1987A remnant?

[Mars4ever]

Hi all,
During my trip to Namibia (read here for details: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=38687&page=3) I tried to discover if it's possibile to see the SN1987A remnant. I've never found informations about the possibility or not to observe visually this strange object, so I brought a detailed map/picture of the exact position (the object is located 5' SW from NGC 2044, close to the star GSC 9162 821) and I tried to discover it by myself. The result is that I saw something like a star slightly more blurred than the others. I was watching at 500X with a 50 cm Dobson so, if it's true, it's a very very small object anyway!
So now I'm asking you: is that really the object or did I goof? Is there anyone who has seen it?
Merry Christmas.

[pgc hunter]

I beleive it's far too small to see any structure in it visually. However your description of a "blurred" star does sound right for what this object should look like in a large scope at high power.

[Mars4ever]

I think it could look like a very small PN or a mini-mini-crab nebula.
Here is the pic of the field of NGC 2044:
http://zlg.kepu.gov.cn/zlg/yuzhou/images/ngc/ngc3/n2044.jpg
Do you identify the position of the SN?
Now we have to understand if it's only a star or if it's really the remnant.

[Mars4ever]

Sure nobody has ever seen it?:P
You get passed by a NH resident on a LMC object?:D
I've found this pic:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Supernova-1987a.jpg
I notice that the SN is in the exact position where Guide 8 places the star GSC 9162 821 (reported as 11.9 mag, brighter than the other stars in the field of this photo). So, it seems to be an error and then that's not a star but really the remnant, and the "blurred star" in the low-res image is instead the little cluster you see in the new pic on the right of the SN.
Please compare the big pic with the lower right side of the previous:
http://zlg.kepu.gov.cn/zlg/yuzhou/images/ngc/ngc3/n2044.jpg
So, can I be sure that I really saw the remnant, if it looks like a 12 mag star? Is there someone who can try the same observation with a pretty large Dobson? Only you can confirm it, I can't see the LMC at the moment! :lol: :thanx:

[theodog]

Back in 2002, R. McNaught & myself tried to image SN1987A with a 1min exp through the 40" at SSO. No success.

My guess is that it is still to faint to see with the eye.
:)

[ngcles]

Hi All,

I can confirm that it is indeed visible in large amateur telescopes.

My observing buddy Gary Mitchell spent the best part of an hour to track this little bugger down and confirm it using his 50cm f/5 dobsonian at x525 magnification during the Mudgee Star Party last weekend.

I confirmed the observation based on what I could see from the photo. It is extremely tiny, hardly more than stellar in size and about 14th-15th magnitude (odd). A few other observers were able to see it too in the same 'scope. It is about one medium-powered field from the Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070).

I too was at least somewhat surprised that is is visible in amateur sized 'scopes.

Based on what I saw a sharp 18" or even a 16" might just do the trick in near perfect conditions. You will need very high to extreme magnification to see its non-stellar nature and weed it out from the packed field -- and a high-res image that identifies it.


Best,

Les D