24/25 August - Planetary Nebulae

[mike.brightmore]

Looks like the weather is closing in again but there were some beautiful nights over the weekend. Monday night (24/25 August) was exceptional - after the clouds had cleared around midnight. The sky was just studded with stars and it was one of those exceptional nights I could actually make out the Milky Way.

Ophiucus was low in the south west and suffering from street lights but I could make out the main globular clusters M10, M12 & M14 which were readilly identifiable as GCs even though a bit washed out by L.P.

For the first time I could just make out M33, the triangulum galaxy in the 25x100 binoculars. M27, The Dumbbell Nebula, in Vulpecula showed up well in binoculars with detail clearly visible at 70x magnification in the telescope (25 sec stacked AVI below).

M57, The Ring Nebula, in Lyra also showed up well in the telescope at the same magnification with the central star visible (28 sec stacked AVI below). This and M76 were too high to look for with the binos.

M76, The Little Dumbbell, in Perseus was also just visible in the telescope but, like M27 and M57 showed no hint of colour (stacked AVI below).

Failed to see comet W3/2006 Christensen in Sagitta but globular cluster M71 obliged. There was no core visible and it is easy to understand why this was regarded as an open cluster until the 1970s.

Then across to Delphinus and two more globular clusters NGC 6934 (51.2k LY and Mag +8.8) and NGC 7006 (135.4k LY and mag +10.5). NGC 6934 being the clearer and brighter of the two. Snapshots of these two GCs (taken on Friday night) attached for comparison.

Most of this lovely night I just had to lie back and enjoy the stars.

[Talitha]

Congrats on spotting m33! And wow, i never knew m71 was regarded as an open cluster till the '70s.. learn something new every day!

[iamjulian]

Nice report Mike. Great images too. I heard Christensen is back. I have heard it quoted as about Mag 9, maybe even slightly less, yet Heavens Above is still showing it at Mag 11. I may have a go at it this weekend if the weather is kind.

[ashenlight]

Great report Mike! I really like the addition of a few images aswell, it is great to read about an object and then scroll down to see it! I hope we all get some clear skies soon, wouldn't it be nice to get a run of them as the new season approaches?

[mike.brightmore]

I think these images give a bit more realistic idea of what observers can see. Thanks for the kind words. By the way Carol I couldn't find the other dumbbell, in Cygnus .... lol.

[Talitha]

Lol... sometimes the easiest way for me to spot the dumbbell is to look in the mirror.

[mike.brightmore]

Definitely more chance of finding one in Cygnus than in a mirror. Might see a reflection neb. though. As long as it isn't IC 2118.

[Doc]

Great report and some lovely targets. Really adds extra when you post pics as well.

Well done.