The forbidden filter strikes - Summer DSO and Saturn 12/09/23

[Ratlet]

Really good session last night.  Not much new observed as I wanted to make the most of the summer constellations.  Starsense was being an absolute mare on the pixel 6, first time I tried it, but fortunately it was slightly better behaved on the Honor 20 so I swapped to that.  I spent some time a couple days ago to work on the balance of the Dob with the dew shield and everything else on it.  Took a bit of getting used to using the weight to help with the balance at different inclinations, but doing fin adjustments on target was infinitely easier and more pleasant than previously.  Probably not best practice, but there is something intensely satisfying about nudging a dob with your eyebrow.  It'll be more satisfying once I get an EQ platform built and don't have to nudge at all.

M13, M92 and M71 provided some nice globular viewing.  They are all quite different in structure and density so it was a nice little tour.  M71 appeared quite elongated, more of an ellipse than a sphere.  I took in Albireo and Almaak for a bit out colourful double viewing.  M27 looked quite spectacular, helped massively by averted vision.  Not required but I'm starting to notice colour in stars a lot easier, especially the orange/red ones and noticed a couple to the edge of the FOV with my 12mm around M27 and focusing on these helped bring out the detail in the nebula.  More detail on DSO with the 10" Vs 5" Newtonian, but the difference in globulars is the big draw for me.

I've been trying for The Veil for a couple of months now but with my high latitude and summer nights, it has not been forthcoming.  Swung round to 52 Cyg with the 30mm Superview and still couldn't see it.  Until I could.  Running about 45 degrees there was a something there, not bright but a definite difference in texture.  I had the imaging rig setup in the shed so pull out the SV220 7nm Dual band filter and dropped it in.  Suddenly it was everywhere!  The Witches Broom extended well through the FOV and had the appearance of high clouds.  There was a distinct radial lighting to the broom itself which was surprising.  The more central areas were also apparent although I couldn't pick out much detail, panning across you could easily see the difference in brightness.  I panned up to the Eastern Veil and was greeted with a nice door handle shape nebulosity that had the similar cloudyness to it although the 'lighting' wasn't as impressive as the broom.  I'm going to need to whip out the 130PDS for it next time to get a wide FOV.  It should be able to squeeze both in with the 30mm.  

With the filter in I went back down to M27 and swapped to the 12mm BST.  The contrast was greatly improved as you'd expect but where as previously the nebula was spherical there was now a clear horizontal elongation to it, the filter helping to highlight some of the subtler nebulosity in wings.

I swear at some point I'll use that filter for imaging, but so far it's doing too good a job as an OIII filter!

Saturn  had cleared one of the trees (about 20 degrees is my limit) but I could see it through the branches so decided to give it a shot.  Having removed the filter the focus was out so I was greeted with about 5 out of focus Saturn's which gave me a minor panic.  Turns out Saturn had not quite cleared the branches and there was some diffraction through the leaves.  Getting her in focus though and I got quite a pleasant view of our ringed neighbour.  Despite the tree it was in the sweet spot between houses so there wasn't a huge amount of turbulence in the atmosphere.  I stuck with the 12mm and whilst there wasn't a huge amount of detail I could make out a subtle band of cloud that ran parallel with the rings.  It gave the impression that the rings were passing in front of the planet.  I'm looking forward to the next few years when the planet gets out of the ruddy weeds.  If only some of the constellations would join it!

[RobertI]

Well done for getting the Veil so clearly, good result. 🙂