Helix nebula help.

[Nova2000]

Hey! 

I'm happy I and my friends have finalized our star party (small outing actually)  next week! 

I am kind of bored with the messier objects in the winter sky. 

When browsing the net I saw the Helix nebula and realized it's a mag7! And it's pretty big. 

Can you'll share your experiences and techniques on how to locate this nebula? 

Thankyou 

Clear skies 

 

[PeterCPC]

Try downloading Stellarium and do a search for it on that.

Peter

[alacant]

Never done it but it should be easy to find near Venus and Mars ATM:

[PeterW]

It's big and faint... spreading that magnitude over a big area means it won't jump out at you. What kit are you planning to use??

 

Peter

[Nova2000]

A 6inch skywatcher f7. 5 reflector, 25/40mm Eyepieces. 

[PeterW]

Likely going to be very hard. I'll let others give you some other nebulae suggestions.

 

peter

[Nova2000]

So I need a bigger apperture?. 

I'm about to get a 8inch dobsonian soon. 

[PeterW]

Aperutuee and a long focal length eyepiece and maybe some filtration, I will let others advise as to the best option. Going to a dark site will be key though.

good luck

 

peter

[alacant]

No luck. I had a go yesterday: 150/750 Newtonian at around 20:00. CDC sync at Fomalhaut and checked on globular m30 which was dead centre. Then the helix: nada. This was Spain, 38ºN and it was already getting low. Maybe in India it will be higher earlier and you'll stand a better chance (?) but in the end I think you're gonna need photography to get it. Don't give up though:) HTH.

[Nova2000]

My star party is on 29.as per stellerium it's gonna be 40degrees up. The limiting magnitude at my site is 6(naked eyed) 

Probably a dark site. Not sure what's it called. 

[alacant]

1 hour ago, Nova2000 said:

it's gonna be 40degrees up

Yeah. You're gonna stand a much better chance than European based observers:) Good luck for 29th.

[pjsmith_6198]

An OIII filter works miracles on this one.   From my back yard where I do my observing, I can't see it without a nebula filter.    A UHC will work, but the OIII is better, at least to my eyes.

[Scosmico]

The ability to see this one is havely influenced by how dark the sky is. From a dark site in Brazil it is almost over head and I can see it with my 80mm frac. From a dark site in Spain also a beautiful view with a 5" reflector. Not seen yet from the UK due to light polution.

[TheLookingGlass]

On 12/22/2016 at 21:13, pjsmith_6198 said:

An OIII filter works miracles on this one.   From my back yard where I do my observing, I can't see it without a nebula filter.    A UHC will work, but the OIII is better, at least to my eyes.

Bang on here!

Here's some help for you. First, find the constellation Aquarius, and then follow the Helix from the triangle!