the central star in M57

Dietmar · #1 24-08-2008, 07:00 PM

hi guys,
I was lucky to observe the central star in M57, the ring-nebula, a couple times in my 20" f/3.7 dobsonian.
I would like to ask, who of you has ever seen this central star and what equipment was used for this purpose?
thanks in advance!
btw: here is an image of that nebula I took with my photografic equipment:
http://www.stargazer-observatory.com/m57.html

PCH (Paul) · #2 26-08-2008, 08:22 PM

Dietmar,

sorry for the late post but that is absolutely beautiful. I love the ring itself, - the colours and definition are incredible. But I just love looking at all the far off galaxies in the background.

Beautiful image - well done

BalderAsir (Nick) · #3 26-08-2008, 09:49 PM

Wow, thats really all i can say

hector (Andrew) · #4 27-08-2008, 03:46 PM

I have seen it once only with Hector at Kaputar. The sky was clear the transparency was fantastic and the seeing was one of those WONDER nights. Great views all around but the central star in M57 was one of the best that night.
Andrew

ngcles · #5 27-08-2008, 05:50 PM

Hi Deitmar, Hector & All,

First up, lovely very deep image image Dietmar -- congrats.

Phew, for a while I've been doubting myself on the central star in M57 -- I've _never_ seen it in 'scopes up to 50cm despite repeated concerted efforts (particularly with my 18") often in very good conditions.

I read again and again about people in the Northern Hemisphere seeing it in telescopes as small as 10" and I was beginning to think there was something wrong with me.

Either there are a few wee fibs being told about some of those observations or the difference in altitude above the horizon makes all the difference. I candidly find it difficult to accept that the altitude change can make _that_ much difference given that M57 attains a reasonable elevation of about 25 degrees from Sydney -- sure it isn't as high as we'd like, but it's hardly scraping the horizon ...

I _can_ (well, have once -- very difficult) seen the close-by small barred spiral (IC 1296) (in the image) in 18", which has a photographic magnitude of 14.8 meaning the v mag is probably down about 14th and the S.B very low. So, why can't I see the PNn in M57??

Glad to hear Andrew that it really _is_ a difficult target after all. The problem of course it the SB of the nebula itself washing it out.

Have to try again!

Best,

Les D

NQLD_Newby · #6 28-08-2008, 06:05 AM

Wow, Dietmar, that is an awesome image. This is one of my favourite objects, but I have never seen it like this before, not even in other photo's. well done.

sheeny (Al) · #7 28-08-2008, 07:54 AM

That is superb!

Al.

Jen · #8 30-08-2008, 02:55 PM

that pic is amazing
very nice

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #9 04-09-2008, 04:17 PM

Les Andrew and All,

Funny someone should raise this at this time. I have previously tried for it many many times in many different scopes up to 20" and each time unsuccessfully.

I actually "glimpsed" it repeatedly "in and out" at Border Stargaze last Thursday night in the 18"/F4.5 Obsession. I was somewhat surprised at this due to its low altitude so I returned to it several times to confirm that I wasn't using "averted imagination". It re appeared fleetingly each time at the same spot so I figured I wasn't imagining things. Transparency and seeing were both very good and the scope well cooled. Eyepiece was a 10mm Pentax XW giving 210X.

I only had new observers around me so I didn't bother trying to point it out to them. In fact I only went to the Ring because someone asked to see it who had never seen it before. It was unfortunate that there were no other experienced observers with me to confirm the observation.

Cheers,
John B

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngcles

Hi Deitmar, Hector & All,

First up, lovely very deep image image Dietmar -- congrats.

Phew, for a while I've been doubting myself on the central star in M57 -- I've _never_ seen it in 'scopes up to 50cm despite repeated concerted efforts (particularly with my 18") often in very good conditions.

I read again and again about people in the Northern Hemisphere seeing it in telescopes as small as 10" and I was beginning to think there was something wrong with me.

Either there are a few wee fibs being told about some of those observations or the difference in altitude above the horizon makes all the difference. I candidly find it difficult to accept that the altitude change can make _that_ much difference given that M57 attains a reasonable elevation of about 25 degrees from Sydney -- sure it isn't as high as we'd like, but it's hardly scraping the horizon ...

I _can_ (well, have once -- very difficult) seen the close-by small barred spiral (IC 1296) (in the image) in 18", which has a photographic magnitude of 14.8 meaning the v mag is probably down about 14th and the S.B very low. So, why can't I see the PNn in M57??

Glad to hear Andrew that it really _is_ a difficult target after all. The problem of course it the SB of the nebula itself washing it out.

Have to try again!

Best,

Les D

ngcles · #10 06-09-2008, 11:23 PM

Hi John.

Glad to hear your report that it is visible from here in 18". Will have to continue trying though having now missed the early September dark-of-the-moon through bad weather, looks like I'll be waiting till next year ...

Did you happen to look for the galaxy IC 1296??

Best,

Les D

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #11 07-09-2008, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngcles

Hi John.

Glad to hear your report that it is visible from here in 18". Will have to continue trying though having now missed the early September dark-of-the-moon through bad weather, looks like I'll be waiting till next year ...

Did you happen to look for the galaxy IC 1296??

Best,

Les D

Hi Les,

I did and I couldn't see it. Maybe with more time I would have got it but I had a couple of people at the scope and couldn't hold the eyepiece as long as I would have liked.

Cheers,
John B