Owl nebula?

[Manok101]

This is next on my messier hunt, my goto scope has pointed to it a few times but I think maybe the light pollution in my area is just too great because all I could see is what I though was a smudge at the far edge of me being able to see, is this really dim for a nebula? Can I cross this off the list of those to see? By the way I used the 10" both times I've tried to see it.

[Demonperformer]

My GUESS would be that, with a 10" scope, you probably saw it.

However, if you want to be absolutely certain:

(1) slightly move the scope and see if the smudge moves in relation to the stars (if it does, it is an artifact of you optical train, if it doesn't it is in the sky somewhere)

(2) draw the starfield, and carefully mark the exact position of the smudge. Then come back to it a couple of nights later and repeat the exercise, without reference to your first drawing. Then compare. If it is in exactly the same place it is extremely unlikely that it would be an atmospheric effect (cloud) that was in exactly the same place.

HTH

[cotterless45]

M97 (Owl Nebula) is quite faint, it is also 50' away from M108 (spiral galaxy on the edge of visibility). In a wide field you'll see both.

It helps to use a UHC filter to pick out the Owl Nebula and being very high in the sky this is the best time of year to try.UHC filter being a very usefull bit of kit.

Averted vision and moving the fov about will define where this smudge is, good luck.Nick.

[NGC 1502]

With my 10" Dob from my back garden in South East Essex, M97 is hard

to spot, but a UHC or O111 filter brings it out nicely. Don't expect to

see the 'eyes' though !! Nearby M108 is tougher, and of course the

same filter does no good at all.

Regards, Ed.

[Manok101]

I did keep seeing two faint things in the eyepiece one was much bigger and much less round I assume that was the galaxy.

[DarkerSky]

If you got M108 as well it would appear as a faint slender tube of light. I've had M97 before in my 8.5" from a moderately light polluted location, so I think the odds favor you that you've seen it with your 10"

[Adamski]

I'm convinced that I saw said nebula last night. The skies where i live are pretty dark and the conditions were good, except for the dew, I was looking for m108 but what i saw was definately round not elongated. As I am using a sw 150pl the view wasn't spectacular, i also don't have any filters yet. I did view m108 about 2 weeks ago and this didn't look the same as previously. I need to confirm this with another viewing.

good viewing to all.

Adamski

[Trull]

Up at Aberdeen Astro Soc's Dark Sky Site I've observed the owl nebula with my ATM TorcDob 8.75" reflector, a 5inch refractor and my 12"lightbridge. For a laugh we have setup a bunch of scopes and then betted on which way the eyes lie...this can be hard, but tis fun.

[John]

From my back garden the Owl is barely visible in my 6" scope and needs an O-III to show it with the 4" although it responds really well to that filter.

Under the dark skies of the SGL6 star party on Saturday night it showed really easily in the 6" without a filter and was even visible in a 66mm refractor, again no filter. Shows what dark skies can do

A 10" scope under those conditions would possibly have been showing at least one of the Owl's "eyes".

[spaceboy]

From my back garden the Owl is barely visible in my 6" scope and needs an O-III to show it with the 4" although it responds really well to that filter.

I agree with John. Although a UHC filter dose make it apparent I found the OIII filter to bring it out best. Either way it is still a very hard target to make out under LP skies. I also found in my 8" reflector is if you keep circling the Neb with your averted vision you can subject to good seeing & transparency get slight glimpses of one of the eyes. Basically only a dark patch within the dull smudge.

SPACEBOY

[John]

At least there is the bonus of M108 in the same, low power, field of view:

Deep Perspective: M97 and M108

The galaxy is not helped by filters though - the opposite, if anything.

A lovely pairing on a dark night though.

[Ursa Major]

I saw the owl nebular for the first time yesterday showing up as a small circlular grey patch in my 5 inch reflector. I live on the edge of a town so the LP isnt too bad.