Crab nebula in the burbs?

toc (Tim) · #1 08-02-2010, 08:55 PM

For the last few nights I have been trying in vain to see M1 in my Celestron C8. I live in the northern burbs of Melbourne, but I was kind of expecting to see at least a very faint smudge

Im pretty sure Im in the right spot - the HEQ5pro seemed to be nailing other objects.

What sort of skies are needed for the crab?

timmo567 (Tim) · #2 08-02-2010, 09:48 PM

Thought I'd chime in since I've also had a few cracks at this with none of them being successful. I have quite dark skies at my place in north QLD (15 mins outside a small town). I'm a beginner but each time I tried a little bit harder and printed out exactly where it should be but never managed to see anything. This is with a 10-inch dob so I'd also like to know the secret assuming there is one

mental4astro (Alexander) · #3 08-02-2010, 10:52 PM

I've pinned the Crab from my home in central Sydney through an 8" dob without a filter.

It isn't a bright object, and it is small.

To find it, this is my star-hoping method, first use binoculars to find the necessary stars from urban areas:

First find Zeta Tauri, it lies just west of the tip of Orions 'club'. Immediately north of Zeta are two sixth magnitude stars (less than 1degree north). M1 lies in a staight line with these two sixth mag. stars, away from the 'club's' tip, almost the same distance that separates these two stars.

Use you lowest power to find it first through your scope, looking for a tiny disk of blueish smoke. If you think you've found it, you probably have. Verify with a med. power EP.

I use the Asahi 8.5 mag. charts which I down loaded via the Beginners forum stickies. The Crab is on chart number 56.

Good luck,

Mental.

goober (Doug) · #4 09-02-2010, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toc

For the last few nights I have been trying in vain to see M1 in my Celestron C8. I live in the northern burbs of Melbourne, but I was kind of expecting to see at least a very faint smudge

Im pretty sure Im in the right spot - the HEQ5pro seemed to be nailing other objects.

What sort of skies are needed for the crab?

I've tried many times to see the Crab from Oakleigh ... 8" dob, 12" dob, ETX 90, 4" refractor. Never seen it.

But... out of Melbourne under dark skies, you'd wonder how you missed it. So obvious....

Light pollution dongs this one. But... if you're in the northern suburbs, I'd have thought you would have a fighting chance.

PhilW · #5 09-02-2010, 02:54 PM

It is a low surface brightness object, and is also low down in the sky. I wouldn't bother looking for it unless you're under a good dark sky (like Heathcote or the Briars). When, as Doug says, it is suddenly there.

telecasterguru (Frank) · #6 09-02-2010, 03:46 PM

I have tried a couple of times with my 10" dob with no success. Time to have another go.

Frank

DavidU (Dave) · #7 09-02-2010, 04:51 PM

I have seen it in my 6" refractor under dark sky's.
I will try the 12" under suburban Melbourne sky's and see how I go.

Lismore Bloke (Paul) · #8 09-02-2010, 06:37 PM

I've seen it without difficulty from suburbia in the 12", although it's not exactly spectacular. I don't know if a UHC filter will improve it.

stephenb (Stephen) · #9 09-02-2010, 08:17 PM

25 years ago this was one of the first objects I looked at with a homemade 6" Newt from Sunbury and made out a small smudge, no problems. After 25 years of increased light pollution I struggle to see it from the same location with 8" Dob. Also after 25 years my trees have grown. Haven't tried it with the 16" yet as every opportunity I get there is either a Moon, or cloud, or work etc.

GrahamL · #10 09-02-2010, 09:15 PM

I guess it would be a difficult object near any of the big cities to the south any light pollution near the horizon would probably gobble it up as its not overly high up north. .. .. good luck

.
My 9x63 binos show it up easily and it looks fairly bright in the 12 "
Keep looking Tim , you will find this one soon enough.

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #11 09-02-2010, 09:25 PM

I can see it very easily from my backyard in Colac, lp is moderate here, but is worse to the south. Keep trying and wait for the best seeing!

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #12 09-02-2010, 09:38 PM

cant see it from home

easy from linden

toc (Tim) · #13 10-02-2010, 12:57 PM

Guess I will have to wait until easter when I get back to Huntly...(outer part of 'greater Bendigo' - has pretty dark skies)

mental4astro (Alexander) · #14 10-02-2010, 01:19 PM

I had a go last night from home. Couldn't see it this time. There was too much humidity and low cloud that made the back-ground sky glow too bright,

. Was also in the direction of the CBD, which doesn't help. Needs to be a little more easterly, too late now.

telecasterguru (Frank) · #15 10-02-2010, 02:55 PM

I had a go last night but no go. Too much light and too many trees.

Frank

stephenb (Stephen) · #16 10-02-2010, 05:13 PM

Tim, I used to observe in the middle of the Whipstick Forest years ago. Nice and isolated. Great spot.

mental4astro (Alexander) · #17 11-02-2010, 02:53 PM

If sky's clear tonight, I'll have another go with a Nebula Filter. I've got an 8" and a 10" at my disposal to have a go with,

.

ericc (Eric) · #18 11-02-2010, 06:34 PM

At home Maitland(in the burbs) with my 10"dob its a very very faint smudge--but at a dark site no worrys to view(although its still a very ordinary and fairly faint object)but maybe thats because I a newbie?

pgc hunter · #19 11-02-2010, 10:48 PM

I can vaguely remember observing M1 with my 10" dob from outer Melbourne, appeared as a faint oval glow.

Terry B · #20 11-02-2010, 11:33 PM

By way of comparison, I looked at it last night with our clubs 14"SCT under our pretty dark skies.
It was a bright glow with a hint of the whispy structure you get in images.
It half filled the field with a wide angle 32mm eyepiece.
Very nice.