Seeing the central star of M57

[SimonfromSussex]

I have heard whisper of the central star in M57 (the ring nebula in Lyra) for some time now and attempted to spot it on numerous occasions to no avail. It always seemed quite legendary to me and one of those things that you heard could be seen through a telescope but until you actually see it with your own eyes you don’t quite believe. Spoken of fondly in hushed circles and a rite of passage for any budding astronomer but, no matter how hard I tried, using every telescope I have owned, at varying powers of magnification, it has always alluded me, until last night…….

Unlike (to my eyes) the easier central star of M27 (the dumbbell nebula in Vulpecula) I think the central star in M57 is fainter. It’s also somewhat more obscured by the glow of the nebula itself which doesn’t help matters. Stephen O’Meara in his deep-sky companions “The Messier Objects” says: “many veteran skywatchers have estimated it be as bright as 14^th magnitude (putting it within the range of a good 4-inch telescope under a dark sky). Yet Burnham notes that the star was fainter than a 16^th magnitude when he looked at it in 1959 through the 40-inch reflector at Lowell Observatory.”

Like a lot of things things in life, my observation happened when I wasn’t looking for it really. Alan and I had even debated earlier that night if it was worth a meet up at all as although pretty clear, the sky was full of white wispy cloud that could hinder much deep sky work. We persevered and were rewarded with a super sky for the evening. My garden is relatively dark (not Brecon Beacons Wales standard but pretty good for the south east) and I was using my 22” Dobsonian.

Our initial viewing concentrated on the galaxies overhead but at about 12.30am we noticed Vega was climbing high in the east so I thought, the Ring Nebula is pretty high now, worth a quick look. I started with my 10mm Ethos which gives about x188 in my scope. The beautiful smoke ring of M57 hovered in the expanse of dark sky around it that the 100 degree field gives and it truly was an amazing site. There was also a hint of blue to the ring and a varying glow surrounding the outer shell.

Keen for a closer look I changed to a 7mm naglar x269 and as I edged the dob over to reposition the target in the center of the field I caught a bright glow in the center of the ring as the scope settled. My immediate reaction was to look straight at the centre of the ring and there, then, nothing. Was it? Had I seen it? Surely not? I must have imagined it? But I repeated the wobble in the eyepiece by tapping the side of the scope and bling, there was the glow again. The trouble was as soon as you tried to look directly at the glow it was gone but definitely with averted vision I was seeing something! Keeping a hold of my excitement I called Alan over and he had a go. “Yes”, he said; “there is something there but it’s very tricky”.

Keen for another look I went back to the eyepiece and soon found the key seemed to be my wobble technique and resisting the temptation to look directly at the center. Every time I did this I was rewarded with a white glow in the ring’s center so I was convinced I was seeing the star now. When it popped into view it was surprisingly brighter then I was expecting and Alan noted the same. We tried higher power by adding a x2 barlow = x538 but this proved unsuccessful. So I returned to the 7mm and saw exactly as I had before 

So there you have it, Alan and I can join those whispering circles now. The central star in M57 can be seen……….honestly it can……………

[Mark at Beaufort]

Fantastic report Simon - it is always great to observe these special objects.

[swamp thing]

Well written report Simon. Congrats on bagging it mate.

I am yet to be successful on the central star although TBH I really haven't given it much of a go in a while. 

[mikeDnight]

What a great and encouraging report!  I've never seen the central star myself, but one of my observing buddies has related the tale of when he saw it in 1980. While using the 7 & 1/3" Clarke refractor at Stoneyhurst college in Lancashire, he said the nebula was close to the zenith and the seeing was excellent as was transparency. Like you he had to use averted vision to see it but it was definitely there. It seems there are several factors at play that all have to work together, which are, seeing and transparency,  magnification has to be finely tuned as too high the image smears, too low the sky background is too bright. Also, the quality of the telescope and of the observer will play a major part. I will have to remain satisfied with the E & F stars in the trapezium with my little scope I think!

Mike 

[Stu]

Very nice report Simon, an entertaining read and a real observing achievement. Great to be able to share and confirm it with someone too.

[ecuador]

Huh, I didn't realize it was considered so elusive. I have seen it once with my C9.25 XLT. I was at my summer house in Greece, which is on a plateau reasonably far from cities, but has quite some street lights (a house every 300 meters, but a street light every 10 meters - don't ask how!), but one evening the electric company screwed up and the entire plateau sank into darkness. Oh, boy. My wife usually gets bored after I show her one or two things with the telescope, but she was as awed as I was cruising from one galaxy to the next, seeing things like M51's spiral arm "hugging" its companion etc. By the way, moments like these is where GOTO really comes in handy - 10 sec slewing between each target and we made the most of the half hour or so the power was off! So it was mostly galaxies since they were the ones impressing us at how much detail we could see compared to our regular sky, but we did turn to M57 and, yes, the central star was visible. In fact, I assumed at the time that I had not noticed it before because the nebula was usually less pronounced so I was making an effort to just see the nebula and were not concentrating on details like the central star. That was last summer, I haven't tried to see it again, so next time I will pay attention to the central star to see if I can see it with the same scope from the UK.

[FenlandPaul]

A joy to read, Simon, and a great achievement.  Now you can put O'Meara's comment to the test and try it in the ST120!!

[Peter Drew]

Still on my "Things to yet See" list despite owning a 30". This season we have an additional 20" of better quality. 1/8 wave opposed to 1/4 wave accuracy optics so fingers crossed!    

[alan potts]

Very well done you two!!!!. It is something I have written about a good few times on site and spent many hours ( 30 plus at the scope) and many nights looking for it. I first did it just the once with my 12 inch Meade SC on an excellent night about 3 years back, I used X358 with both 8mm Ethos and Delos. I have also managed it clearer and with less hours of failure twice last year with the 18 inch using oddly the same Ethos eyepiece.

It doesn't exactly jump out and punch you on the nose though.

Alan

[estwing]

well done Simon and Alan!...great to hear about how a certain method has worked for you in bagging a very difficult target...even in a 22" its not a given thing....looks like the coatings are performing well

[Beulah]

Excellent, Mr Sussex!

*groan* I have not yet the central star of M57 yet - should be doable in my area with my weedy 16" Dob....aperture fever is coming back and I have no dosh... 

[laudropb]

Lovely report to read and congratulations on your fine achievement.

[estwing]

1 minute ago, Beulah said:

Excellent, Mr Sussex!

*groan* I have not yet the central star of M57 yet - should be doable in my area with my weedy 16" Dob....aperture fever is coming back and I have no dosh... 

don't count on it Sam...the mob are all over this at elan...to no avail...

[Beulah]

Oh, I'll let you know when I've seen it. *wink*

Way-back-when, in the dusty annals of SGL, there was a member here called Doc who had a 16" - he was able to see it under LM 5.6-ish skies, after much perseverance.

[Davey-T]

Excellent stuff Simon and justification for all Alans graft and craft.

Are you going to Hersty, will you be bring the 22" ? if so you can show me the central star, though with my eyesight I'd probably need a 40" scope 

Dave

[SimonfromSussex]

5 hours ago, FenlandPaul said:

A joy to read, Simon, and a great achievement.  Now you can put O'Meara's comment to the test and try it in the ST120!!

Lol, I don't think he managed it in the 120mm ? I will have to re read his report and double check but if mag 16 is correct that would be pushing it!!

[SimonfromSussex]

5 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

Still on my "Things to yet See" list despite owning a 30". This season we have an additional 20" of better quality. 1/8 wave opposed to 1/4 wave accuracy optics so fingers crossed!    

good luck Peter, should be a breeze with that amount of glass!!!

[SimonfromSussex]

3 hours ago, alan potts said:

Very well done you two!!!!. It is something I have written about a good few times on site and spent many hours ( 30 plus at the scope) and many nights looking for it. I first did it just the once with my 12 inch Meade SC on an excellent night about 3 years back, I used X358 with both 8mm Ethos and Delos. I have also managed it clearer and with less hours of failure twice last year with the 18 inch using oddly the same Ethos eyepiece.

It doesn't exactly jump out and punch you on the nose though.

Alan

No, more feather on the nose than fist Alan! I too have spent many an hour looking for it. What mag does the 8mm give you in your 18? I think the mag (as Mike says) is quite critical. Having said that, Stephen O’Meara in his book says he has seen it at x1000 times!? 

[SimonfromSussex]

1 hour ago, Beulah said:

Excellent, Mr Sussex!

*groan* I have not yet the central star of M57 yet - should be doable in my area with my weedy 16" Dob....aperture fever is coming back and I have no dosh... 

I'm sure it's doable in the 16" Beulah. 16" is definitely not weedy in my book. 

[SimonfromSussex]

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

Excellent stuff Simon and justification for all Alans graft and craft.

Are you going to Hersty, will you be bring the 22" ? if so you can show me the central star, though with my eyesight I'd probably need a 40" scope 

Dave

I'm not sure if I can make it this year Dave , our daughter is off to Uni so there is no one at home to dog watch and they don't allow dogs on the camp site sadly.

Might pop down for the evening if the sky is clear in which case you are more than welcome to a gander again.

I don't think aperture is the be all and end all for this though, I think sky conditions are the key.  

[alan potts]

1 hour ago, SimonfromSussex said:

No, more feather on the nose than fist Alan! I too have spent many an hour looking for it. What mag does the 8mm give you in your 18? I think the mag (as Mike says) is quite critical. Having said that, Stephen O’Meara in his book says he has seen it at x1000 times!? 

It is a mere x286 but I am absolutely sure I saw it, twice with the 18 inch and once with the Meade, I have tried many times since with the latter and not seen it. Messier 57 is exactly overhead here for much of the summer season and I also fully believe there are massive differences in our eyes. A friend is an eye surgeon and she tells me mine are many years younger than my 60 years, though I was only 54 when she told me. As for the claims of X1000, I do not have an eyepiece that would give me that and i believe that putting Barlows or Powermates in the mix is not going to help, but each to his own, how good is his seeing. Up to now I have not read anyones account of a sighting on an instrument less than 11 inch, but from the right location and of course on the right night I am sure less is doable.

I guess like yourself many times I really felt there was something but would not commit to a claim, I always feel I have to be sure and I am sure that the claim I made I was happy with, you never know of course that something within you makes you want to see these things and I fight that like hell all the time. I am totally sure we have seen it, you with the 22 inch and me with the 18, but i do sometimes ask myself about the Meade SC 12 inch and wonder if a bit of imagination came into to play, I sincerely hope not but then I would never know.

Very well done, Alan

[Mr Spock]

It's a no show here

[John]

Great report Simon and very well done

Last year I just managed a few glimpses of the central star of M57 with my 12" dob but I had to use very high magnifications to tease it out. It's right on the limit of what I can see with that scope from my back yard. I must have another go this Summer once Lyra is high in the sky again.

I like tackling really "on the edge" targets like this from time to time. I found the spotting the moons of Uranus and Neptune (particularly the former) similarly challenging.

 

 

 

[mdstuart]

I have tried it but no joy in my 16 inch...but I can see the two stars just outside the ring which are mag 12.8 and mag 13.9.

The central star is mag 14.8 but made hard by the glow of the nebula as I understand it.

[Peter Drew]

I too, believe that it is sky conditions rather than absolute aperture which gives the best chance of seeing the central star of M57. As the aperture increases so does the brightness of the area inside the ring, reducing the contrast. I also seem to recall that the star is of a spectral class that makes it more difficult to see visually than its magnitude suggests.