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[gettr]

Hey all,

In my frozen attempts to find Comet Macholtz, I was looking between Orion and Pleiades and I seen a set of stars that seemed to form a an equilateral triangle. The corners were marked with a single star with two stars kind of close together on the sides forming the sides. The entire thing was within my 26 mm EP in my ST80. Is this part of a larger constellation? Taurus maybe?

Thanks,
Dennis

[timothy]

Dennis
I believe you have discovered the Hyades open cluster. Here's a link you can check out
www.seds.org/messier/xtra/ngc/hyades.html

Tim

[gettr]

Thanks Tim,

After looking at the link and subsequent links, I think you're right. That was very interesting to look at... I believe I'll be trying to find that again...

Dennis

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

It's always cool to personally "discover" new objects.

Winter skies are filled with such gems, just waiting to be re-found. A great way to spend an evening.

[gettr]

Being new to the astronomy thing, almost everything I see is a first (and most I have to look up! pun intended). And winter skies seem to hold a lot of interesting objects.... Sometimes, though, I wish I was observing in Arizona..lol...

Clear skies

[timothy]

Dennis
Your welcome. Here's another link to a site that has sketchs of DSO's. I think it is more helpfull in identifying things you find because they look more like what you see as opposed to a long exposer photograph. Don't forget with your scope your seeing a mirror image (backwards) I think. If anybody can help here, please do. The sketchs seem to be all made looking through a newtonian, Which gives an inverted image ( upside down and backwards.

www.skyrover.net/ds/library.php

Joe
Nice chart . Where do you get those?

Tim

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

This particular one that I use is called "HnSky". A totally free and detailed star map program. Very versitile and updatable. Robust and not a resource hog.

A google search will lead you to it easily.

There is also a community forum for users of the program. With the others's that I use, (also free), I have it covered.

Stellarium is a pretty star program, that introduces sky haze, day's progression, and star twinkle. SkyOrb takes you on a journey, where ever you want to go with a great show.

But for honest, quick and to the point charts....I use Hnsky and Cartes De Ciel.

[stargazer]

Dennis

Dome a favor.Please describe in full detail of what you saw. I will try to help you figure it out. But I need details.

IE: where were you, what were you near, was it large or small, spread out or tight together, any large groupings near it. any colored stars.

If you could answer these questions for me I willgive you an answer.

B

[timothy]

Thanks Joe, I'll take a look

Tim

[gettr]

Thanks Becky, After looking a bit into Tim's suggestion and then finding a little info in his link and Cloudy Nights forum having a small wonders article on the constellation Taurus.... I think I've got it figured out.
I've tried to download Cartes to my laptop and it won't open completely after the download. Cartes works great on my PC. Stellarium is probably the one I've used the most. I've got Autostar, the Sky, Starry night also loaded, but I usually use Stellarium and Starry Night. I do wanna check out HnSky...I figure I got all these others loaded... why not one more!