Was I seeing the Eta Craina Star?

[Cate]

The other night I went out with a few objects in mind. I was going to try for M36, M37 and M38 in Auriga. I couldn't find any of them, they are so low on the horizon and I was looking into the glare of Christchurch. This wasn't a good start as I had realised earlier in the evening that I would never see the Double Cluster in Perseus (I'm too far south) and now I won't see Andremeda Galaxy either (again looking into the city lights).

So I tried my other targets instead, firstly Omega Centauri. I couldn't find it! What was I doing wrong?! I thought it would be fairly easy as it's pretty big and it was a moonless night.

The night wasn't going so well!

Anyway, then I tried my final target which was the Eta Carina star. This is where I get a bit confused, I have seen pictures of the star with it's explosive nebula, and then is the Eta Carina Nebula a different thing? It looks like it is from my star maps.

Well anyway I was trying to find the star with the dumbbell like explosion. I think I found it but can't be sure! I could clearly see a nebula, there appeared to be 2 puffs as if they were going away from each other (just as in the pictures) but then there was all I can describe as a black finger crossing the middle straight across where the centre of the two puffs met. It was going at 90 degrees to the puffs. I just couldn't be sure of what I was seeing, I think it must be Eta Carina as I can't think what else it would be!

Then as a last encore I tried for 47 Tucanae - it was fantastic. I haven't seen anything like it before. It was such a surprise and so clear and a great end to the night.

[Sam]

Hi Cate, Sound like you certainly bagged the nebula and 47 Tucanae is fantastic!

[brianb]

So I tried my other targets instead, firstly Omega Centauri. I couldn't find it! What was I doing wrong?

No idea, I'm way too far north to see the thing. But it looks to me like Omega Cen forms pretty much an equilateral triangle with Alpha Cen and the Southern Cross - pointed away from the Pole. I believe it's bright enough for the nebular nature to be visible to the naked eye under dark skies, look for a faintish star that appears to be fuzzy.

[Dave Smith]

I don't know why you weren't seeing Omega Centauri. It is huge and is visible to the naked eye, very easy in binoculars and fills the field of view in a telescope. The first time I saw it was through binoculars and it looked much like a globular cluster does in a telescope in the UK.

With Eta Carina, I think you were seeing the Nebula which is a wonderful sight, and the Eta Carina star is clearly visible, but not the dumbell shape as seen with Hubble pictures. The star just looks like a star. I have some pictures of Eta Carina on my website (link below) taken with a camera lens when I visited Australia 3 years ago. Look at the Southern Skies section.

Dave

[Cate]

Thanks everyone, yes I think 47 Tuc is probably one of the best things I've seen in a while. It's like you said in your other post LB - it has a wow factor.

No, I agree Dave, I should have been able to see it, perhaps I was having a blonde moment or getting tired. I will try again for Omega Centauri next time. We're having about one clear night in 14 at the moment. Your website has some fantastic photos, and looking at them I think you're all right it was the nebula I was seeing. It's so good when you identify these things and put names to them.