Observing Cygnus.

[cotterless45]

Riding the mainstream Milky Way,Cygnus is rich in clusters and nebulae. A visit to a dark site will show dark areas to Deneb up to Cepheus and a tear of dark nebulosity to it's winding length.

A sweep with binoculars will show the very best concentration of clusters in glittering star fields. Quite a few of these can be seen from the edge of town,

Open clusters.

NGC 6819 (7.3), NGC 6910 (6 , the "rocking Horse"),NGC 71278 (9.7),NGC 6871,NGC 6811 ( half Moon size),NGC 7039 (7),NGC 7031, NGC 7086 (8.4),NGC 7062 (8.3),NGC 7063 (7), NGC 7082 (7.2),NGC 6997 (10),NGC 7044,NGC 7092 (4.6),NGC 6834 (7.8),NGC 6883 (8),IC 1369 (6, four stars),M39, M29 ( "the power station) and a superb NGC 6866 (7.6).

All of these sit in the great background swathe of Milky Way.

Planetary nebulae.

NGC 7008 (fetus nebula), NGC 7026 (12), the bright NGC 7027(9), NGC 6905 ("the blue flash", it does.),NGC 6837, NGC 7048 (11), NGC 6884 (12),NGC 6894 and the "blinking planetary" NGC 6826.if you need to share the eyeball magic of planetaries, this is the area !

Double stars.

Albireo (beta) a lovely orange / blue, 17 Cygni ( lovely group),delta Cygni(2.5" seperation , at x266 a white and silver green), STTF 390 ( lovely triple in star field at x140), Psi Cygni (2.9" seperation at x133 lovely yellow and blue), STF 2624 (1.9" close and difficult at x 260), SHJ314 ( lovely group at x40), S738 ( at x140 a lovely triple group), 52 Cygni ( in the foreground of NGC 6860 a 6.4" at x200, hard due to the fainter secondary), STF 2741 (2.0" at x160 ), 59 Cygni (at x200 a delicate triple),

61 Cygni ( the twin exciting "Piazzi's flying double), two pairs of double doubles,

S786 and STTF 447, STF 2832 ( near equals at x48) and a particular challenge at .9", lambda Cygni.

The Nebulae.

Ideally on a clear Moonless night you should be able to spot some nebulosity,

NGC 6888 (" crescent"),NGC 7000 ("North American"),NGC 6914 ( next to IC 1318),IC 5067, IC 5070 ("pelican"),NGC 6992/5 and 6960-62 (" the eastern veil"), IC 5146 (C19, "the cocoon nebula").

My most easily found here is NGC 6995 with a UHC filter at low magnification. Darker skies will give you enough nebulosity to trace out in this area,

In addition, there's plenty to explore here in area which Vulpecula, Lyra,Sagitta and Delphinus float the summer boat,

Clear skies !

Nick.

[YKSE]

Nice heads up Nick, it'll keep me busy for many clear nights in summer

[jetstream]

I love this area,thanks for all the targets Nick....can't wait

[swamp thing]

Always great when Cygnus starts to climb higher into the sky. Love the nebulae in this part of the cosmos.

Thanks for the heads up on the clusters II often forget clusters

[kirkster501]

I like

Cygnus is fab to observe.  Only issue is its so late by the time it gets dark enough to observe it.

[Double Kick Drum]

Cygnus is a great place to observe. The Veil is my favourite. The Eastern section can be reasonably easy to find, so long as light pollution isn't too bad. Subtle but huge.

A whole heap of other great targets there.

[SteveB72]

I hope the clouds go away soon to have the chance to see your observing list.

[WaveSoarer]

That'sa great report Nick. I'm looking forward to Cygnis getting higher in tthe sky later in the year.

[John]

Thats a nice guide Nick 

I find the Veil Nebula complex fascinating and can study it for ages. My little Vixen 4" refractor with the 31mm Nagler and O-III filter in place will show both the east and west portions with Pickerings Wisp and other structures in between in the same field of view. It's one of my favourite sights in the hobby