M27 - Dumbell search

[Swedeman2013]

Gazing into a clear sky I'm having trouble finding m27 with my Skywatcher 200p. I'm using both 15mm and 20 mm e.p yet come up empty, even with Skysafari pointing the way, any tips? Cheers

[emadmoussa]

I usually track it down by starting at Lyra or Cygnus and then measure distance visually..

[Tinker1947]

You will find  a Telrad and the free Telrad Maps and a download of Stellarium will cure your problem....

[Scooot]

It's about the same altitude as Alberio, fractionally higher, try finding that and panning left.

[Moonshane]

I find it easiest from Sagitta. if you go from the 'flights' to the arrow and go up and left a little, you'll see M27 in a 9x50mm finder even with some LP. go the other way and you'll see the coathanger.

[Schorhr]

Amazing how hard first time searching can be, now I just eyeball it (panning from Ring nebula/Lyra to Albireo, extending the line...

[rory]

and  IF you've not seen before, its quite an impressive nebula. you could do with as little lunar light as possible to get good results.

[andrew63]

Yes it's a lovely sight.  Moonshane guide is spot on.  Find Gamma Sagittae - y -  the star  and M27 will both be in the field of view of the finder.  As the image is inverted through the 9x50, think of a clock,  place gamma at the bottom of the view in your finder about 6 o'clock,  and M27 will be at the top of your finder about 12.  

The view will be worth it - its a real gem !

andrew

[cotterless45]

It's even easy to spot in a pair of 15x70 bins. I usually imagine Sagitta swung over and there it is. A real glowing bright target with a UHC filter on,Nick.

[Special K]

All good advice from the others and going from Gamma Sagitta should work a treat. I center and put about 25x on this star and then twist the Declination upwards toward Polaris. The Dumbell is nearly on the same track a few twists away. Pan slowly with averted vision as you would when searching for any DSO and voila!!!

UHC works very nice on this one. Nice found you will never miss it again! Clear skies.

[emadmoussa]

I find it easiest from Sagitta. if you go from the 'flights' to the arrow and go up and left a little, you'll see M27 in a 9x50mm finder even with some LP. go the other way and you'll see the coathanger.

that is easier

[ScottS]

I found this fairly easily using the same scope as the OP, using Moonshane's method, from a quite heavily light polluted back garden. Much, much better from a dark site though.

[nephilim]

The first time I saw it was through another SGL members scope & he'd already got it in view, I found it using my own scope (200p) last night for the first time using Sagitta & its a real gem, much bigger than the galactic 'smudges' (M31 maybe the exception  ) I took it to 100x but looked alot clearer (distinct apple core shape) @ 42x & as Nick mentions above, a UHC filter brings it out well.

Steve

[emadmoussa]

A while ago I stumbled upon it without realizing what I was looking at, but even then I thought it was a wonderful object.

Swedeman2013, I think using a Telrad or similar zero-magnification finders will help you find your object more quickly.

[nephilim]

A while ago I stumbled upon it without realizing what I was looking at, but even then I thought it was a wonderful object.

Swedeman2013, I think using a Telrad or similar zero-magnification finders will help you find your object more quickly.

Totally agree with you there mate, I used my Telrad to get the area in sight & then homed in with the 9x50 although didnt really need it with M27 as it was bang on with the Telrad, Got M57 for the first time also & definitely needed both there as even with the 9x50 it wasnt easy, it sort of came in & out of focus due to the seeing but determination won as its a very nice (albeit small) target to bag.    

[Swedeman2013]

Emadmoussa, you're so right about the the Telrad, my 9x50 is driving me crazy !

[LukeSkywatcher]

Funnily enough, the Dumbell is an object that i have never seen nor hunted. You would think it is on the list of the usual suspects for most observers. 

[Moonshane]

it's easy to see in the average 9x50mm finder.

[nephilim]

It's a big object compared to the small fuzzies we usually see & as Shane says easily seen in a 9x50.

Steve

[happy-kat]

I found it using TLaO book but it was a splodge probably due to my light polution.

[tjr]

Funnily enough, the Dumbell is an object that i have never seen nor hunted. You would think it is on the list of the usual suspects for most observers. 

Same here. Looking forward to giving this one a go next time I'm out.

[Swedeman2013]

Spotting it in my finder sounds interesting, does hat make it too big to view through my Dob?!!

[Schorhr]

Spotting it in my finder sounds interesting, does hat make it too big to view through my Dob?!!

No, you'd have to go above 250-300x with a narrow afov eyepiece to be unable to see the whole thing.

[tjr]

Just had a quick peek outside with my bins. The coathanger was easy to find from Sagitta (another first for me, thanks for the tip Moonshane!), but no dumbell yet...

[astroeddie]

Whilst your in Sagitta, tick off M 71. A tight globular cluster very easily located " in the arrow".