M27 - Dumbbell Nebula

[Minet]

I'm suprised that I managed to find this towards the end of my stargazing last night. I was just working across the sky using Stellarium as a guide when I noticed this and saw that it's magnitude wasn't too high. With clear skies it appears as definite grey blob next to three dim stars in a line to the bottom left of it. Looking forward to seeing it with a telescope because it must be a pretty good sight if it's this clear with a pair of bins.

Andromeda was really clear last night and the light pollution must have been lower than usual too because I could start to make out the band of the milky way across the sky.

[ron.s.g]

Glad to see your finding targets, i love popping out with my bins to spend an hour or two just browsing the skies to see what catches my eyes,

jupiter is also a good view around midnight,

keep enjoying.

regards ron.s.g

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

M27 is very nice in bins (probably the best planetary nebula for bins). In a scope it is better still, but don't pack in the bins even when you get the scope. Bins are wonderful quick observing tools.