Eagle Nebula visually

[BC]

I have a question regarding the Eagle Nebula. I don't seem to be able to view any nebulosity at all. Other nebula are nicely visible but the Eage shows only stars. The star positions look close enough to the photos I see to make me think I'm looking at the right place. Is this normal and do I need a UHC filter to see it?

Thanks
Bruce

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

I was looking at the Eagle a couple of nights ago, from the 'burbs of Melbourne, and it was pretty disappointing. Just stars, even with a UHC filter. Maybe with more than 8" you might get something...or shoot the neighbours lights out? The Swan is easy, even without a filter. Maybe you will have to get into astrophotography earlier than you thought.

[BC]

Yes, on a good night I have seen structure within the clouds of the Swan. I have a reasonably dark site and the 10" dob, which is why I wondered about the Eagle. As you say, a$trophoto$ might be the way. I've been keen on tracking for some time now. I've had enough of pushing things into view constantly.

[stringscope (Ian)]

Hi BC,

I have found using an 8" F6 witha UHC filter on a clear dark night, using averted vision, I can only see a hint of the pillars ....... I think. My 18yo son can just see them with averted vision. Much better through a 20".

Cheers,

[glenc (Glen)]

The Eagle nebula is easy to see through an 8" without a filter from a dark site.
A UHC should show it even with some skyglow, but don't expect to see the pillars.

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

I have only seen a bit of nebulousity in my 12" from dark skies, but have never seen any structure or shape to it.

[BC]

Thanks folks for your perspectives. I suspect I'm looking in the right place but this one just doesn't leap out and bite you.

Bruce

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

The cluster stands out clearly in the finder (near the Swan in the opp direction from the Teapot).

I was looking at the Eagle Neb last night from reasonably dark skies through the 12", with various EPs, filtered and not. This time I could see structure and shape to the nebula (overall shape recognisable), and darkening near the centre where the eagle is supposed to be. But the eagle itself was beyond direct observation. Maybe in a 20" scope...

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

Well oddly enough, this question of the pillars came up at the last AAQ meeting, and I had to admit never really looking for them.

So tonight, I wheeled out the 20" especially and here's my report (drum roll ...)

The transparency tonight was so-so (but the central star in m27 was clearly visible at mag 14) from a semi-dark home site 20km from Brizzie CBD. Humidity was outrageous after a wet week, but for once the seeing was superb - an easy 8/9.

Turning to M16 - with a 35mm Panoptic (73x) the broad nebulosty of the eagle was barely visible against the starry background - the view was improved slightly with a 17mm Nagler (149x). Things improved dramatically with an OIII filter, where the shape of the eagle was now more distinct and the "ghost" of the pillars was visible directly and beginning to show some definition with averted vision. No great improvement was found at 300x. The whole experience was visually quite ordinary - a bit like the Horsehead nebula - something better enjoyed in print!

With a dark site I recon that the pillars would be fairly (but not dramatically)distinct in the 20" - but I shall have to wait untill my next venture out west for that.

[in contrast - The Swan nebula was a bright knotted mass of fluffy gas clouds showing fabulous detail at 300x in OIII - but that's another story ...]

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

We tried it last night through our 12" SCT and were wondering if the GOTO was working properly. We saw nothing but stars, no nebulosity, and it was a pretty dark location.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Was observing last night and had a look for it myself under fairly dark sky and so-so transparancy .

In both my 10" and Julians 18" the nebula was easily enough seen but I couldnt see the pillars in either.

[CoombellKid]

The Eagle Neb is an easy target with my 8" and dark skies of my backyard.
The view is slightly better with an UHC filter. Pillars I get a faint hint on a
good night, if your lucky. But mostly it just alot of mottled nebulosity.

I cant be too hard, it is a messier object. But then again I've never had
the chance to observe in light poluted skies. Camp Duckadang has more
light polution than I : )

regards,CS

Rob

[mickoking]

After looking at the Swan neb, the Eagle is a bit dissapointing. A 200mm in moderately light polluted skies will show some faint nebulosity.

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

Originally Posted by CoombellKid

But then again I've never had
the chance to observe in light poluted skies. Camp Duckadang has more
light polution than I : )

Show off

[dhumpie]

I find low power and a nebular filter essential for seeing nebulosity in the Eagle from suburbia if that helps....

Darren

[ving (David)]

i was observing the eagle from linden on saturday night. the transparence was very poor and light pollution seemed higher than the previous visit there, yet i could make out the shape of the nebula easy enough even tho it was very faint. on my previous trip to this site i made it out very easy... no pillars tho.

this was in my 8" f6 reflector with a 15mm GSO SV EP (gotta love these acronyms hey).

keep trying BC, its doable in your 10"er

[astro_nutt]

I tried looking for the Eagle a last Friday outside the Kalkallo Cemetery just North of Melbourne..Then skyglow wasn't too bad..I had 10" dob with a Bintel 15mm superview coupled with an Astronomik UHC-E filter..I could make out some nebulae structure..maybe a hint if the pillars?...but mot much else..a darker site next time me thinks!!!

[GrahamL]

I see the nebula easy enough , under half dark skys but its pretty faint
no pillars.

[tnott]

In my 16" dob I found that an OIII filter made a big difference even over a UHC one when viewing this object.