Ring nebula was weird

[Mart29]

Can someone explain to me why looking for the ring nebula direct in the eyepiece I couldn't see anything,  yet when I looked away or sideways if you like , I kept seeing it? 

 

[Elp]

Erm. Averted vision?

Your eyes are more sensitive on the periphery (likely a survival thing) rather than dead on which allows full on RGB detail resolving. Most visual observers use this to find faint objects.

[Ian McCallum]

Was just talking about that today...

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/404394-averted-seeing-corner-of-the-eye-phenomena/

[Ratlet]

Some nebulas are bonkers when it comes to averted vision with the difference in brightness.  I recently observed Caldwell 39 (highly recommend it btw) and looking dead on it was incredibly faint but if you caught it in averted vision it was so much brighter.  I could even briefly make out the central star (pretty sure I could at least).  All faint fuzzys benefit from averted vision, but I think some get a bigger boost than others.

[Kon]

Yes, averted vision is a great skill for the nebulas. Many will reveal more details. Another one that you might want to try is the 'blinking' NGC 6826; looking at it straight on doesn't show any nebulosity but with averted it pops. An OIII will show it with straight on vision. It's a fun one to make it blink.

[Mart29]

Thanks guys, happy you confirmed this for me! 

I need to practice this now 🙃

 

[mdstuart]

Many of the galaxies I have observed would have remained invisible without averted vision!

Mark