Rosette expectations

[Lanius]

Hi,

I just want to check with others' experiences of the Rosette Nebula.  I looked for it this week for the first time. Through 8x40 binoculars, I picked out the spot with what I presumed to be nebulosity.  Through my SW 200P though, I starhopped to the position and saw NGC2244 very clearly but no nebulosity. Even with a UHC filter with my 15mm EP - not a hint.

Now, to be fair, the area was only at about a 30 degree elevation and the night in general did not seem to have the best transparency, but from what I'd read, I was expecting to see some degree of nebulosity.

So my question is whether I'd set my expectations too high for this object.  Is it one that does require good conditions to see?

Cheers

Gareth

[zubenel]

Hi,

I recently observed Rosette nebula with SW 200P dobsonian and agena 2" swa 38mm eyepiece and DGM optics NPB nebula filter (limiting magnitude ~6.2). I saw nebula around NGC2244 rather easily. The brightest part was west from the open cluster and also rather bright part was just a little bit northeast from the open luster. I could follow how nebula encircle NGC2244. Actually Rosette nebula is huge and it would be easier to use low power widefield eyepiece. For comparison: Orion nebula is much brighter but Rosette nebula wasn't difficult with filter. When I removed NPB filter I could no longer see any trace of nebula. I didn't try to watch this nebula with binoculars.

[RikM]

http://www.asod.info/?p=8902

Here is link to a sketch showing 'where' I see nebulosity with the rosette. For me it is very very faint though. Much fainter than shown here but the detail was the same. I have only seen it twice, though once was with a 70mm refractor!

[zubenel]

Hi,

I recently observed Rosette nebula with SW 200P dobsonian and agena 2" swa 38mm eyepiece and DGM optics NPB nebula filter (limiting magnitude ~6.2). I saw nebula around NGC2244 rather easily. The brightest part was west from the open cluster and also rather bright part was just a little bit northeast from the open luster. I could follow how nebula encircle NGC2244. Actually Rosette nebula is huge and it would be easier to use low power widefield eyepiece. For comparison: Orion nebula is much brighter but Rosette nebula wasn't difficult with filter. When I removed NPB filter I could no longer see any trace of nebula. I didn't try to watch this nebula with binoculars.

Messed up with directions in the first post  Actually the brightest part of nebula for me was to the southeast and second brightest was to the southwest from NGC2244.

[Tiki]

Now, to be fair, the area was only at about a 30 degree elevation and the night in general did not seem to have the best transparency, but from what I'd read, I was expecting to see some degree of nebulosity.

So my question is whether I'd set my expectations too high for this object.  Is it one that does require good conditions to see?

Cheers

Gareth

I expect that you will see it pretty easily on a better night. As others have mentioned, a wide-view is normally most useful when trying to view dim and extended objects. The Rosette is an easy object on a decent night with my 4" refractor.

[Lanius]

Thanks for the replies. I'll have another go next time I'm out and concentrate on my lower mag EP with the filter.  The perceived nebulosity through my binoculars must have been my eyes, not the nebula itself!

[nicks90]

if you have any light pollution you wont see it.

in my back yard with no nebula filter i can obviously see the cluster, but only get a faint hint of grainy background texture with averted vision. I cant actually see it, just can tell the background blackness is a bit 'rough', if that makes sense.

must buy myself a lumicon UHC filter...

[RikM]

if you have any light pollution you wont see it.

in my back yard with no nebula filter i can obviously see the cluster, but only get a faint hint of grainy background texture with averted vision. I cant actually see it, just can tell the background blackness is a bit 'rough', if that makes sense.

must buy myself a lumicon UHC filter...

That is great description of what I can detect from home. I can'y actually pick out any structure or even any brightness changes but certain patches of background sky just don't seem quite normal.

[ollypenrice]

At a poor site or on a marginal night I find that what I see is an absence of stars where the nebulosity lies, and that's that. When it's good I like a small refractor with a short enough FL to let the 26 Nagler frame it with room to spare. Eg TeleVue Pronto. I find the Baader O111 filter a big help. It really is a dark site special, this one. I never saw it from the UK, I don't think. Here it's easy.

Olly