This is a topic I was going to post about but didn’t as I felt I may be scoffed at.
About 7 years ago I went down to Nannup in South Western Australia for a week holiday and took my 10” dob. It either rained or was clouded out the entire week except for 1 night, for about an hour when it cleared. Crystal clear sky, no wind at all. Had a look at Jupiter and it was dazzeling. So bright.
Then I looked at M42. At first I thought I was seeing things. I could see colour in it. All I had read up to then was that this was not possible. I kept looking away from the eyepiece and back again and there it was. Not a lot, but definitely there. The main body of the nebula was tinged green, but most impressively was the area where the wings protrude from, and their edges, were a definite reddish purple.
I only had about 15 minutes viewing it with my partner before the clouds came back. I put it down to the extraordinary conditions on that night. That was the best 15 minutes of observing I’m ever likely to have.