Crab nebula in SPX350

[johnh]

I am an imager but want to give visuals a go as I have never had a scope this size before. My laptop is indoors with extensions controlling mount/camera/focuser - so my eyes are not fully dark adapted so I use a blackened eye patch to save my right eye from light abuse which works very well.

Wanting to try this since new scope arrived in the summer but did have intermittent cloud. At 90x could see its shape with pointed ends used UHC/Utrablock and O3 with O3 being the best for detail but not much filamentary detail at lower mags faint uneven brightness but at 220x could see faint mottling/webbing throughout nebula which seemed with averted vision much larger somehow, filaments were very soft - suddenly cloud came and I gave up as I only glimpsed it briefly. As I could see cloud coming I quickly put in a 5mm TMB supermonocentric at 317x and very briefly saw soft filaments with direct and averted vision without filter - best image - but it all came to a frustrating end with such briefness you can't really assess the sight thoroughly as it needed a few minutes. I WAS TANTALIZED - until next time.

[Sam]

John, that's a very detailed description of observing the crab nebula and very interesting. I have viewed it through my 16" Lightbridge but didn't see much more than a bright smudge with a motley pattern on it - it was quite low on the horizon so I'll give it another go next time it's clear.

Sam

[stefski]

Wow...you got more detail out of it than I ever have! Sounds great, John.....I think I need to give ol' M1 another go!

Stef

[russ]

More detail than me too. But i never bumped up the mags, kept it low power. Also didn't try the Ultrablock. I'll know better for next time.

Thanks for a great report John!