Nebulae in Auriga

[glenc (Glen)]

Today's APOD shows two Auriga nebulae.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100113.html

The attached wikkisky.org image shows 4 Aur neb.
Left to right they are NGC 1931, IC417, IC410 and IC405.
The field is 225' and north is at the top.

N1931 is small (like a PNe) and bright in my 12" Dob.
The boomerang shaped part of IC 410 can be seen with a UHC filter.
IC 405 is fainter than IC 410.
I haven't seen IC 417.

[Vanda (Ian)]

Whats a UHC filter? Also read once of a O111 filter - again would like to know what that is. I have a polariser - came with the scope. The picture of the day was excellant and your scope sounds v good.

[glenc (Glen)]

UHC means ultra high contrast.
"The UHC filter is THE all-around nebular filter. It specializes in showing nebulosity, even outperforming the Deep Sky Filter under suburban skies. The UHC filter is a visual-use-only filter, but it can be used in this capacity to great advantage from both suburban and dark-sky sites. You would purchase the OIII and H-Beta filters separately only for specialized high-contrast, and comparison viewing of certain nebulae."
http://www.lumicon.com/faq.php

[Vanda (Ian)]

Thanks Glen - I will have to get one of those!