xrekcor's Visual Challange: How many stars do you see in the Helix neb
Ok I've been studying the Helix Neb over the last few nights. And I'm
interested to know how many stars you can see in the Helix neb,
foreground stars included. Also scope, ep's and powers used to make
your observations. Sketches _MUST_ accompany these observations, it
doesn't matter how crappy or basic or un-artistic you feel they are this
is not and artistic challange.
So far I have counted at least 12 with more than half of them fainter than
the central star. Which is estimated at a magnitude 13.4 and will post my
sketch over the next day or so.
Haven't actually counted. I have resketched the object from Leyburn recently so I will go back and refer to my notes. This one was done with my old catadioptric "barlow in the focuser" (i.e crap) 6" scope
I can see the helix from my mag 5.5 balcony in suburbia with the UHC filter. But detecting the faint stars might a bit much Have to try from a dark sky site...
After about four night observations of the Helix I started this sketch.
It's still not complete, as there are 3-4 stars to the north of the Central
star, actually to the NE and NW, unfortunately the seeing has been crap
over the last couple of nights for me to be able to complete it.
Anyways, 8" f/6 newt 10mm XW over two nights, waiting, observing, coffee, ciggerettes, JJJ
and I wish the damn scanner had an "astrosketch" setting.
Also the stars within the neb in my sketch are several mag's brighter than they
visually appear.
Ken, if you can locate 59-Upsilon Aquarii in your 30mm SV and pan slightly to the west, you should come across it, It is faint, a faint rather large dounut.
Oooop's sorry Andrew I had no idea, just been studying this object and wondered how other folks see it, compare notes sketches and such.
Louie, np's it's and amazing object, I will be interested to hear/read your thoughts too!
I can see the helix from my mag 5.5 balcony in suburbia with the UHC filter. But detecting the faint stars might a bit much Have to try from a dark sky site...
Darren
Hi darren,
you might actually have beter results with this whithout the filter. the filter will probably just blott the stars (which you are trying to see) out...
Nice sketch Rob! Now you will have to join the sketch club And yes David the filter does blot out the stars. I sketch the object with and without the filter to get the full picture....
Darren, do you have a Broadband filter. Helps to cut out the mercury & sodium vapour lights from your light polluted area a bit. The UHC may be a bit much. Won't hurt to try it tho! L.
I had another good observation of the Helixlast night, The more I observe N7293
the more I see being revealed. I think I found more stars to the north and SW of
the central star. They are getting to the limit of my scope and take some times
and waiting for moments of good seeing.
Another interesting star to oberverve at present, rising late in the east is Hind's
Crimson Star. It's a bit of a toughy to find this time around, so I'm wondering whether
it is a variable star.
ok finally had a go, but the conditions were really bad.
seeing: 3-4/10
transparency: 0-3/10 (high clouds were a problem)
I used a 15mm GOS SV. I tried a broadband filter but found that tho i could see the nebula better the stars went so i ditched said filter. I found the longer i looked the more i could see. the attached picture shows the more permanent stars, there were transient ones that popped up once or twice and because i only got fleeting glimses of them i didnt put them in.
ok finally had a go, but the conditions were really bad.
seeing: 3-4/10
transparency: 0-3/10 (high clouds were a problem)
I used a 15mm GOS SV. I tried a broadband filter but found that tho i could see the nebula better the stars went so i ditched said filter. I found the longer i looked the more i could see. the attached picture shows the more permanent stars, there were transient ones that popped up once or twice and because i only got fleeting glimses of them i didnt put them in.
Could you please indicate on your sketch north and East. looks to me north
is to the right. I place diffraction spikes on the stars I didn't pencil in.
You did very well though, the star to the NW of the central star is very hard to
detect here under dark skies when S 8/10 & T 8/10. Hopefully I'll have my sketch
completed in the next day or so, we have a bushfire to the west that has been
burning over the last few days.
Nice sketch Rob! Now you will have to join the sketch club And yes David the filter does blot out the stars. I sketch the object with and without the filter to get the full picture....
Darren
thanks mate!
Sketch club!! yeah right, it took alot of effort to get off my ass for this one
Actually I'm looking to do 47 Tuc shortly, I would imagine that's going to
take sometime to complete.
)
L.
