M29 or something else

[G4YVM]

This evening at abut 2300 - 2345 local time in Southern England (Salisbury) I was simply scannning the sky with my 16" Dob when I happened upon something new to me. It was roughly in the Deben area (I made it about 270 degrees m, 40 degrees elevtion) and it looked like a grey blob of fuzzy cotton wool. Quite large in the EP but dull. At first I thought it might be the dumbell nebula because of its shape, but Stellarium seems to suggest the open cluster M29 though it does not look like a cluster as there are NO discernible stars at all..

Any ideas what my description of grey cotton wool might be?

Then, how should I clarify the image? Would a ultra high contrast filter be the way to go? Its a pity I cannot get a better image into my eye and to do this I'd spring for a filter.

David

[matteboy]

I was looking for M29 last night, all I found was some stars near to each other and was kind of expecting to see a 'ball' of tighly packed stars, I was looking from the middle star of the cygnus cross then down and to the left 45 degrees about the width of a full moon (VERY roughly). I just figured I hadn't found what I was after. I was looking for this as I have a tiny scope and looked up that M29 is visible even in binocs, would assume that with 16" dob you'd find a ball of bright stars and not a cotton wool looking thing, I've just checked and the dumbbell and the little dumbbell are both in different constellations. Don't know if that helps in any way but wouldn't mind knowing what to expect to see if I do find M29 next time!

[matteboy]

OK the dumbbell is not that far, but is the other end of cygnus (Alberio end) and left, would you have been this far away from Deneb?

[G4YVM]

No, I dont think so. I'll have another bash tonight but up at 0300 tomorrow so wont get much in

D

[iamjulian]

NGC7000 North American Nebula? IC5070 Pelican Nebula? I have no idea, but I imagine a 16" dob would pick these two up. H-Alpha filters are used to show them when imaging, no idea whether those filters are available for visual use.

[DarkerSky]

Hi David. Your description would match that of a nebula rather than an open cluster for sure. There are a few planetary nebulas near Deneb - and the Cocoon Nebula is not that far, which you'd be able to pick up in a 16" if you have a decent dark sky.

For reference, M29 is a devil to find - but looks like this in a 12" dob at x140 magnifcation (8.5mm EP)