest object in the sky (after the sun). Because the moon
circles the Earth once per month, the angle between the Earth, the
moon and the sun is constantly changing; one sees this change in the
phases of the moon. The time between two consecutive new moon
phases is about 29.5 days (709 hours).
Orion Nebula (M 42)
M 42 in the Orion constellation
Right ascension: 05:35 (Hours: Minutes)
Declination: -5:22 (Degrees: Minutes)
Distance from Earth: 1,500 light years
Located about 1,500 light years from Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier
42, abbreviation: M 42) is the brightest diffuse nebula in the sky –
visible with the naked eye, and a worthwhile object for telescopes
of all types and sizes, from the smallest field glass to the largest
earthbound observatories and the Hubble Space Telescope.
f=20 mm
f=12.5 mm
The Moon
Orion Nebula (M 42)
Ring Nebula in Lyra
constellation (M 57)
Dumbbell Nebula in the
Vulpecula (Fox)
constellation (M 27)
f=20 mm
f=12.5 mm
Terrestrial Images
Celestial Images
