How much magnification?

[Dom1961]

So are planetary nebulae normally small and diffuse big?

[RikM]

So are planetary nebulae normally small and diffuse big?

That's pretty much it, yes.

I use 170x and 240x for planetaries with my 10", with an 8" the views won't be quite as bright at these same magnifications. The ring is fairly large and bright for a planetary. My favourite is the Eskimo nebula in Gemini but it's a bit late for it this year.

[Dom1961]

Do they move as fast as planets? When I was looking at the ring it didn't seem to move across the FOV that fast, am I going mad? Will it be hard to follow with a high mag?

[AndyWB]

So are planetary nebulae normally small and diffuse big?

That's pretty much it, yes.

...though don't get confused by the Helix nebula. That thing is big! I was looking for something small and bright, like the Saturn, or even the Ring - but it was huge and much fainter. I was at WAY too much magnification to start with.

I've had a couple of nice looks at NGC40 - the Bow Tie Nebula, just to throw that one in - but it was under dark skies. The Saturn and Eskimo nebulae are good ones.

[alan potts]

Do they move as fast as planets? When I was looking at the ring it didn't seem to move across the FOV that fast, am I going mad? Will it be hard to follow with a high mag?

All things move at the same rate as far as we are concerned though this is not stickly true, a driven scope will track them. The Moon moves at a slightly, and I do mean slight, different rate to the stars but nothing that is going to cause you a problem or to worry about. You can also notice the likes of Venus and more so Mercury moving from one night to the next, the other Planets move against the background more slowly, getting slower and slower the further they are from the Sun. Mars actually appears to move backwards at one point in its orbit as we over take it on the inside, where are the Solar Police when you want them.

However all you planetary nebulae all move at the same rate as the eather rotates the more magnification you use the faster an object will cross the FOV of an un-driven scope.

Alan

[faulksy]

i love the ring and it will take 250x fine, dont no what fl your scope is but i imagine the ep will be around 6-8mm which you can use on lots of other objects. try it on the eskimo like john says, thats a brilliant magnification for clusters and galaxys as well.

[Lowjiber]

Sorry to be late on this, so I'll likely repeat someone else's comments.

The Ring Nebula can take a lot of magnification in a fairly dark (say Bortle 3?) sky.  However, few realize that it also in enhanced by using an OIII filter.

[John]

Sorry to be late on this, so I'll likely repeat someone else's comments.

The Ring Nebula can take a lot of magnification in a fairly dark (say Bortle 3?) sky.  However, few realize that it also in enhanced by using an OIII filter.

The O-III does bring out some more contrast in certain parts of the nebula but at the expense of other aspects I feel. The filter helps to bring M57 out if the conditions are not great but, personally, I think I prefer the unfiltered views of this object, if the skies are decent.

[faulksy]

The O-III does bring out some more contrast in certain parts of the nebula but at the expense of other aspects I feel. The filter helps to bring M57 out if the conditions are not great but, personally, I think I prefer the unfiltered views of this object, if the skies are decent.

i had to use a oiii last night on m57 due to skys not very dark at all, and to make things worse that big light in the sky. saturn was taking power well though

[RikM]

I am off to a public observing evening at Cheltenham Science festival tonight. I am planning on using a UHC to darken the light sky background for the Ring. We're only allowed to stay on site until 11pm so fingers crossed Saturn will be above the rooftops by then.

[hgjevans]

I've only been lurking on this thread, but I just thought I'd say thanks for the suggestions above of the Blinking Planetary, Blue Snowball, and Emerald Nebula, all of which I found (eventually) last night, and all of which were well worth the effort - a short observing report to follow on the relevant board. Thanks guys.

[alro]

Same for me, thanks for the pointers!

al