Easiet Nebula to find ?

[MikeWilson]

What I love about M42/M43 is that to the naked eye it looks just like a line of three stars but when you use some optics (binoculars, telescope, etc) you see a whole lot more.

I caught my first visual glimpse through my 150mm Newt on M42 last week and it was beautiful. Even under light pollution you can make out its shape.

[umadog]

I totally agree with M57 and M27. In the summer, the nebulae in Sagittarius are easy. I'm slightly surprised nobody has mentioned the veil nebula so far. It's huge, much bigger than M42, and very beautiful but it is faint. Despite being faint, however, it is easy to locate (assuming you have sufficiently dark skies). I've seen it (just) under mag 4.5 to 5 skies in a 12" with no filter. In ~mag 5.75 skies it becomes an easy binocular object and looks stunning (especially with an OIII filter). Lots of filamentary nebulosity.

I don't know if you're also interested in other bright DSOs or just nebulae. If so, M13 is easy and very bright. M31, of course. The double cluster. M81 and M82 are very lovely and bright but are harder to find.

[MikeWilson]

This is why imaging, I think is so popular.

I took a look at the Veil Nebula but under my light polluted skies I cannot see it. I was sure that I was in the right area though so I attached a DSLR and took a 30 second exposure. I could see what appeared to be a crease in a piece of brightly coloured paper.

So on went the light pollution filter and I tried again. Once the exposure finished the beautiful structure of the nebula showed itself on the preview screen.

I wonder if one day Meade will release a telescope with a built in LCD display which lets you take and view say 2, 5, 10, 15 second exposures without the need for a separate camera. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing visual observing by camera proxy, but at least it can be done.

M57 is bright and peculiar-looking, like a celestial hula-hoop. M27 barely a smudge under light pollution although it was the first nebula I saw at Kelling Heath and it looked great there!

[iamjulian]

It was M57 for me. Mainly because Orion was still below the horizon when I got my first scope in mid summer. I haven't seen all that many yet, but I'd say the Dumbell M27 is the most impressive I have seen so far.

[geoff_k]

I guess M42 is many people's first as you can see it without a scope. I think I am right in saying the other nebulae visible to the naked eye can only be seen from southern latitiudes.

I quite like the Ring Nebula (M57) and the Dumbbell (M27) myself but you definitely need a scope to find them.

I also think that Andromeda (M31) is another popular first target. I know it's not a nebula but it was thought to be one until it was discovered that it is a galaxy like our own.

[crazyjedi]

My 1st was M42. The M27 was my 2nd which left me dumbfounded (pun intended) i struggle a little with nebulae due the nice orange glowy sky that i have thanks to the generous lighting afforded to the nearby M5 (motorway not Messier object).

Not that i'm bitter about it.

M27 was actually a bit of a challenge. i found it eventually by laboriously scanning the whole area of the 'summer triangle' until i caught a glimpse of that little pale apple core- it was breath taking to behold though and worth the effort

[pvaz]

My first was M57. When I got the scope in the summer M 42 wasn't available.

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk

[mrwhippy14]

Mr Whippy, did you see M42? Did you use binoculars, in which case what magnification and what did it look like?

Hi im really sorry .

Ive had clear nights but snow outside.

Seen as my scope is elcetronic i dont want to risk break my telescope.

Ive located it with my binos as soon as its clear ill be searching the skys. Im getting used to the constellations now so im confident. M42 is my first target. But i ve seen the blur in my binos so good start!

Thanks for everyones replies!!!