It is a nice sketch Rob!
Rob and I have been ping-ponging about the Helix the last month or so over on StarryNights
I dunno about it...
I want to like it, I've tried to like it, it just hasn't grabbed me and pulled me in yet. I'll keep trying, but I find PN's like M27 and M57 MUCH more interesting...
The Helix is
BIG - for sure!
In my 10x50's, its barely noticiable without blinking a nebula filter. The filter helps, some, but not as much as it does for the Veil Neb or North American Neb in Cyg.
In my 10" F/5, the 14mm Pentax XW frames it pefectly - but without the UltraBlock filter, its barely visible to me. With the filter, it helps, but it just isn't too impressive - no real structure or features visible. I get some hints of some knottines in it, but nothing like the Veil Neb.
Maybe if it got higher up off of the Southern Horizon - I could appriciate it...
It just doesn't do it for me...
