horse head neb

mozzie (Peter) · #1 30-12-2010, 06:42 AM

it was one of the clearest and stillest nights last night,the best it has been for months.with orion rising early and over the trees by 9.30pm i thought id have another crack at finding the horesehead using a h/a at 136x i new i was right on it but still not able to seat, i could see the edge of dark neb ic434 and was getting a little frustrated..went back to 102x placed the eye in the eyepiece and woohoo!!!!!! there it was easily visible with a nice outline nothing like the photos you see but i could easily make the shape.then going back to 136x i was able to see it but 102x was a better sight.chasing a few faint galaxies in dorado it was a fantastic night.getting tied and orion up nice and high now id went back to horsehead and was stocked to get an even better view very still skies and seeing was excellent id like to stack a uhc filter with h/a to get some more contrast.id been trying for a long to see it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

desler · #2 30-12-2010, 09:37 AM

Congratulations Mozzie! Glad someone's having great skies!

With the promise of three great nights, I've managed to frame and focus, start the imaging run and then the high wispy cloud drifts in, either from the west or south.

I think I preferred it when it was that cloudy, I couldn't see anything at all. Then I tend not to bother getting excited. Ah well, bring on winter and some longer nights!

Darren

Mars (Patrick) · #3 30-12-2010, 11:35 AM

Hi there Mozzie.

Congrats on your find! In my opinion, the horsehead nebula is one of the most beautiful celestial sights. I'm quite new here (only had my scope for 4 days!) but I also observed how clear the night was last night.

I see you have some impressive scopes under your name

I think one of yours may actually be the same as mine, I now have an 8" Skywatcher Flex Tube Dobsonian.

May I ask, is there much chance of seeing the horsehead nebula through this smaller scope or is it really only possible in your 14"? I had a look for the horsehead a few nights ago but didn't have much luck at the time (also I don't currently have any filters).

ngcles · #4 30-12-2010, 12:01 PM

Hi Peter & All,

Congratulations and well done -- you've joined the club

(FWIW)! I assume the filter you are talking of (typo perhaps) is an H-Beta filter, not H-Alpha which is at the far red end of the spectrum and is normally only used photographically. I wouldn't recommend stacking filters -- wont improve the view on faint objects. Can work with extremely bright ones like Jupiter or the Sun but not an emission nebula.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mars

May I ask, is there much chance of seeing the horsehead nebula through this smaller scope or is it really only possible in your 14"? I had a look for the horsehead a few nights ago but didn't have much luck at the time (also I don't currently have any filters).

I'd recommend taking a look at this recent thread in the beginners talk forum:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=69148

and in particular at the post by Ausastronomer (John) which sums it up nicely.

Best,

Les D

Mars (Patrick) · #5 30-12-2010, 12:32 PM

Thanks ngcles. I've just been doing some reading on how difficult it can be to observe the horsehead even through larger scopes and darker skies so I guess I shouldn't be worried

Didn't realise it was such an actively discussed topic. Thanks for the link.

mozzie (Peter) · #6 30-12-2010, 02:36 PM

hi les
yes a type o.....h/beta.ive h/a on the brain with my new solarmax.
its been a target for many a times and conditions haven't been wright or cloud come in etc etc.. i did try many a time with my 12"lx90 and with h/b filter but never seem to see it i had thought id seen it but not like the 14".so im thinking extra aperture helps and maybe the acf optics.

I think one of yours may actually be the same as mine, I now have an 8" Skywatcher Flex Tube Dobsonian.
i had tried to see it with my naglers and h/beta filter in my dobbie but with no luck.....

alocky (Andrew lockwood) · #7 30-12-2010, 05:36 PM

As mentioned elsewhere, it's not the easiest object. I have seen it unfiltered in my 10" newt (confirmed by an observing companion), and had other nights where I could not see it even with the Hb in my 25". You need exceptionally dark skies with good transparency.
cheers,
Andrew.

Jeeps (Sam) · #8 30-12-2010, 06:39 PM

It still eludes me, i had a good night last night and the flame neb was as clear as ever but the horsehead was nowhere to be seen.

cheers

mozzie (Peter) · #9 30-12-2010, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeeps

It still eludes me, i had a good night last night and the flame neb was as clear as ever but the horsehead was nowhere to be seen.

cheers

hi sam
stay with it!!!!! are you using a h/beta filter???? i struggled with it even with 12" app

Kevnool (Kev) · #10 30-12-2010, 07:08 PM

It is a grand sight i have observed this with my 16" and the 10" with the Hb filter just remember all who are trying to have a crack at this just get Zeta Orionus out of the field and if you can see IC 434 then look averted if you must and it should be staring at you i use my 14mm meade 4000 eyepiece.

IC 434 usually can be seen under very dark skies.

Good luck to all, Go and join the elusive club.
Cheers Kev.

Jeeps (Sam) · #11 30-12-2010, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mozzie

hi sam
stay with it!!!!! are you using a h/beta filter???? i struggled with it even with 12" app

No filters, i'll have to get one!

cheers

Liz · #12 31-12-2010, 09:00 AM

Well done Peter!!!
Have tried a few times with no luck ... yet.

Kevnool (Kev) · #13 31-12-2010, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liz

Well done Peter!!!
Have tried a few times with no luck ... yet.

You will snag it Liz sooner than later.
Just keep staring in that darn eyepiece

.

Cheers Kev.

Liz · #14 31-12-2010, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevnool

Just keep staring in that darn eyepiece

.

What a dismal year for observing ... in many areas along east coast.
Yes, am sure will find it Kev, put it on my must do list for 2011, though no good observing up here until about March.

Your avatar is a very hard worker, diggerman.

mozzie (Peter) · #15 31-12-2010, 01:52 PM

hi liz
i was so stocked to finally see it,it has been quite a while more then 18 months not knowing what to look for.you see the photos and think that will be easy to see. a good catch!!!!!!!!!!

Kevnool (Kev) · #16 31-12-2010, 02:17 PM

Believe it or not a lot of people who look at this are expecting a horse head to come crashing into the eyepiece in which it dont.

You really have to look hard because it dont look like what you see in pictures

Proof of this has came when i have had the Horsy in the eyepiece and people still cant see it so i told them to move over to see if the scope had been bumped and bang its still there,So you may see it without even knowing it.

Good luck
Happy new year.
Cheers Kev.

pgc hunter · #17 31-12-2010, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mozzie

it was one of the clearest and stillest nights last night,the best it has been for months.with orion rising early and over the trees by 9.30pm i thought id have another crack at finding the horesehead using a h/a at 136x i new i was right on it but still not able to seat, i could see the edge of dark neb ic434 and was getting a little frustrated..went back to 102x placed the eye in the eyepiece and woohoo!!!!!! there it was easily visible with a nice outline nothing like the photos you see but i could easily make the shape.then going back to 136x i was able to see it but 102x was a better sight.chasing a few faint galaxies in dorado it was a fantastic night.getting tied and orion up nice and high now id went back to horsehead and was stocked to get an even better view very still skies and seeing was excellent id like to stack a uhc filter with h/a to get some more contrast.id been trying for a long to see it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done Peter! How good is it when you first see something regarded as a real challenge thru your own scope and eyes! Just out of curiosity, how dark are your skies?

I spotted it from my place in Berwick last night in a 12" using the 17mm LVW and H-beta filter. Fairly difficult, although IC434 itself was pretty straightforward, sighting the dark notch is somewhat harder. The contrast between the nebulosity and the background sky is incredibly low, akin to satin black paint against flat black paint. The HH itself is just a non-descript notch, but knowing it's that elusive and famous Horsehead is a real thrilll!

I remember a fantastic view from darker skies with an 18", you could see the actual horsehead shape.

mozzie (Peter) · #18 31-12-2010, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgc hunter

Well done Peter! How good is it when you first see something regarded as a real challenge thru your own scope and eyes! Just out of curiosity, how dark are your skies?

I spotted it from my place in Berwick last night in a 12" using the 17mm LVW and H-beta filter. Fairly difficult, although IC434 itself was pretty straightforward, sighting the dark notch is somewhat harder. The contrast between the nebulosity and the background sky is incredibly low, akin to satin black paint against flat black paint. The HH itself is just a non-descript notch, but knowing it's that elusive and famous Horsehead is a real thrilll!

I remember a fantastic view from darker skies with an 18", you could see the actual horsehead shape.

our skies are pretty good,im on acreage with no street lights surrounded by bush coffs harbour is 15ks away.its always a lot darker after midnight the cities seem to quietdown and the lights dim...

Liz · #19 01-01-2011, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevnool

Proof of this has came when i have had the Horsy in the eyepiece and people still cant see it so i told them to move over to see if the scope had been bumped and bang its still there,So you may see it without even knowing it.

.

Thats a great point Kev, many may have already found it but not recognized it. We need to look and look and really look at the area.

lesbehrens (Les) · #20 01-01-2011, 03:27 PM

hi. i too saw this last night.i had seen it before in my 16" dob and now with my new 12" dob i thought i would give it ago. it took me hrs to find it. i was looking in the wrong spot first before i realized the stars were wrong

.i was just a little out

. once i was in the right area it took me a while to notice/see it. it was there i just didn't notice it at first as it was very faint especially wit ht he h- beta filter on it was like walking around in the dark with out a light.. the best view was with my 20mm plossl with a H beta filter. without the filter i could see more stars but it was harder to see the neb. it was visible but harder to see.
i do recommend looking for the right stars first to help in finding its location. lol.
les