Nearly Horse Head Season

[scarp15]

I am looking forward to being out on some fine and transparent dark winter nights and to take on some of the challenging features centred within Orion. I have seen the Horse Head Nebula a few times in recent successive seasons. Almost always it has required averted vision, sometimes I can trick my eye to look fleetingly direct. Each of my observations had been using a 350mm Dobsonian and H-beta filter at a dark site (21.3+ mag/arc/sec SQM L, Ave reading). This season for an additional challenge if I get the opportunity I will attempt to determine B33 with scaled down aperture by using my 200mm Dobsonian and strive to get into marginally darker skies. 

Who is looking to gain time on this dark nebula this season?

To take regard for contemporary circumstances, the topic is open and inclusive in terms of philosophical approach, that is welcoming accounts and aspirations from both mainstream traditional, purist photon gathering observers and the (currently) niche NV tech assisted users.

[John]

Hoping to repeat my sightings of last year

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/304416-barnard-33-the-horsehead-nebula-at-last/

I have access to an 18" scope at a reasonably dark site this year so I might do even better perhaps ?

Can't wait for Orion to be well placed at a reasonable hour - what a lot that constellation has to offer

 

[GavStar]

As a niche NVer ? the horsehead is probably the big target object (along with maybe Barnard’s Loop).

Pre NV, it wasn’t even a consideration for me. But with NV it’s a straightforward visual observation as shown by this thread of my first outing with my NV gear

 

From dark skies, the horsehead takes on its photographic shape as shown by this thread from just over a week ago

However, in a few weeks I am hopefully taking delivery of a 16 inch dob which will reside at our house on the Isle of Wight with its dark 21+ sqm skies.

So I’m thinking of maybe picking up an h beta filter to try to see it in the traditional way. I may even try to take some phone photos through the eyepiece to show a direct side by side comparison of NV versus glass... 

[Littleguy80]

I’ll most certainly be trying for it. My expectations are low for success this season but it will hopefully give me a good grounding for future years. I’ll be interested to see how much of the flame I can pick up. My H-Beta filter has seen some good use on the California and the Flaming Star nebulae recently. 

Very interested to hear how you get on with the 8” dob, Iain. As you know, my dob is 10” so your reports will give me an idea of what I’m up against!

[estwing]

Already bagged...?

[estwing]

Be interesting to read other observers notes tho..

[scarp15]

19 hours ago, GavStar said:

 

However in a few weeks I am hopefully taking delivery of a 16 inch dob which will reside at our house on the Isle of Wight with its dark 21+ sqm skies.

So I’m thinking of maybe picking up an h beta filter to try to see it in the traditional way. I may even try to take some phone photos through the eyepiece to show a direct side by side comparison of NV versus glass... 

That will be interesting; approaching this by means of your very own optical capability, perception is visual challenging, yet what can or cannot quite become observable magnifies a sense of concentration and scrutiny I consider highly engaging. Anything accomplished, when fully dark adapted, is very subtle considering the limited capability of our eyes. NV as I grasp from your pictures is very much a window onto the subject, enabling you to more completely explore within the parameters, capability of the equipment. Either way it becomes much more than just this, your dark sky location on the Isle of Wight, along with encountering any valued dark sky area, its just about being there really isn't it, perhaps heightened awareness of that sense of place and time.    

 

9 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

I’ll most certainly be trying for it. My expectations are low for success this season but it will hopefully give me a good grounding for future years. I’ll be interested to see how much of the flame I can pick up. My H-Beta filter has seen some good use on the California and the Flaming Star nebulae recently. 

Very interested to hear how you get on with the 8” dob, Iain. As you know, my dob is 10” so your reports will give me an idea of what I’m up against!

You are gaining in observational prowess, I think might be the right term Neil, Absolutely concentrated more on the Flame, after which determine if you can gain anything from IC 434, starting form just below Alnitak, in which B33 is silhouetted.  

 

8 hours ago, estwing said:

Be interesting to read other observers notes tho..

Yep, keep em coming.  

 

21 hours ago, John said:

Hoping to repeat my sightings of last year

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/304416-barnard-33-the-horsehead-nebula-at-last/

I have access to an 18" scope at a reasonably dark site this year so I might do even better perhaps ?

Can't wait for Orion to be well placed at a reasonable hour - what a lot that constellation has to offer

 

I cant wait to and imagine different scenarios, scopes just have to see what the winter brings. Look forward to hearing how the 18" performs.  

[mapstar]

The H beta filter and transparency make all the difference.

There are differences in the actual filters out there and some are better than others. It's going to be a fair challenge with 8" of aperture.

I have tried my own 2" lumicon H beta and it works nice although I didn't rate the 1.25" one I had. I compared this with another SGL members Lumicon 2" at Galloway SP a couple of years ago and it was much dimmer.

That was with both in the 22" dob.  

If you've already seen it then placing the scope on it should be a synch and make it easier to define the notch.

Look forward to hearing how you get on Scarp

[scarp15]

Thanks Damian it is surprising what can be seen, once you have become familiar and accustomed with larger aperture. I think like many of us on this thread, the number one is dark sky fever, I would like to take a look at it again with my 14" but I do feel that at athe right location on a good clear night, my 8" aperture has a fighting chance perhaps.  

[swamp thing]

1 hour ago, scarp15 said:

Thanks Damian it is surprising what can be seen, once you have become familiar and accustomed with larger aperture. I think like many of us on this thread, the number one is dark sky fever, I would like to take a look at it again with my 14" but I do feel that at athe right location on a good clear night, my 8" aperture has a fighting chance perhaps.  

I agree Iain. I am pretty sure I could pick it out with my 10" from some of the dark sky sites I take the 20" 

Maybe this winter I will take the 10"  and give it a bash.......

[bish]

Ive seen it in a 10" from Kielder. H-beta and excellent conditions. Hard to see though.

[Stu]

Would love to give this a try with the 14" from Bignor if we get a really good night. I thought it would be an object I would never see, until the accidental occasion in Gavin's report, really wasn't expecting that!

However, I really would enjoy the challenge of spotting it without NV assistance. I have got a 1.25" Lumicon filter although Damian's comments make me wonder if this is the right tool for the job?

[PaulM]

what other objects are good through a H-beta filter?

[Littleguy80]

9 minutes ago, PaulM said:

what other objects are good through a H-beta filter?

I’ve used mine on the Trifid Nebula, California Nebula, Flaming Star Nebula and on the Orion Nebula (recommended for the M43 section). I think the California Nebula has been my most successful observation with the H Beta filter. 

[John]

I used the Astronomik H-Beta filter in 1.25" size. I've not observed other H-B targets though.

[swamp thing]

34 minutes ago, Stu said:

Would love to give this a try with the 14" from Bignor if we get a really good night.

It's certainly doable from there.  

[Stu]

4 minutes ago, swamp thing said:

It's certainly doable from there.  

14”?

[Stu]

I would aim to use one of my Zeiss 25mm Orthos, should be ideal at 5.5mm exit pupil and a narrow enough field of view to keep Alnitak out of the way.

[swamp thing]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

14”?

Don't see why not mate.

20" only gives more image scale.........you don't need that for the HH......just dark skies  

 

[estwing]

TBH I'd use half that field of view Stu.

[Stu]

22 minutes ago, estwing said:

TBH I'd use half that field of view Stu.

Thanks Calvin. I was assuming it was a balance of field of view vs exit pupil, with a larger exit pupil favourable?

 

18mm BGO would be 4mm Exit Pupil, better?

[mapstar]

4 minutes ago, Stu said:

Thanks Calvin. I was assuming it was a balance of field of view vs exit pupil, with a larger exit pupil favourable?

 

18mm BGO would be 4mm Exit Pupil, better?

Don't get hung up on field of view and exit pupil. Everyones different.

If you've never seen it before in the proper visual sense then use a 21E as it's the easiest to locate it. I'm assuming you'd need to borrow a 2" H beta to do that though. 

[estwing]

1 hour ago, mapstar said:

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Thanks Calvin. I was assuming it was a balance of field of view vs exit pupil, with a larger exit pupil favourable?

 

18mm BGO would be 4mm Exit Pupil, better?

Don't get hung up on field of view and exit pupil. Everyones different

+1

[Stargazer McCabe]

15 hours ago, mapstar said:

I have tried my own 2" lumicon H beta and it works nice although I didn't rate the 1.25" one I had.

Now you confess to this Damian ?

[Stu]

1 hour ago, mapstar said:

Don't get hung up on field of view and exit pupil. Everyones different.

If you've never seen it before in the proper visual sense then use a 21E as it's the easiest to locate it. I'm assuming you'd need to borrow a 2" H beta to do that though. 

Thanks Damian. Just trying to maximise chances of seeing it. Was the 1.25” filter lower quality or was it the fact that it was 1.25” rather than 2” which made it dimmer?? Different exit pupil being used perhaps?