Night of nebulas!!

[Kon]

With clear skies since early night I managed to bag myself quite a few of my nebula targets that I have been trying to visualise for a while. A good solid 3 hrs of observing. My first target was the Rosette nebula with my OIII filter. I cannot describe my excitement when I saw it. The size of it! It did not fit in my 32mm EP (50 FOV); clear nebulosity looking like a donut with darker middle. I was mesmerised and I spent a good 20min observing and taking everything in. My next one was NGC2359. Very faint nebulosity with the filter on, i think coming from the Rosette it felt a bit disappointing. Then M46 cluster with the NGC2438 in it. As soon as I got in the area with my 32mm it popped in the background. I had seen AP of it but seeing it with my own eyes was amazing! I popped in the 8mm EP and it could take the magnification. Nice round nebulosity. I went back on the 32 and I took the filter out; i could make it with averted vision since I knew where it was. I think the filter is already 'making its money back'!  Hydra was coming in my view and I bagged NGC 3242 in no time (no filter). A nice pea size nebula; it looked great in 8 and 15 mm EPs. I realised that I was getting through my targets fairly quickly so I turned W and I tried the Jelly fish nebula; I think I saw it very very faintly with the OIII on. I had a quick look on M35/NGC2158. I moved just below it to NGC2175. With the filter on, it looked diffuse without much structure to it feeling the 25mm EP. I had a quick look on Markarian's Chain using my 32mm EP and  it was amazing as the last time I visited (I know not a nebula but with clear skies I had to see it). I finally moved to Lyra for the obvious M57. It had a eluded me quite a few nights now but tonight the seeing was great and it just popped in my EP! A show a smudge of tiny light in my 25mm but putting on the 8mm EP i could make out the bright outer rim and fainter inside (I suppose lit does look like a ring💍 🤣). Wow just wow! I spent 30min playing with the EPs; the filter was not bad either; it made it darker but its ring shape was clearer.

It is hard to grasp the size of the large diffuse nebulas. I feel over the moon that I have managed to see all these beautiful nebulas with my own eyes! I think it has been my best night observing so far! Can it get better, I hope so! I need to start drawing a new list of fuzzies to visit!🔭

[niallk]

Great report!! 👍

[Stardaze]

Great nights viewing. I hadn’t thought about a nebula evening at this time of year just yet and haven’t used my OIII in the rosette either but have seen it in the binos in recent weeks. Another added to the list.

[Froeng]

Excellent report! Definitely start drawing what you see - and you will learn to see (more and more)!

[wookie1965]

Great report a wonderful read. 

[Kon]

7 hours ago, Stardaze said:

Great nights viewing. I hadn’t thought about a nebula evening at this time of year just yet and haven’t used my OIII in the rosette either but have seen it in the binos in recent weeks. Another added to the list.

I thought I would have a 'final long' session before the nights get shorter. I am sure there more fuzzies to see in the summer months. The OIII made all the difference to see the boundaries of the Rosette.

 

[Kon]

4 hours ago, Froeng said:

Excellent report! Definitely start drawing what you see - and you will learn to see (more and more)!

Thanks. I am contemplating the sketching maybe as a record to my observing, although I am not the best at drawing

[PeterW]

Great report, there are a good number of even bigger nebulae out there for you to go looking for. Cygnus should keep you busy for a while. good luck with the sketching.

Peter
 

 

[Sunshine]

Enjoyed that read, great report!

[Epick Crom]

I feel your excitement Kon, that nebula filter you got is paying dividends! You did well bagging the notorious Rosette!