Dumbbell Nebula.

[Bazz]

How easy is this to find and should I still be able to see it from my LP back garden. I think I am in the right area but can not nail it.

[paul mc c]

Yes you will be able to see it ok with your scope,i live 2 miles outside belfast and i can see it in a 50mm finder,a o111 or uhc filter wil help a lot also.

[bomberbaz]

As Paul says an OIII filter really brings out detail taking it from a smudge to an objest with shape and structure.

[laudropb]

I can see it from my garden just outside of Glasgow, but it is much easier with a filter, OIII or UHC.

[Tiki]

I would of thought that unless your LP is really bad you should be able to pick it up in your finder quite easily. How bad is your LP? Can you see any of the stars in Sagitta naked-eye?

The star hop that I use is to follow a line from gamma Sagittae in the direction of eta Cygni for a distance approximately equal to the length of the 'arrow' part of Sagitta. Even if you can't see too much of Sagitta naked-eye it should be very easy with your finder. It should be pretty easy to pick up in your main scope even without a filter unless your LP is truly terrible.

M27 is a nice object and well worth tracking down. Good luck.

[Stu]

Give it a go with Binos first to get an idea of where it is. This often helps finding objects in the scope afterwards

[Bazz]

Give it a go with Binos first to get an idea of where it is. This often helps finding objects in the scope afterwards

New Binos arriving tomorrow, so will put them to work as soon as I can.

[Stu]

New Binos arriving tomorrow, so will put them to work as soon as I can.

Good stuff. If it makes you feel better, it's never quite where I expect it to be, even though it should be very easy to find

[bingevader]

Me too.

Have a look at some of the star hopping guides on t'interweb.

I usually try making my way up from the last bright star (Gamma) in Sagitta.

[Mr Spock]

It's directly north from γ Sagittae at about the same distance as the distance between γ Sagittae and δ Sagittae.

[ronl]

Use this Telrad star chart to hop from one target to another, http://www.atmob.org/library/member/skymaps/MAP8.PDF

it's about three moves with the Telrad from Albireo, you can print the charts, this is the link to the site, 

http://www.atmob.org/library/member/skymaps_jsmall.html 

good hunting and clear sky's

[jabeoo1]

Its quite dilute looking when say compared with the Ring nebula.  This may be why you are finding it tricky.  Once you know the spot you will nail it every time.  I aways start in Sagitta. Zeta Sagittae is at the angle from the otherwise flat star arrangement of the constellation that points to the Dumbbell.  Its a nice object   

[Size9Hex]

Any luck since your first post? I found it tonight with 10x50 binos, starting at Altair and hopping up through Sagitta towards Vulpecula which seemed to work out well. From gamma Sagitta it was located just over half way in a straight line to a fairly obvious close pair of stars (one of which is 16 Vul) which were (just) in the same field of view as gamma Sagitta. Good luck with it. I dare say it would be more impressive to you with a scope than in my binos! Paul.

[Bazz]

Not had much of a chance, but next time i'm out I will give it another go.

[faulksy]

i quite like m27 and m57 un filtered but if the skys are poor i find a uhc better on these object over a oiii

[Mike73]

i quite like m27 and m57 un filtered but if the skys are poor i find a uhc better on these object over a oiii

Yeah theres quite a few objects which I prefer unfiltered from a dark site Mike but as you say any LP and I'm reaching for the filters.

[Dave In Vermont]

As no one else has mentioned it - do you have Stellarium downloaded in your computer? If so, you may disregard the following:

Stellarium is a very lanrge software-program that consists of very accurate views of what's up and about in your location. It is called a planetarium-program as it's very realistic looking and just plain beautiful! You enter your location - following reading at least a part of the instructions - and make it show you whatever you wish out there. Similar programs can cost upwards of £200. But Stellarium, which many consider the best of them all, is FREE. Yes - FREE!

And here you go:

http://www.stellarium.org/

As for instructions, the most current one's are posted in Wiki due to their being new features & functions being created almost daily. There is also a Pdf. that's almost up-to-date. Here's the Wiki-Link:

http://www.stellarium.org/wiki/index.php/Stellarium_User_Guide
 

And the Pdf. is here:

http://barry.sarcasmogerdes.com/stellarium/stellarium_user_guide-new.pdf

This should help you to find just about everything under the Sun.

Clear skies & Happy Nebulae,

Dave

[Astro Imp]

This should help you to find just about everything under the Sun.

Dave

Or even the stars. 

Alright I'll leave quietly.

[Dave In Vermont]

Or even the stars. 

Alright I'll leave quietly.

Actually, I was wondering who among you would notice that!

And thanks, Alan, for reminding me - I neglected to attach a screen-shot of Stellarium in my post. So without further ado - this is what my edition of Stellarium has been set to look at & for:

When all else fails - read the instructions!

Dave

[Astro Imp]

Hi Dave,  

Joking aside I think Stellarium is an amazing piece of soft ware, and when one considers it's free even more so.

[Bazz]

Thanks Dave, yes I have it. I will be using it much more now I understand it a bit better.

[Bazz]

Nailed it tonight. 

[Ju Piter]

congrats it is a great feeling when you find a new object

i still think it should be called the apple core nebula because thats exactly what it looks like to me a gorgeous grey apple core