First ever non-Messier NGC's!

[badgerchap]

Just found my first ever NGC objects not on Charles Messier's list. Randomly had a pop at NGC 6934 to start (globular) and found it as easy as pie! Then, whilst looking for M72 & 73, accidentally stumbled across NGC 7009, the Saturn Nebula. That really was a cracker! Really pleased with the nebula, had a definite blue colour and was really well defined at 208x mag. Originally spotted it at 32x but thought it was a distant globular, hoping for M72. Absolutely chuffed to bits with this!

[Ben Ritchie]

Fun when you stumble upon these things, I had the other night with NGC 6712 while hopping from M11 to M26

I like the Saturn nebula too, much more interesting than the nearby M73 - an asterism so dull that O'Meara is reduced to sketching a picture of a rocketship.

[acey]

Congratulations!

Have you tried the Double Cluster in Perseus? That's 2 non-Messier NGCs in one go (884 and 869).

[Doc]

Well done in spotting the Saturn Nebula, it's very bright and has a tinge of blue. If you use plenty of power you can spot the ansea on either side, very nice indeed.

[badgerchap]

I'm not sure if I saw the ansea or not - if I did, they were very faint. I can only get 208x on my dob at the mo, could do with a 3.7mm eyepiece for the saturn nebula I think - my focal length is 1250mm so that would give me (calculates feverishly) 337x. Anyone reckon the neb would hold up at that mag?