How to observe the Merope Nebula?

[RobertI]

Now that Taurus is coming into view, I thought it would be a good little project to try and see the Merope nebula. My previous half-hearted attempts have revealed nothing conclusive, and when we’ve I think I’ve seen some nebulosity I realise that I am seeing the same thing with all bright stars. I’ve done a little research and looked at a couple of sketches (there aren’t many) and it seems like it can be seen in a small scope but only from a dark site. Some say a minimum of 10” and some say a 4” is fine. Filters won’t work as it is a reflection nebula, although there is some debate on that. So what’s the best way to see the nebula and how do you know you’ve seen it? Is it irregularly shaped or just a circular haze? What’s peoples’ experience? 

Edited October 24, 2022 by RobertI

[Sunshine]

I haven't a clue but thanks for the heads up cause now I'm as curious as a kitten about this nebula.

[Nyctimene]

Most important are dark skies - I'd guess, SQM-L 21+/NELM 5.8 or better, and good transparency (low air humidity, no  haze, dust or pollen). Under these conditions, it's not difficult to spot even with 4" scopes. Keep your optics free from fogging up, especially the (low-power) eyepiece, and cover your head with an observing hood or dark cloth (watch out! - increases eyepiece fogging). No filters. If you think, you've spotted the nebula, you can confirm your finding by comparing both sides of "Ally's braid" - that's the pretty star chain, extending from Alcyone to the S. The eastern side of the star chain is completely clear and dark, without a trace of nebulosity, whereas the W side will be filled with the roughly trapezoidal shaped/irregular Merope nebula. Chances are, that you have already spotted it:

7 hours ago, RobertI said:

I think I’ve seen some nebulosity I realise that I am seeing the same thing with all bright stars

That's right; all the bright Pleiade's members are embedded in reflection nebulas. The Merope nebula is just the brightest one.

Give it a go, and let us know!

Clear skies

Stephan

Edited October 25, 2022 by Nyctimene

[josefk]

Thats a good hint @Nyctimene re. the clear eastern side of that star chain. Thanks. I repeatedly look for  nebulosity in M45 in various instruments on many nights and have never been certain i've seen it versus "just glare" or "damp" in the atmosphere. This is a good tip for confidence checking.

[RobertI]

1 hour ago, Nyctimene said:

Most important are dark skies - I'd guess, SQM-L 21+/NELM 5.8 or better, and good transparency (low air humidity, no  haze, dust or pollen). Under these conditions, it's not difficult to spot even with 4" scopes. Keep your optics free from fogging up, especially the (low-power) eyepiece, and cover your head with an observing hood or dark cloth (watch out! - increases eyepiece fogging). No filters. If you think, you've spotted the nebula, you can confirm your finding by comparing both sides of "Ally's braid" - that's the pretty star chain, extending from Alcyone to the S. The eastern side of the star chain is completely clear and dark, without a trace of nebulosity, whereas the W side will be filled with the roughly trapezoidal shaped/irregular Merope nebula. Chances are, that you have already spotted it:

That's right; all the bright Pleiade's members are embedded in reflection nebulas. The Merope nebula is just the brightest one.

Give it a go, and let us know!

Clear skies

Stephan

Thanks Stephan, that’s really useful, I didn’t know about Ally’s Braid either! One of my problems is I think I have developed some age related ‘haze’ in my eyes so every bright star shows some haze, so what I need is to be able to see something definitive - you’re description plus the ‘trapezoidal’ shape might just do it. I also found the sketch below made by someone with modest refractors and ok skies - is this a reasonable expectation do you think? 
 

 

[Nyctimene]

2 hours ago, RobertI said:

is this a reasonable expectation do you think?

Excellent sketch - but keep in mind, that the "nebulosity" part of it was done with a 5" frac under exceptionally dark 6.4 NELM skies (Grandprè/France, between Reims and Verdun). Under my 21.4 SQM-L / 6.0 NELM skies (max.) I've never seen it that good. For me, the Merope nebula appears way less obvious and doesn't extend that far to the south. But it's doable, even with binoculars (comment by Ha-Jü Merk, who observed it with 15x70).

 

[Sunshine]

Of the million times I had seen the Pleiades it didn’t occur to me that the nebulously surrounding Merope had its own name 🤣

[Nyctimene]

On 25/10/2022 at 12:40, Sunshine said:

Of the million times I had seen the Pleiades it didn’t occur to me that the nebulously surrounding Merope had its own name 🤣

Not only a name, but even a number in the famous NGC catalogue - 1435. The nebula around Maia got the number 1432.

There's even an IC number, a small part of the Merope nebula, close SE to Merope itself, got the designation IC 349. It seems to be a real challenge; you'll need a 12" at least, and an eyepiece with an occulting bar to block the bright glare of Merope. Never tried this up to now (but might be a challenge for a clear winter night).

Stephan

 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Nyctimene

[PeterW]

It was obvious with a 5” (or so) frac at a dark starparty once, I wasn’t told before what I was looking. Good transparent skies are likely most needed.

Peter

[scarp15]

The Merope Nebula; discovered using a 4" refractor by German astronomer Wilhelm Tempel and previously referred to as Tempel's Nebula. Interesting that the Merope Nebula is considered to be part of a separate interstellar cloud, by which the cluster is passing through.  

To observe this nebula on a clear dark transparent winters night, may require a succession of patient observation attempts, to take regard to a fluctuation of transparency conditions, to which it is highly sensitive. A low power wide field ocular, perhaps employing an exit pupil of between 4mm - 6mm and of course condensation free. Subtle yet visually comprehensible, it is strikingly quite vast presenting a clarity of profile. 

As Stephan has mentioned, for a particular challenge there is also IC 349, known as Barnard's Nebula. A very tricky subject, to which I might try again this winter. Here are some details  The Merope Nebula and Its Well-Kept Secret - Sky & Telescope - Sky & Telescope (skyandtelescope.org)

Then there is Mel Bartels Pleiades Bubble as regarded in his sketch. 

 

 

[mikeDnight]

It's really easy in a transparent sky. Keep your peripheral vision shielded from stray light and persevere. It will initially look like there's a little haze in the sky, or your lens is fogging over, but its actually the nebula. The longer you spend on it the more you'll see, until the Pleiades appear completely enmeshed in a nebulous haze. Aperture isn't important, as even 10×50's will show it, but a scope will show its intricacies at low to medium powers.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

I have on one occasion observed the nebulosity at my urban home - during the peak of the Covid pandemic in 2020 and a particularly crisp night with a 6" newtonian. I doubt that will happen again unless simultaneuously this winter on a very clear night, planes are grounded and we have a power cut. 🙄

Otherwise, get yourself to a dark spot with just about any telescope and hope for a treat. 👍

 

[Guest]

I am going to have to go after this with the 10 inch.  I know i have seen it just never really looked at it.  Game on 

 

 

[cajen2]

I've seen it in both my 6" and 8" dobs, even in my Bottle 5 skies, but only on a couple of nights of exceptional transparency and seeing.

[Siegfried1969]

When I look at it with my TAL-1 110 mm reflector, I cannot see any hint of nebulosity from my bortle 5 garden. However with the Baader neodymium (moon & skyglow) filter I clearly see a faint bluish glow around the main stars. So if you have that filter, it's worth a try.