December 29, 2016: First DSO outing with C8 in ages

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Over the Xmas period there were a couple of nights with clearer patches, and I frequently managed to bag some old friends (M34 through M39, M42/3, M45, M81 and M82, M103, M110 and the Double Cluster typically) with binoculars, but no real sessions with the big scope. Come December 29, and finally the skies really cleared, and other commitments such as cooking Xmas diner for the family didn't get in the way. I got the scope out quite late, and promptly forgot to put the big 14x70 RACI finder on (lack of recent practice showing). As this requires an extra counterweight, I didn't like to add it later, and at first stuck to some easy targets (M42/3, M45). The Great Nebula was awesome as ever, especially with the UHC filter in place. I then decided to go for the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024). Although I have bagged the Horse-Head Nebula previously under outstanding skies in Austria, I had simply forgotten to look for the Flame at the time. This time I swung the scope east of Alnitak, and immediately noticed hints of something blotchy, especially when moving the scope. Sliding a UHC filter into the optical path increased contrast markedly, and although it remained quite faint in the glare of Alnitak, I could verify the position in my sky atlas repeatedly. One more Herschel 400 object bagged!

 

I then moved north towards M78, a reflection nebula often overlooked, given the presence of mighty M42. I had bagged this one quite a while ago (December 12, 2010, according to my logs), but missed a couple of nearby reflection nebula at that time. M78 (=NGC 2068) was quite easy, a fuzzy patch surrounding a couple of stars. North-east of it, another nebulosity could be discerned quite eaily, again surrounding a pair of stars: NGC 2071 bagged (Herschel 2500 object). It is a bit fainter than M78, but not hard to spot. Westwards and a bit south of M78 I could make out another nebulous patch, fainter than NGC 2071, its centre just southwards of a faint star. This could be identified as NGC 2064. Finally, another small patch of fuzz, just north of M78, but distinct from the main body of that nebula, NGC 2067 could just be made out. All these nebula disappeared when the UHC filter was used, indicating that they are indeed reflection nebula.

I then decided to call it a night, as I needed to get up quite early the next day. Quite a satisfactory run of new nebulae, for a fairly short DSO hunting session.

[YKSE]

Congratulations to you for bagging the Flame. It's really not easy under light-polluted sky. I had a look at it in dark site last night, nebulosity kind of going together with the glare of Alnitak without filter, but the dark lanes in Flame is clearly visible.

[FenlandPaul]

Nice report, Michael - there are some interesting looking reflection nebulae in that part of the sky - I've always assumed they need excellently transparent skies to see.  The Flame is on my list tonight with my new (first) UHC filter.

Paul