The Horsehead Challenge for 2015/16

[Stu]

All very interesting ....... still blooming cloudy though

I got a glimpse of Orion briefly through a gap in the clouds lat last night. I guess that lasted around 30 seconds !

Infuriating isn't it!! [emoji20]

[faulksy]

i seen it john early in the year and didnt use a hb filter. i was in snowdonia which has just been awarded dark sky status so its pretty good, i actually used my 13mm ethos and realy didnt expect to see it but the skys were good so give it a go. in my 13mm it was quite big and took a bit of starring to realise i was looking right at it. if you can imagine the head being dark and the silhouette being a bit darker (could be the other way around) that will give you a idea of how it looks. well happy  hope to bag it again this coming week end from elan valley which is proper black, with calv,steve and dan

[John]

i seen it john early in the year and didnt use a hb filter. i was in snowdonia which has just been awarded dark sky status so its pretty good, i actually used my 13mm ethos and realy didnt expect to see it but the skys were good so give it a go. in my 13mm it was quite big and took a bit of starring to realise i was looking right at it. if you can imagine the head being dark and the silhouette being a bit darker (could be the other way around) that will give you a idea of how it looks. well happy  hope to bag it again this coming week end from elan valley which is proper black, with calv,steve and dan

Nicely done mate

[swamp thing]

The two close stars I was referring to are the pair right at the base of the neck.

I guess whatever works for you?

[astronymonkey]

Good tip steve. Ive never seen it in my 16 but those two stars certainly give a good reference point.

Cheers

[John]

That white line outlining the nebula ought to help a lot too !

[Mr Flibble]

Just did some check

The size of HH is 8'x4', this happens to be size of M1! Having a look at M1 with HH eyepice first might be of some help for looking for right size.

Fantastic advice. Thanks :-)

Just checked on this as well, and using my HH eyepiece on the crab beforehand to get an idea of the exact size is definitely something I'm going to do this winter..........weather permitting!!!

[John]

I've come across this rather nice movie showing the location of the Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) and then zooming right up close to it. It's pretty stunning

[alan potts]

I want one of those scope eyepiece combinations, that's what I call a a zoom.

alan

[faulksy]

Is there any particular level of sky brightness above which its not worth trying?

not your house stu, get to elan or scotland

[Stub Mandrel]

Also known as Shergar's Head. 

And it had a (literal) bit part in the Godfather.

[estwing]

Ahem....done!

[John]

Ahem....done!

Well done mate

I've read your report - excellent stuff. I wonder if an H-Beta filter would have made it a little more obvious than the UHC did ?

I think I've only used my H-Beta twice in the 12 months I've owned it

[faulksy]

Well done mate

I've read your report - excellent stuff. I wonder if an H-Beta filter would have made it a little more obvious than the UHC did ?

I think I've only used my H-Beta twice in the 12 months I've owned it

calv was looking for it john for at least a hour, i think the hb filter would be so worth it,

[PeterW]

Best was at a starparty earlier in the year... Proper photographic, much enjoyed by the few people in our corner of the field.

Peter

[alan potts]

Very well done Calvin, I got beaten by a very sudden change in the weather last night. I had a very clear sky and Dob in place, went to eat something went back outside to find I was on a different planet. Dark forces at play.

[SimonfromSussex]

Anyone on a horsehead hunt should try tonight if your skies are clear.

It's the clearest I've seen it tonight.

No averted vision, bam, it's just there tonight!

Admittedly I'm throwing 22" at it but it's the best ive seen it so a great night to try if ur skies are like/near mine in the south.

Hope others get some luck too!

[John]

It's mixed here with some nice clear patches and then annoying positioned banks of cloud.

Too many neighbours lights for the Horsehead I fear though at the moment.

I've just found a nice planetary nebula in Orion for the 1st time though - NGC 2022

[PeterW]

Yep clear, flame and ic424 faintly visible. Needed to get the slightly larger scope out to give the little horse a go. Rosetta, monkey head and California were nice though.

Well done!

PEterW

[John]

Clouded out now here

I've left the scope out in the hope that it might clear later.

Bit frustrating. Just when you "get your eye in" you have to break off

[alan potts]

If conditions stay the same I will have a go tonight with the 12 inch Meade, there is still too much snow for the Dob, the only trouble is it is fairly windy which means clouds are moving faster. It is funny comet Pannstairs from early last year (2014) always seemed to have clouds tied to it.