Colour in the Ring.

[ollypenrice]

I would love to say that from 3000 feet in a dark site I could see red tints in M42...but as an honest fella I have to say that I can't! However, glory be, I did see a strong green-blue tint to the Ring a few nights back. Then I had this horrible thought; have I just left the O111 filter in? Phew, I hadn't, so I'm sure it was for real. (20 inch f4.1, TeleVue Radian 10mm.)

What do others think regarding deep sky colour? My eyesight is not good, alas.

Olly

[kniclander]

seen lots of colours in dso's in my 10" dob - grey, light grey, dark grey, off white, white with a hint of grey etc etc

seriously, the only dso I ever saw colour in (apart from M42) was the ring but it was not more than the merest hint of green and may have been my imagination

OH got to go - Lucy jones singing sweet child on X factor.............

[Tim]

Apparently young eyes can do a much better job discerning colours in the dark. My kids certainly say they can see red in M42 without any prompting or clues from me.

Does that count you and I out Olly?

The only colour I have seen that has stood out is in Albiero, but I think the contrast of colour really helps with that pair.

[ollypenrice]

It might be our bad luck, TJ. I would love to see red hues in M42 but Hey-Ho. I do see vast differences in star colour, though, and not just with Albireo. However, that's usually my starting point on star colour with beginners. Omicron Cygni is also nice and quite nearby.

Olly

[Demonperformer]

Olly,

Omicron Cygni ... looked it up in my star catalogue and it's not listed, so did a search of cartes du ciel and it could not identify it either.

Can you give me some pointers to find it, please?

Thanks

DP

[Beulah]

Try the Dumbbell Nebula in a dark, transparent sky. I swear it sometimes looks a luminous turquoise.

[Doc]

In my 16" dob M42 appears very green with maybe a very dim red outer edge. M57 the ring nebula is normally grey but with prolonged viewing I have seen a very slight blue/green tint to it. The blue snowball nebula is a very striking vivid blue.

[Dave]

My best views ever were at 2,100 meters at The Parador hotel in Tenerife.

Using a 24" Dobbo the pinks and greens and twisting gas in M42 were utterly breathtaking.

A most awe-inspiring sight.

But back home, the Green Snowball can just about live up to its name in a 10".

Dave

[albedo0.39]

I'm sure there's is colour in M42 - and I am convinced I saw Green whilst observing from a very dark sky. Of course, the Blue Snowball nebula is very blue (does that count ?)

[Dave]

Did I say Green Snowball??? Shame on me..

[Doc]

Did I say Green Snowball??? Shame on me..

I thought this was a new nebula I have never heard of thats why I never said anything

[Dave]

Doh!!!

[Beulah]

Did I say Green Snowball??? Shame on me..

aaaahhh-tchoooo!!!

[Guest]

With a large telescope M42 will show hints of red in the outer regions and green in the middle. I am not sure what the smallest telescope is that will show colour in that. The only other DSO's that show colour tend to be the planetary nebulae and then only some. They tend to show green or blue depending on the person.

[acey]

Just below Orion is the constellation Lepus which contains planetary nebula IC418, variously known as the Spirograph or Raspberry Nebula.

Its reddish tint is apparently easy in a 25", and possibly visible with 20" under good conditions.

So that's one for you to try, Olly.

[ollypenrice]

Thanks Acey, I'll see what I can do. There's some good stuff down there in Lepus and Puppis.

Plly

[stefski]

I swear I've seen yellowish-green tints in the Ring nebula a while back:). Also the Camel Eye Nebula in Draco (I think it's Draco) has a definite blue colour. The Little Dumbell in Perseus looks a little green as does its big brother in Vulpecula. Blue Snowball in definitely blue (maybe a hint of Green;)). There are some nice star colours to be seen in open clusters as well. Some oranges and yellows in the Double Cluster for example..... Never seen any red in M42 though.

Stef