Barnard 33: The Horsehead Nebula - At last !

[MarsG76]

8 hours ago, John said:

previous attempts this was the fence that I'd fallen at (Horsehead - get it ??!!

Well done, talk about luck.... the one thing I crave to see live, and with a 12", makes me want to get out with my 14 right now..... Congrats.... 

 

and PS, I get it....

 

Edited November 26, 2017 by MarsG76

[MarsG76]

Oh BTW, I love the build up description to seeing the horsey... 

[steppenwolf]

Fantastic report, John, I'm so pleased for you that you have succeeded in finding and enjoying this most elusive of objects. Your report has captured the moment well, I can feel your excitement at each step. I have never got even close to observing this one so I am very envious.

I have to confess that I am guilty of making the task harder for you last night as my camera stole some of those vital photons from you and if I could give them back, I'd gladly do so 

[estwing]

congrats John, its such a great feeling to finally catch sight of this target...welcome to the club!!

[swamp thing]

Congratulations John. 

It's a great achievement to bag the nag after so many tries.  

[scarp15]

Interesting point John concerning the clarity of M1, For my Friday session, M1 was quite astonishingly defined, without a filter.

[Mark at Beaufort]

John I am so pleased for you after so many years of searching. I really enjoyed the read and I could feel your excitement. It just shows that with the right condition a 12" Dob can be a brilliant instrument.

[alanjgreen]

Nice one John.

Astronomy is about patience and perseverance for sure. Glad you have seen this object with your own mark one eyeball !

And great write-up too.

Now you have your reward, it's time to dream of the next target or perhaps now you can sell up and retire ? (Only joking)

Alan

Edited November 26, 2017 by alanjgreen

[Astro Imp]

Well done John on capturing your quarry and for give us fellow SGLers so much pleasure reading of your success.

The community here is very special, everyone is willing to help others and to celebrate each others achievements.

Thanks again for a wonderful report.

 

[mapstar]

Nicely done John. The clouds thwarted my attempt at using my newly acquired Lumicon 2" H-Beta in the Isle of Skye but everytime I go back to the HH it becomes easier to find the more transparent the skies the easier it is.

[Littleguy80]

Congratulations! Must feel great to still be having firsts after so many years I’m the hobby  

[Hayduke27]

On 11/26/2017 at 04:13, John said:

Down to earth with a bump this morning. I've just had to deal with one of my childrens pets that passed away in the night.

From now on Barnard 33 is going to be known as "The Dead Gerbil Nebula" to me commemorate of this event

I'll notify the IAU later......

 

I know how this goes.  I got up on the morning of the Mars and Venus conjunction in September, and the following night my dog died.  I now find myself fearing the next conjunction!  

 

Funny how the emotions of a great night of observing can get burned right into the same memory as life events.  

[John]

30 minutes ago, Hayduke27 said:

I know how this goes.  I got up on the morning of the Mars and Venus conjunction in September, and the following night my dog died.  I now find myself fearing the next conjunction!  

 

Funny how the emotions of a great night of observing can get burned right into the same memory as life events.  

Sorry to hear about your dog passing away. I don't make any link between the loss of my sons pet and any celestial event.

Pure coincidence as I'm sure your loss was as well.

 

[Hayduke27]

4 minutes ago, John said:

Sorry to hear about your dog passing away. I don't make any link between the loss of my sons pet and any celestial event.

Pure coincidence as I'm sure your loss was as well.

 

Oh yeah, I don't actually take any stock in the alignment of the stars.  It was a mere tragic coincidence.  All the same, the events will probably forever be joined in my mind.

[FenlandPaul]

Many congratulations, John. I had hairs raised on my neck reading that - I was with you all the way. I was hoping that this would be my season for the horsey too, but so far work and travel have rendered my observing a complete afterthought. I'm not complaining - but I'm so looking forward to when I too have an evening when it all comes together like this!! It'll be worth waiting and persevering for!!

Paul

[John]

Yay !!!

Just repeated my observation of the Horsehead Nebula

Wind and cold made it harder than my 1st time around, or at least less comfortable. No doubt about the dark "bite" out of IC 434 and a little averted vision helped tonight.

Very good night here but hard to stay dark adapted when popping inside to warm a little !

[Littleguy80]

2 hours ago, John said:

Yay !!!

Just repeated my observation of the Horsehead Nebula

Wind and cold made it harder than my 1st time around, or at least less comfortable. No doubt about the dark "bite" out of IC 434 and a little averted vision helped tonight.

Very good night here but hard to stay dark adapted when popping inside to warm a little !

Great result, John. Really is lovely out there tonight. Do you think the HH was easier second time around? 

[John]

34 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Great result, John. Really is lovely out there tonight. Do you think the HH was easier second time around? 

The cold and windy conditions made it less comfortable (ie: harder to stay at the eyepiece and concentrating !) but having found it before helped in terms of realising that it might be "on" tonight and zeroing in on the right patch of sky.

So thats a "yes and no" answer !

 

[FenlandPaul]

Well done John. I believe I bagged it last night as well (if you can really call it bagged - it seemed it was always trying to slip through my fingers). On first attempt the bite would come and go and I couldn't be certain. But returning to the eyepiece later, IC434 seemed ever so slightly more obvious but ever so slightly less obvious to the east and slightly south of the two stars (one of them is HD37699) that were my guidepost. The "bite" was real.

Used 22mm Nagler with H-Beta filter, giving x69. 

Whilst I was thrilled to have a positive sighting, I would be disappointed if I wasn't able to have a more convincing view at some point!! But I can now confirm, at least, that the HH really does exist!!

Paul

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

I had an excellent viewing night with the 12". Dob. Unfortunately despite a lengthly session using a Fujiyama 25mm Ortho and 2 separate H.Beta filters I could not detect the HH. The Flame Neb was quite clear so I was disappointed that the HH was no show.

[John]

3 hours ago, FenlandPaul said:

Well done John. I believe I bagged it last night as well (if you can really call it bagged - it seemed it was always trying to slip through my fingers). On first attempt the bite would come and go and I couldn't be certain. But returning to the eyepiece later, IC434 seemed ever so slightly more obvious but ever so slightly less obvious to the east and slightly south of the two stars (one of them is HD37699) that were my guidepost. The "bite" was real.

Used 22mm Nagler with H-Beta filter, giving x69. 

Whilst I was thrilled to have a positive sighting, I would be disappointed if I wasn't able to have a more convincing view at some point!! But I can now confirm, at least, that the HH really does exist!!

Paul

 

That sounds like the way I'm seeing it Paul. It does get a little clearer with subsequent viewings but I think I'd need to go to darker skies to take the definition up a notch (apt word !) further. The skies don't get much better for DSO's here than they were last night and on the previous sighting.

I'm still very pleased to be able to detect this target at all from my back garden. I'd almost written it off last year

[F15Rules]

Many congratulations John! A wonderful thread which I only saw this morning. I was rivetted.

I know I'll never see the HH through my 5" apo, but what is the smallest aperture you have heard of it being seen through? Another question..do you observe through your Dob always standing up? Or for lower down objects can you do it seated? I always find I concentrate better and keep my head more still when I can sit down. I think that one of the things that's always put me off reflectors was the (for me) discomfort and awkward angles for viewing that I experienced the only time I owned a reflector an 8"Helios Newtonian (not a Dob). And I only had a couple of sessions before concluding it wasn't for me.

I guess I maybe need to try again, with a Dob next time, and give it more chance. Certainly it's the only way I'll really be able to step up in aperture.

For now, though, my fracs keep me very busy on the all too short and all too infrequent sessions I get?..

Thanks again for sharing that wonderful report!

Dave

[John]

Thanks Dave

I'm still standing when viewing through the 12" dob. It's F/5.3 so I'd need a tennis umpires chair to sit at the eyepiece quite a lot of the time !

My knees are starting to play up though so my habits may well change. Last night was too cold to stay at the eyepiece for long though.

 

[Highburymark]

23 hours ago, John said:

Yay !!!

Just repeated my observation of the Horsehead Nebula

Wind and cold made it harder than my 1st time around, or at least less comfortable. No doubt about the dark "bite" out of IC 434 and a little averted vision helped tonight.

Very good night here but hard to stay dark adapted when popping inside to warm a little !

Excellent stuff John - it might become a habit

[RobertI]

Inspiring and informative report John, congratulations! Obviously excellent transparency is key to viewing the HH. It is amazing how how conditions can vary night to night - afew nights ago I had two clear nights in a row and could barely see anything through the murk, last night was amazingly transparent and dark (usually heralded by a electric blue sky in the west after sunset) and everything just jumped out at me. I'd love to see the HH visually but not sure I have the equipment or skies to do it visually.