Hi Sam,
Excellent report brimming with the joys of discovery!
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Originally Posted by Jeeps
2) I then went in search of the Horsehead. I found the flame nebula very easily and it was quite bright, very visible with dark lanes throughout. I tried my 30mm and 20mm GSO superview, 12mm and the OIII filter but i found the best was a cheap 25mm plossl without the filter. By placing the near bright star, i think it's called Alnitak, just outside the field of view made viewing easier as it was washing out some of the nebula. I tried searching for the Horsehead but a combination of not really knowing where to look and lack of a H-beta filter (i think that's the right one?) meant i didn't get it. This morning looking at Stellarium made me say "oh that's where it is again... doh"  |
Don't feel bad at all about that Sam. The Horsehead Nebula (IC 434 & B33) is a very difficult target. Keep trying but it will probably take a bigger 'scope and you to have more experience as an observer. When ever you attempt it, make sure you identify the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) first. There is a bit of a guide to observing the Horsehead in the January 2009 edition of Australian Sky & Telescope you might find useful. A H-Beta filter is very, very helpful in apertures of 30cm and over and if you don't have one a UHC filter is next best. OIII filter will kill it stone-dead. There is no (well, almost none) doubly ionised Oxygen present in the emission spectrum.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeeps
6) Had a good scan around the area north of the southern cross and came across a few clusters such as NGC 3766. Some of these were full of red, blue, white stars. Very clear and not a hint of disturbance/twinkle.
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NGC 3766 is a superb and often overlooked cluster and has several red (giant/supergiant) stars in it. One of the most colourful clusters in the sky. NGC 3293 is also very colourful. The latter is my favourite O.C of all (do I hear cries of "heretic ??")
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeeps
7) I then looked further up with just my eyes and above the crux and the above mentioned star clusters i could see more bright hazy/fuzzy milky way. Pointed the scope there and to my surprise is was filled with some sort of nebula. I assume it was NGC 3293 & 3324 but i can't be sure as there was so much nebulosity and dark lanes it took a while to take it all in and Stellarium doesn't show this . I put the OIII filter on my 20mm and just took it all in. This was really quite a surprise, i have not been able to identify which nebula it is with stellarium and i am quite blown away by how clear the dark lanes were. It rivalled the Tarantula neb that's for sure! |
"Some sort of nebula" ??? Sam, you have undoubtedly discovered the vast and intricate Eta Carinae complex -- a major site of massive star formation and host to some of the most gigantic heavyweight stars in the Milky Way Galaxy including Eta itself and of course one of my other favouritest stars HD 93129AB -- yowser! I'll let you do your own research on this "Some sort of Nebula" -- NGC 3372. Make sure you have a good read and look at the pictures and then go back out and re-observe it with "knowledgable-eyes" and you'll come to appreciate it even more. One of the very best objects in the sky. I think the best cluster/nebula in moderate (8-12") 'scopes. Once you get to about 16", the Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) surpasses it.
Best,
Les D