Pleaides Nebulosity

[Guest]

I took my 120 ed refractor to Swanage this Christmas and was rewarded with two clear nights.I used  35mm Aero, 22mm Nagler and 15mm Luminos eyepieces.I enjoyed mviewing my fav objects ,M81 & m82, Orion nebula.But the big surprise was seeing faint nebulosity around some of the stars in the Pleaides cluster. At first I thought that the seeing had deteriorated.I moved the scope to other objects to check this out and they were clear and sharp.So swinging the telescope back to the Pleaides produced the same result, a sort of faint blue hase around the brighter stars. I can only imagine that this is nebulosity and was really chuffed.It just shows what a small apature can do in really dark clear skies away from light polluted areas.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great report. I have seen the nebulosity around M45 with my 80 mm but only under very good conditions

[jetstream]

Congrats Grumpy! This nebulosity is a favorite of mine since first seeing it in my 90mm frac, what a sight. This is a very beautiful object and you did well to see it, congrats again

[MiguelMJr]

I should be going to a dark site this weekend to see what I can't see from home. Hopefully my lowly 65mm will be able to show me new things or at least show me old things in a new and different way.

Thanks,

Miguel

[Lowjiber]

Just FYI...

M45 is actually a cluster that is moving through the gas cloud.  Wait a few million years and it'll be outta the way.

[ollypenrice]

Great. You did well to check on other stars because a haze in the sky can easily produce false M45 nebulosity. However, I'm satisfied that I've seen it quite a few times now. It's a fine sight.

Olly

[glowjet]

Just goes to prove, that recommendations to observe from as dark a site as possible, is the best possible scenario and often pays off with those hard to see subjects. You may consider a 120mm refractor on the small side, but look what Charles Messier did with his scope, with early glass optics, almost the same aperture and no light pollution, when he found and listed all those heavenly subjects to avoid while Comet hunting. Well done Grumpy

[dick_dangerous]

Great report. I have seen the nebulosity around M45 with my 80 mm but only under very good conditions

No way!!! I have to get the ST80 under some proper dark skies soon. I'd always assumed the Pleiades nebulosity was out of my reach with it - the cluster is, of course, lovely!

DD

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

No way!!! I have to get the ST80 under some proper dark skies soon. I'd always assumed the Pleiades nebulosity was out of my reach with it - the cluster is, of course, lovely!

DD

I was up in the Alps, in a very dark site. I spotted the Horse-Head Nebula with my C8 from there a few years later.

[Mr Flibble]

Nice one Grumpy.

Its something I haven't managed yet. Every time I think I've seen some nebulosity on the seven sisters its turned out to be moisture/dew, etc!!

[Guest]

That is what the hunt of astro observing is becoming for me.Sometimes the conditions will not allow you to see these sights.And that is why we love the hobby,to persist.The wonders of the night sky are endless.

Thanks lowjiber for that interesting snippet about the cluster travelling through the nebula.I always had the misconception that it was a star forming region.Next exercise is to try for the pup star companion of Sirius The Dog star.