First time Horsehead Neb (well almost)

[Space Bat]

Last night between 7:30 and 8:30 it became very clear and I was amazed at the clarity and on observing M42 I could see far more lower structure than on many previous occasions...and the sky was incredibly dark.

So I thought I would try and detect the Horsehead nebula - so using 32mm eyepiece I screwed on the Hb filter - hoping to get a glimpse, well I could just detect the structure of the nebula as it stretched downwards through my eyepiece it was very difficult to pick out, but rolling my eyes around I was able to detect the distinction between background and the nebula - I couldn't see anything of the horse head - But it was very pleasing to detect nebula even though I couldn't see the best bit...

Chris

[yeti monster]

Maybe I should be using a filter to catch the ellusive one..........

[Space Bat]

I think the Hb filter is the only way of detecting it with modest aperture equipment..

I have heard people can see it by just holding up the filter to the sky - but not sure about that one

But it was very exciting at first hoping that my eyes would settle on the horsehead - sadly no matter how many times I thought I could make it out.

Chris

[Doc]

Chris an H-beta filter is going to be my next purchase ready for next year. It sounds like you saw the nebula but just missed the HH, oh well keep trying.

[yeti monster]

Really, they should male these neblias easier to spot without filters!

More shopping to be done then............

[DarkerSky]

Fabulous Chris...just hearing that you got a visual on the nebulosity is brilliant! Something I have never seen, or even made an attempt to see. So that's a H-beta filter on my list too...I could be going filter-buying mad pretty soon!

[acey]

Well done Chris - any idea what was your limiting magnitude? I've "seen" the Horsehead with my 12-inch at a mag-6 site using only a UHC filter, but the way I did it was to sketch the very faint surrounding nebula IC434, using the dimmest red light I could manage - so I could barely even see the sketch - just pencilling in bits of the nebula as they popped into view. When I got the sketch into the light afterwards I found that the area left blank was the horsehead shape (though I got the nose a little bit too long). Not sure if that counts as seeing it!

The nebula NGC2023 (bottom left of photo, which has N to the left) was very bright and obvious (without filter), looking like a fuzzy star, and I think I'd take that as my benchmark for having a chance on the IC and HH. Note that if you go "up" from 2023 in the photo (i.e. West) there is a bright star, and further to the top right (SW) another star with a companion. These stars were my guidemarks for finding the exact field within the larger IC nebula.

People always say it's smaller than you expect and actually I found it larger, but I used a high-power eyepiece (I don't have my notes handy but I think it was x136). I'd suggest going higher than a 32mm and getting the precise field, then with your H-beta the missing bit of nebula might reveal itself.

Andrew

[Space Bat]

Hi Acey,

Thanks for the tips,

I was using the F6.3 corrector and the 2" setup with the 20mm Nagler at first on M42 so went up to HH and placed things slightly to my left in the FOV so I could use averted vision - I can't say for certain that I could detect something there but it wasn't until using the H-beta filter with the 32mm that things started to become far obvious if that is the right word when observing something so feint.

I don't have a 2" filter for the 20mm Nagler which is a shame as I am pretty sure I may have got a cleaner view and much better chance of getting a defined look at HH. I did try the 13mm Nagler with the H-beta filter, but even with the increased FOV I think it was pushing too far as I couldn't detect structure like I could with the 32mm plossl.

Sadly I am running out of time until v.late this year to get to bag this elusive target and you just don't get good seeing with good transparancy very often and it was only a small window that I got the chance the other day...and feel I may need to drive to a little area close by where I am in total isolation and much darker.

As for my limiting mag - my scope is in Chatteris which is not too bad LP wise although could be better - My son was able to see around 9 stars in M45 a while back I struggle with 5/6 so if I had to guess I would say around 4.0 or better - but not really attempted to define it. On occasions you almost get a turning off a light effect where everything is just crystal and the milky way just shines and the night backdrop is darker...it's hard to describe really

Chris

[acey]

On occasions you almost get a turning off a light effect where everything is just crystal and the milky way just shines and the night backdrop is darker...it's hard to describe really

I know exactly what you mean - those nights are magic. Good luck with the HH!

[gliderpilot]

Hmmm! I have tried several times to pick out the flame nebula in an 8.5" scope from reasonably dark skies. It appears that a filter is the way to go then.

Not many nights left to catch this one - until next winter that is.

Mark

[gliderpilot]

Hmmm! I have tried several times to pick out the flame nebula in an 8.5" scope from reasonably dark skies. It appears that a filter is the way to go then.

Not many nights left to catch this one - until next winter that is.

Mark