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(IAAC) IC289, NGC 2392, M97 (Planetary nebulae) - 20" Dobsonian.
Observer:N.J.Martin
Your skill:intermediate
Date and UT of observation:1-3 December 1997 00.00-03.00 UT
Location & latitude:near Ayr South West Scotland lat 55 24'56"
Site classification:bright rural
Limiting magnitude (visual):6 (zenith)
Seeing (1 to 5 - best to worst):2-3
Moon up (phase?):No
Instrument:20" f4.4 Dobsonian
Magnification:X150, X250
Filters used:None, OIII, UHC
Objects: IC289, NGC 2392, M97.
Category: planetary nebulae
Description:Object: IC289
Category: planetary nebula
Constellation: Cassiopeia
Object data:mag 13.2 , 42"
RA/DE: RA 03 10.3' Dec 61 19'
Description:A nice, faint round planet like planetary nebula. The uniform
oval disc shows some irregularity in brightness but is not obviously
brighter at the edge. No central star was noted. Best seen with an OIII or
UHC filter.I did not observe it with a prism.
Object:NGC 2392 Eskimo nebula
Category: planetary nebula
Constellation:Gemini
Object data:mag 9.1 47"
RA/DE: RA7 29.2' Dec 20 55'
Description: A bright and spectacular planetary nebula. With no filter the
central star is very obvious in the oval nebula with its conspicuous
brightness difference between the inner and outer parts of the nebula, the
eskimo's face in the parka. Through a prism a sharp image of the nebula in
the green OIII line is superimposed on the continuous spectrum of the
central star.
Using the UHC filter the bright disc of the nebula shows a strong contrast
between the inner and the narrower outer section and with the surrounding
dark sky. The brighter inner oval seemed quite uniform, no sign of the
eskimo's face despite looking for it. It has a definite lilac tinge in the
UHC filter. The central star was not visible through the UHC or OIII filter.
With these filters the annular appearance described in the Webb Society's
Deep Sky Observer's Handbook Vol 2 was not observed. The unfiltered
appearance at high power was not recorded.
Objects: M97.
Category: planetary nebula
Constellation:Ursa Major
Object data:mag 11.4 size 202"
Description With no filter the nebula was a large pale disc filling about
1/4 of the field of a 15 mm Plossl. The 'eyes' were not very obvious. Using
a 9mm eyepiece with an OIII filter the nebula was clearly non uniform, dark
features were clearly visible but at first glance the nebula had a more
foamy than owl like look. With study the cirular nature of the two central
dark patches and a third near the edge, became apparent. The Owl is a a
fascinating and rewardlng object.
Regrettably since these were found using digital setting circles there is no
finder information for these objects.
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| nmartin@bonnyton.u-net.com |
|"There are more things in heaven and earth ... than are dreamt of in your
philosophy" (Hamlet, Act 1, Sc. 5) |
Bonnyton House, Ayrshire,Scotland, UK. lat 55 24'56" N long 4 26' 00" W
Altitude 150 m.
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