Flames, a helmet, a comet and more winter DSO

[YKSE]

Got another chance for hunting winter DSO in dark site. Starting near 8 o'clock, over an hours after sunset. good transparency, SQM showed 20.2 in the begining, and got to 21.1 an hour later, the best I've had in this site.

Caldwell 51 was the intented first taget, but it had already set, Spiral galaxy C23 was readily seen in 31mm(67x), while C5 was a little more difficult to make out because the bright stellar-sized core.

Comet 15P/Finlay, around mag 12 now, needed averted vision to pick up.

The Flame nebula(NGC 2024), failed to see it last two times, by putting Alnitak close to the edge, it showed up in somewhat averted vision, UHC or OIII filter dimmed it out totally, putting alnitak outside FOV was actually a little more difficult to see the Flame with its dark lane.

Flaming star nebular(IC405), easy to see the star patterns there, the nebulosity was more difficult to make out, took some good minutes looking around to be sure.

Thor's helmet nebula(NGC2359, duck nebula is another nickname), very difficult without filter, just a hint of nebulosity in averted vision, with UHC, it just stood out right in the face! replacing UHC with OIII (thanks John), even better constrast than UHC, this one is truly a filter nebula.

2440 is another interesting planetary nebula, blue color, very bright for mag 11.5, the stellar size(16") needed higher mag (120x-200x) to not misstaken as a star.

Some other bagged DSO are open clusters 7686, 2354, 2439, 2571, 2627(about 1deg above horizon), 2527 2467, 2482, 2421, 2509,2479, 2423, 2539, and galaxies 404, 1128, 2207, 2613, 2784. 2811, 2835 and 3109.

27 new winter DSO in 4 hours, a satisfactory finish for a lousy winter

[John]

Lovely report and a great haul of objects

I'm glad the O-III is earning it's keep !

[bish]

Nice report. I'm waiting for the opportunity to really test my new OIII. The UHC has proved useful - but I haven't been to a dark site in a while.

[YKSE]

Bish,

Try the filters on Thor's helmet, you'll not regret your filter purchase, the enhancement is more profound than on the Veil.

[Helix]

I observed Thor's Helmet nebula recently and have to agree that OIII filter is the best for this object.

Inspiring report.

[jetstream]

Great report Yong, Thors Helmet sounds like a good target, thanks for mentioning it and what it works best with.

[John]

Bish,

Try the filters on Thor's helmet, you'll not regret your filter purchase, the enhancement is more profound than on the Veil.

This one is on my "to do" list now as well

[YKSE]

John,

I'm quite sure that you wouldn't be disappointed in playing filters on it, most probably positive surprised.

[AndyPandy]

Is the OIII Filter effective on most nebulae of this type? Would it for instance really enhance the Ring Nebula significantly or even the Orion nebulae? Just wondering as an occasiional 'hobby' astronomer how much different a view it might give me of these objects than I've known to date.

Many thanks!

[YKSE]

Hi Andy,

I've not tried any filter on M42, here's a very good link of David Knisely's filter comparison, UHC seems to be useful for more emission nebulae, where OIII has strong impact om slightly fewer emission nebulae, and I find it to be a very good guideline, these two are without doubt the most useful filters I have.

[John]

Is the OIII Filter effective on most nebulae of this type? Would it for instance really enhance the Ring Nebula significantly or even the Orion nebulae? Just wondering as an occasiional 'hobby' astronomer how much different a view it might give me of these objects than I've known to date.

Many thanks!

I've compared my O-III filter with a DGM NPB Filter (UHC type) a number of times on a number of objects and the results vary object to object as David Knisely's report observes. Some objects I prefer to view unfiltered, some are interesting when filtered and unfiltered and some show a vast improvement with the O-III filter and are hard to see at all without it.

If you just get one filter I think a UHC is slightly more versatile but an O-III has much more impact on certain objects and therefore, if possible, having both in your "tool kit" is great   

[AndyPandy]

Great stuff thanks both

[christhebrit]

I've used my OIII filter on M42, but conditions weren't the best.

Maybe I was doing something wrong, but it didn't help me.

From that experience, it's been kept away for some time, maybe I'll get it out again to try on some of the above objects.