The Crab Nebula - a childhood ambition conpleted

[GavStar]

When I was about 10 years old reading my space books (I think Jupiter only had 13 moons then 😉), I remember being fascinated by the Crab Nebula. Imagining those Chinese astronomers seeing and documenting the supernova nearly a thousand years ago really made me think and kickstarted my interest in astronomy (along with the 9(!) planets and the 1999 solar eclipse which at the time seemed ages away)
However, fast forward to 6 years ago when I got my first telescope, m1 was a big disappointment - it was a small faint smudge at best and as it was called m1 I was expecting much better. I recently read that it has expanded and become quite a bit fainter than when messier logged it 250 years ago which I guess explains this.
But about a week ago I was out at a darkish site (sqm 20.7) with my c11, night vision monoculars and ha filter and I at last managed to get a decent view of it. It’s been an object I wanted to properly tick off for a while so I’m very pleased nv has enabled me to do this.
Here’s a phone shot I took of it at the eyepiece. 

For some reason I haven’t really observed the Orion region with a larger scope and nv at decent skies before and I was therefore pretty excited to get the opportunity that night.
I don’t think transparency was that good but the views were still pretty decent.
Attached are some other phone shots I took. In order the flame and horsehead, the monkey head nebula, inner region of the rosette, the jellyfish, cone and lowers. Plus a montage of nv phone images of various DSOs I’ve taken over the past 12 months with a variety of scopes large and small.
A very rewarding early hours session, the c11 proving to deliver to goods once again. And a childhood ambition completed at last...

 

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by GavStar

[Bill S]

Great set of observations. Thanks for sharing the phone shots. I know pictures of M1 taken a few years apart show the change you refer to which is continuing.

[Paul M]

Good work and a fine set of images.

I love M1 as a target because, like you, I was fascinated by it as a boy but it remains a fairly featureless blob for me. My 10" Newt would do it greater justice from a dark site. Maybe I'll take it on a rural safari some day.

[Star101]

Very nice images. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mike JW]

Very good observations and presented professionally. Totally envious of your achievements and inpsired. Thanks for posting. Mike

[RobertI]

Amazing observations Gav, it must have been wonderful to see the crab like that, and to see the horsehead so easily Must have been a dream! 

[grjsk]

Very nice pictures. What phone, app and settings did you use?

[Highburymark]

Very grateful to have been alerted to this thread today Gavin - amazing shots.