Really confused

[Bribrum]

Hi

i thought I’d found the Great Orion Nebula tonight but have now looked at other images and it seems I was looking at Orion Trapezium 

how have I missed Great Orion Nebula

[Stu]

1 minute ago, Bribrum said:

Hi

i thought I’d found the Great Orion Nebula tonight but have now looked at other images and it seems I was looking at Orion Trapezium 

how have I missed Great Orion Nebula

Well the Trapezium is right in the middle of the Orion Nebula (M42), so you weren't looking in the wrong place. Were you using very high power? Is your local light pollution very bad? It's hard to miss the nebulosity around the Trapezium.

[Bribrum]

Thanks Stu

i might have been using too high power for the object. I could see the 4 stars and grey like cloud /dust. I was expecting some red

i have a 200 dob and was using 15 and 8 mm

[Merlin66]

The red nebula only shows up in images... visually as you say it appears as a grey cloud.

 

[Peter Drew]

The Orion Nebula and the Trapezium react  quite well to a wide range of magnifications but don't expect to see colour with a 200mm Newtonian. Images with reds and other colours are achieved photographically where the camera is much more sensitive than the eye.

[John]

I did just the same many years ago with my 1st scope !

The 4 stars are the Trapezium and the grey cloud is the central part of the Orion Nebula.

Use a low magnification (eg: 25mm eyepiece) and you should see more of it. It's mostly shades of grey though. The colours you see in images are not visible when we observe visually. On a really dark night (ie: no moon or other light pollution) you will see more of the nebula around the Trapezium.

[Peter Drew]

Blimey! Ken, Merlin66, beat me to it and he's all the way over in Oz. 

[Stu]

12 minutes ago, Bribrum said:

Thanks Stu

i might have been using too high power for the object. I could see the 4 stars and grey like cloud /dust. I was expecting some red

i have a 200 dob and was using 15 and 8 mm

Those should be fine, the 15mm should show the large extent of the Nebula. Can't think how large it is visually but you should see the bat wings curving away from it particularly with averted vision.

As Peter and Ken have said, no red unfortunately, only grey to be seen, although it appears to have a clear green tint to my eye. So..... you did see it after all!  

[Bribrum]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your responses

I feel quite proud of myself now. I found all 3 targets in one night.

What next? When it’s finally clear agian

[Doc]

I agree with Stu, through my 16" dob I used to have I could see green but with my present kit just shades of grey but it is still a fantastic object to view and one of the best.

 

 

[Red Dwarfer]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

although it appears to have a clear green tint to my eye

Same here - we must have less LP or something 

[Astro Imp]

Remember last night there was a bright moon not too far away, go back on a clear moonless night and be prepared to be amazed.

You've now seen the four main stars of the trapezium, try to see two more fainter stars, not easy, I've been looking for ages and occasionally see one more but the sixth has so far eluded me.

Good luck and enjoy.

[tuckstar]

I have seen a green tint to m42 as well in my 250 dob, but only from really dark, moonless skies.

[alanjgreen]

You are off to a great start

Dont be disheartened, the moon will soon be gone. At new moon all the nebula and galaxies come out to play.

when the moon is out stars , double stars and star clusters are your best choice of targets

consider buying a book of targets. Turn Left at Orion will get you started and it has sketches of what you will actually see at the eyepiece of a small scope for all the objects. It's a great book for beginners...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundreds-Telescope/dp/0521153972/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1514545549&sr=1-1&keywords=turn+left+at+orion

Alan

[laowhoo]

14 hours ago, Bribrum said:

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your responses

I feel quite proud of myself now. I found all 3 targets in one night.

What next? When it’s finally clear agian

Try the Perseus Double Cluster. It was the first thing we went to and is still a favorite, especially when doing outreach. It will not disappoint. And the Andromeda galaxy overhead--try to spy the other two nearby.

[Knighty2112]

Depending on what time you viewed it may have made it less obvious to make out well. When I first viewed it last night (just gone 7:30pm’ish) it was very poor to see with the sky conditions. I left it till about 40 mins later when it was higher in the sky, and conditions were much better to view it with. Even with no colour the nebulosity and dark areas where easy to see (unlike earlier on), and the trapezium was glowing away in the heart of it beautifully too.