Cancer Beehive Cluster and Orion M78 Reflexion nebula

[N3ptune]

I had a GREAT observation at my dark spot yesterday and it was a very special moment. I wanted to sketch an object worthy of my joy at the current moment so I choose the Beehive Cluster in Cancer constellation. It was naked eye visible and the whole sector was incredible. I could talk about all my observation but it would be too long to write.

This is my first sketch and it took a fair amount of time doing it, most stars are there except a few averted vision ones, a bit of distortion in the sketch but not too much I hope.

Done with newtonian 200 x 1000 with ES68 34mm 29x - The cluster was stunning even with the 4x% illuminated moon, quite high in the atmosphere. I had a little back tension at the end of the sketch but it was worth it (;

Second target was Orion M78, a reflexion nebula just above the horse head (which I can't see even at the dark spot.) My very first observation of M78 and it's a nice medium sized Nebula. Both my NPB and OIII had negative effect on it, I understand because it's made out of dust and not of ionized gas emitting the OIII line. Nonetheless, very interesting object and also difficult from a polluted sky.

Newtonian 200 x 1000 with Xcel LX 25mm 40x - A bit more power was better.

There was also a final planetary nebula I found up above Lepus, the little 1.418, at 29x it looks like a regular star, at 40x it's blinking a bit so it's possible to understand it's not a star and my very best power to examine it was 111x with Xcel LX 9mm.  A nice little green lantern in the middle of a fairly empty FOV (of stars). OIII gave me more diameter out of the nebula, NPB gave me more contrast at the core, both filters were different but I preferred the effect of the OIII.

I have no sketch of this small planetary unfortunately but please go check it out at the following position if you can. It's also called "Spirograph Nebula" totally new one for me again.

I hope you liked this report and sketch.

 

[GarryLazereyes]

Nice!

 

[happy-kat]

Very nice, I can feel the concentration of each mark.

Do you sketch with one eye while observing with the other? I used to do this with microscope work and wonder if possible with this kind of stretching.

[mariosi]

Beautiful work! 

Marios

[N3ptune]

Hello thanks, the Beehive is a great memory of this vacation where i went to a dark sky twice in 9 days. (;

@happy-kat

No my telescope is on a EQ5 with RA clock drive, i am standing with a pad in my hand, look trough the eyepiece, then sketch a few stars at the time by memory. But i guess it could be possible to look trough the EP with one eye then sketch with the other eye..  But not with my telescope with the equatorial mount the position of the EP is too odd most of the time.

Thanks for the comments too!

[Stu]

Great sketches N3tptune, particularly M44 which seems very accurate. Nicely done!