Veil Nebula

[nitram100]

Was having a great session last night so thought I would try the Veil but it was totally invisible from my back garden. I had an OIII filter, 10" F4.8 newt, Explore Scientific 14mm eyepiece, tried a lower power 32mm eyepiece as well but nothing. I had 52 Cygni in the eyepiece but could not see anything nearby.

I can see the Ring Nebula, Dumbbell Nebula, Little Dumbbell (looks like a photograph with OIII) with no issues.

My gardens light pollution is atrocious, quite possibly the worst on the face of planet earth. Could this cause the Veil to be totally invisible?

[bish]

My well be. The veil needs excellent transparency if you don't have a good dark site. I have just glimpsed a very very faint view from my light polluted garden with a 10" and UHC. The sky was excellent that night - but most nights there's just too much other pollution in the atmosphere so I can't see it.

[RikM]

It is much bigger than you might expect, so your 14mm will only fit a small bit of it. With 52 Cygni in the field it could be bright enough to wash out the witches broom. It's not an easy spot first time. Your 32mm should be a good bet but may be that your LP is not allowing enough contrast. I get the best view from home with a 20mm, rather than 28mm (my widest), still bright but more contrast. As Bish says, transparency is important. If there is a lot of haze in the atmosphere, it reflects the LP and makes it worse.

[cotterless45]

If you see the glow of the Milky Way through Cygnus you'll stand a chance. With a UHC filter in the C6r I've followed the Eastern Veil and other glowing components.

NGC 6995 being the brightest along with NGC 6992. 52 Cygni sits in the long NGC 6960, but this is far better from a dark site. I used x 48, then tracked along the bright filaments,

Nick.

[nitram100]

Thanks guys, going to give it another crack tonight as it was quite hazy last night. If all else fails I will have to drive to a dark site and conquer this beast

[jetstream]

Last night my sky was not very good,light clouds passing through at times,but I set up anyway.On the Veil I have found that if I can see 52 Cygni easily naked eye,I will see the Veil with the OIII.But the other side of the Veil is much easier to see....so I just locate on 52 & go over till I pick up the edge of the other one.Works all the time.If I manage to point the scope right at the Veil with too narrow FOV,its hard to make out the nebulosity in lightish skies.Another thing....I have industrial LED lighting intruding my yard from about 800 meters away,& this wrecks my night vision instantly,so I have to position myself so this doesn't happen.If I look for the Veil after even glimpsing a bright light-no go.Hope this helps.

[Andy_E]

My experience of the veil is that it's totally destroyed by LP. Certainly not saying it isn't worth a try, but I suspect you'll need darker skies. Strangely, I find NGC6960 easier to observe than the Eastern veil, so focusing around 52Cyg may yield some rewards. I agree with Rik with regards to EP choice... I prefer to view most of the veil through 19mm, though it does mean having to move the scope around a bit during observing.

[cotterless45]

With any light pollution you're better off trying higher magnification. I usually search around at x48, I'd love use a 32 or 40 mm ep from town, but it just bleaches out. Dark sky is another matter,

Nick.

[Andrew*]

The Western part is easier to find, straddling 52 cygni (brighter to the N), but the eastern section is far easier to see.

Centre 52 cygni with a 32mm eyepiece then slowly push E by a couple of eyepiece field-widths and the E portion should come into view.

[Tiki]

The Western part is easier to find, straddling 52 cygni (brighter to the N), but the eastern section is far easier to see.

With an OIII filter it is doubly important to make sure that your eyes are fully dark adapted. If your garden is flooded with too much stray light then this may never happen. A big hood or similar would be of great help in such conditions.

[moffer]

Will the veil be visible in a 200p (no filters) with a 24mm SWA maxvision x50 from a darkish site? Was going to try for it on monday night but heavy dew put a stop to things. Transparency was pretty good at the time - just make out eta ursa minor mag 5, milky way visible from albeiro to just beyond cassiopea.

[John]

Will the veil be visible in a 200p (no filters) with a 24mm SWA maxvision x50 from a darkish site? Was going to try for it on monday night but heavy dew put a stop to things. Transparency was pretty good at the time - just make out eta ursa minor mag 5, milky way visible from albeiro to just beyond cassiopea.

It should be visible but somewhat indistinct without a filter.

I can't overstate just how much difference a UHC or O-III filter makes to this object - it's really striking.

[moffer]

I've been thinking about getting an O-III filter, will do so now.

Thanks John

[Andrew*]

I don't use filters that often actually, but even so I'd say my OIII filter was worth it for the Veil Nebula alone :-)

[John]

I don't use filters that often actually, but even so I'd say my OIII filter was worth it for the Veil Nebula alone :-)

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