WOW! Best session so far- 31/10/2015

[pipnina]

Ok, so I feel like this right now:

My observing session today was probably my best session to date!

I started off by looking for the other half of the veil nebula (having seen the patch on top of 52cyg previously) (the one that looks a bit like a face) it was especially easy with the OIII filter in place and arced all the way from one side of the EP to the other. I had to move the telescope a little to see all of it. I saw a decent ammount of detail as well. Definately worth going out already!

Next, I headed for the double cluster under cassiopeia- in the eyepiece it looked pretty impressive, almost image-like. But since it was in the slightly more light polluted part of the sky and I wasn't quite sure where to look,  I decided against looking for the heart & soul nebulas.

Next, I moved on to the pleiades and even in the finder it looked stunning! With the telescope I couldn't fit the whole cluster in, and stood there wondering whether I was just seeing halos around the bright stars... or the nebulosity. Kinda hard to tell.

After that, I went looking for the blinking nebula in cygnus. I failed to find it but I was close! Stellarium confirmed I was looking at two stars close together and only a tiny bit away from the planetary... That nebula is starting to earn it's name IMO "That blinking nebula!"

After, I went for M31 & co. I've seen more tonight than before! Before I swear I only saw the core of M31 but this time I managed to see about half way out the disk, with M32 off to the bottom of my EP and M110 when I moved the scope further up. Very happy right now for having seen that!

But finally! OHHHH finaly! I managed to spy with my little eye M33! I didn't have my hopes up for this galaxy after reading many things about how difficult it is... But there it was, moderately sized grey blob with a slightly brighter core I think. Well chuffed!

So now comes the question... If I found M33 that easily... How do you guys think I'll fare when I get to test my eyes on the flame? (or maybe even the horsehead? You never know!)

Happy Halloween! Hope your skies were as good as mine tonight!

    ~pip

[wimvb]

Thanks for an inspiring report.

Can't wait to get out again. It has been all too cloudy up here for far too long.

Wim

sent from my mobile device

[Pig]

Nice one Pip  It sounds like enjoyed your time outside, there are some pretty spectacular views to be had.

Have you tried solar yet ? its a very easy target to find and is most rewarding. You get a close up perspective  of all these distant targets

[laudropb]

Very nice report of a very productive session. The blinking nebula is difficult. You will only see it with averted vision. When you look straight at it it will disappear.hence its name.

The flame is difficult and the horse head very difficult. You need really dark skies and perfect seeing. I have only managed to see it once and that was from the Galloway dark sky park and through a 12 inch Dob.

Keep up the good work.

[pipnina]

Thanks for an inspiring report.

Can't wait to get out again. It has been all too cloudy up here for far too long.

Wim

sent from my mobile device

It has been cloudy far too long... I got a lucky break today!

Nice one Pip  It sounds like enjoyed your time outside, there are some pretty spectacular views to be had.

Have you tried solar yet ? its a very easy target to find and is most rewarding. You get a close up perspective  of all these distant targets

I may try solar one day. I'll have to cobble together the funds first!

Very nice report of a very productive session. The blinking nebula is difficult. You will only see it with averted vision. When you look straight at it it will disappear.hence its name.

The flame is difficult and the horse head very difficult. You need really dark skies and perfect seeing. I have only managed to see it once and that was from the Galloway dark sky park and through a 12 inch Dob.

Keep up the good work.

A man can dream! If I have to I'll use averted imagination!

Ah, well I'm still gonna try for that blinking blinking nebula. But I'll bear its darkness in mind.

    ~pip

[estwing]

well done you...here's to more of these nights..clear skies!

[jetstream]

Congrats Pip! great report.

I use the Flame as a test for the HH, it must be "bright" for me to see the HH. From dark skies, with no filter and the right eyepiece you will see the Flame nebula, I'm sure of it. If conditions aren't right though.....

Can you make out the "comma" of M43? The M42 area is loaded with surprises if you look for them. I figure you will see M31's dust lanes soon too... Looking forward to more reports!

[Stu]

Great stuff Pip, glad it's all coming together now. A dark sky makes all the difference.

The Veil is fabulous, could spend hours looking at it

[estwing]

Congrats Pip! great report.

I use the Flame as a test for the HH, it must be "bright" for me to see the HH. From dark skies, with no filter and the right eyepiece you will see the Flame nebula, I'm sure of it. If conditions aren't right though.....

Can you make out the "comma" of M43? The M42 area is loaded with surprises if you look for them. I figure you will see M31's dust lanes soon too... Looking forward to more reports!

didn't know that.....

[pipnina]

Congrats Pip! great report.

I use the Flame as a test for the HH, it must be "bright" for me to see the HH. From dark skies, with no filter and the right eyepiece you will see the Flame nebula, I'm sure of it. If conditions aren't right though.....

Can you make out the "comma" of M43? The M42 area is loaded with surprises if you look for them. I figure you will see M31's dust lanes soon too... Looking forward to more reports!

What constitutes as "Bright"? M33 was a surprisingly easy find and visible in both my finder and my scope although I didn't try the binoculars...

Well, either way... I'll find out when I go to look for it!

Great stuff Pip, glad it's all coming together now. A dark sky makes all the difference.

The Veil is fabulous, could spend hours looking at it

Oh, but if the sky were darker still!

Also, couldn't agree more about the veil!

well done you...here's to more of these nights..clear skies!

Indeed, I hope for many more clear nights like that one!

[jetstream]

M33 is a strange object IMHO, seeing the faint smudge is not too hard IMHO- but a great accomplishment Pip! Under really dark, transparent skies it just grows and grows... and then will reveal its S " shaped" spirals, backwards actually. It will take a pile of mag at times and this will help reveal the spirals, my zoom is great for this. M101 is similar, but harder, with its offset spirals- M51 will also take a bunch of mag. All this under the right conditions.

What is bright? on the Flame this means direct vision, no trying to see it- it is just there, easy to see. It will reveal faint, not detailed structure at times along the "Tank tracks" edges- I like this name for the neb much better as it is more descriptive ( to me).

Keeping the bright star out of the FOV is an asset, but not a requirement under good skies. It is a good habit to get into however.

What eyepieces do you have? in my f4.8 I use 16mm-18mm eyepieces, widefields- as this object is large, my 18mm BCO does very well too, but it can be easy to "see through it" with the narrow FOV.

If you can see Pickerings Wisp, or parts of it, the Flame is just one step harder.

[jetstream]

didn't know that.....

Hi Cal, I find no filter is best for this object- but I havn't had a chance with the UHC really, my Ultrablock killed it though. FOV is important as can be keeping Alnitak at bay... my favorite EP is the 17E, and the 18 ES 82 does well too. This thing shows pretty big...

[pipnina]

M33 is a strange object IMHO, seeing the faint smudge is not too hard IMHO- but a great accomplishment Pip! Under really dark, transparent skies it just grows and grows... and then will reveal its S " shaped" spirals, backwards actually. It will take a pile of mag at times and this will help reveal the spirals, my zoom is great for this. M101 is similar, but harder, with its offset spirals- M51 will also take a bunch of mag. All this under the right conditions.

What is bright? on the Flame this means direct vision, no trying to see it- it is just there, easy to see. It will reveal faint, not detailed structure at times along the "Tank tracks" edges- I like this name for the neb much better as it is more descriptive ( to me).

Keeping the bright star out of the FOV is an asset, but not a requirement under good skies. It is a good habit to get into however.

What eyepieces do you have? in my f4.8 I use 16mm-18mm eyepieces, widefields- as this object is large, my 18mm BCO does very well too, but it can be easy to "see through it" with the narrow FOV.

If you can see Pickerings Wisp, or parts of it, the Flame is just one step harder.

I have only the 25mm and 10mm plossl supplied with the scope. Giving my 130mm f7 a FOV of 1.5 degrees and 0.5 degrees as well as an exit pupil of 3.5mm and 1.4mm. I also have a 2x barlow.

What's pickering's wisp? I google'd it and it returned no results...

[Stu]

This is a handy guide to all the elements of the Veil.

[jetstream]

You are in really good shape for the Flame then... with the 25mm. Dark, transparent skies matter much... Pickerings Wisp/Triangle is in between the main Veil segments and roughly shows as a triangle and can be faint and patchy- it is really very big. Under very good skies it will show light structure in my 10" and it loves widefields. I can see it in my 90mm and 120mm fracs easily.

Look for any patches in there, you will be surprised what you will see. Many hours can (are) be spent on the Veil and it keeps revealing more and more. Stu's picture is very good and I use this and others as a guide. This picture that I borrowed shows what I see on good nights, the structure is obviously lower than the image but still very good. My 120mm shows things really well too. I recently saw the 3rd wisp in the Witches Broom that is marked there.

If you get to dark skies you will see a pile....you are doing well Pip!

[cotterless45]

Neat report,

I got, but from very dark skies.M33 is a dream galaxy visually ,

Nick.

[Stridor]

A good report, thanks for posting; inspired to get out with my scope again asap!

[phil125]

Its great when you have a good night. I think I only have about one a year though!

[MarsG76]

Great report, there is only one way to find out if you can spot the flame or the horsehead.... that's my target to find visually also.. good luck.