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Campbell’s Hydrogen Star


Marvin Jenkins

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As seen as I really board right now due the never ending bad weather, I find myself exploring star charts and planetarium programmes for obscure targets when the skies finally clear.

I happened upon Campbell’s Hydrogen Star and wanted to ask the membership if anyone has observing experience. I realise plan nebs are often very small and I am using a six inch newt but any tips on observing this for the first time would be most appreciated.

I have asked the good folk of the EEVA section if they have experience and any visual examples they can share. Fingers crossed for clear skies.

Marvin

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July 18th, 2013, I observed Campbell's Hydrogen Star with the 18" f4/5 Obsession. Cranking up the magnification to 341 with a 6 mmf Ortho showed an intense orange coloured star, but not the halo (just moderate seeing). No filter used. One of the few objects that show hydrogen radiation. The starlike planetary is visible with 4"; colour can be seen up from 12" aperture (according to a German observer's handbook). Here some infos from the Deep Sky Forum:

deepskyforum.com/showthread.php?178-Object-of-the-Week-July-22-2012-%96-Campbell%92s-Hydrogen-Star

So, give it a try with your 6"; happy hunting!

Stephan

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Google says it’s  HD 184738 and near Albireo so getting a bit low to the west now for me but I checked and it’s in the Starsense app list so i’ll have a look when I can- added to the list :) Thanks Marvin

Mark

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No thanks needed Mark. I was looking at star charts, in particular for planetary nebula  (not that I have the aperture to see most of them, but I can dream for the future).

Paz, if you get a chance let me know. If I get a chance I think the description will be ‘star like’. Might well be one of those targets that’s revisited as equipment gets upgraded over the years.

If you are so inclined, have a web search of CHS, it is not the biggest thing in astronomy I concede, but interesting in it’s own way, just difficult to see it would seem.

Marv

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I love planetary nebulae, they are some of my favorite objects but they can be difficult, barely discernible from the stars around them, I found this particularly difficult at the Galloway star party where thousands of stars made the smaller planetarys difficult to spot.

some of my favorites are the obvious and easier ones, NGC 7009, Saturn Nebula is stunning, NGC’s 7027, 6543 and 2392 are all lovely objects and the king of them all ( imo) The Blue Snowball 

If you have SkSafari, there is observing list called 80 Planetarys for Small Telescopes 

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Had a crack at it tonight. Not the best conditions, 25% moon lighting up 500 feet altitude of moisture. Everything soaking wet in fifteen minutes by eight o’clock in the evening. In other words I am just happy it is not raining.

I made sure the scope was collimated and cooled. I had already consulted my laminated deep sky atlas and compared all points to Stellarium. I know where to look and where I am going!

Campbells Hydrogen Star here I come..... Total failure. I know I got to within eight inches of it.... that’s the the amount of extra aperture I think I need.

This star is going to be one of those post it notes that just never gets thrown in the bin. I consider this unfinished Astro business. Time will tell.

Marvin

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