ASTRO: McNeil's Nebula is BACK!

After dawn had set in this morning, for the heck of it, I took a shot of
that area just in case it has made a miraculous reappearance. I about
fell off my chair when there it was, as if it had never vanished over 3
years ago! I'd heard rumors it was back but no images to back that up.

Unfortunately, dawn was already well underway, clouds were screwing
things up and the forecast was for worse weather through full moon when
the moon would be a real problem most of the rest of the cycle. So I
grabbed a second 5 minute lum shot and three very noise 1 minute color
frames. You don't want to know what the blue one looked like with the
sky quite bright through high rather even clouds. This is a very poor
image but will have to do until the moon is out of the way and weather
improves. I hope it is still there then!

Still, I managed this shot of it. Those of you with better skies the
next few days might want to plan an early morning session.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=2x5' RGB=1x1', all binned 3x3, STL-11000XM,
Paramount ME

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

love the color on this Rick!

Rick Johnson wrote:

--
John N. Gretchen III
http://www.tisd.net/~jng3

Actually the color is weak and super noisy with only a single 1 minute
for each color exposure and a very blue dawn sky adding a strong blue
cast I tried to remove. Far better is the photo of the area taken last
year when the nebula and star was invisible.

http://www.spacebanter.com/attachmen...ntid=685&stc=1

Rick


John N. Gretchen III wrote:

Thanks for the update Rick.
This might be the incentive I need to take a "serious" go at M78. I hope
Jay's nebula is still there in winter as I will be busy with galaxies in
autumn.

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" <wa0cky@fake.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:48c59190$0$21287$ec3e2dad@unlimited.usenetmon ster.com...

[Stephen Waldee]

I believe I've *possibly* acquired a visual sighting of the nebula, in the Santa Cruz mountain range south of San Jose at 3,400 feet elevation, between 11pm and 12 midnight, 19/20 December 2008, using my 10" f/4.7 Dobsonian reflector telescope. I am analyzing the drawing that I've made, and will compare it to Rick's photograph. SOMETHING was perceived around the area of the nebula; it could have been seen, or there are certainly some other possibilities I've not eliminated yet: (a) it might have been part of the 'texture' of an outlying region of LDN 1621, which encompasses M-78; (b) maybe it was the 'average' of a couple of very faint stars near the nebula: not plotted by the GSC, and which I'll have to look up using Aladin with the USNO database to try to determine magnitude ratings; or (c) it was merely a suggestive imaginary illusion.

I shall scan my drawing and make comparisons with Rick's picture and the DSS images (to see how much 'fluff' is visible in the area) and post them on my astro-blog. This may take me one or two days to do; I made the observation about twelve hours ago and am a little tired at the moment!

I am not yet allowed to post the URL for my blog. So you may look up with Google the following phrase: Faint Fuzzies blog Waldee

As of this moment (11:38 am Saturday 20 Dec 2008) I haven't begun the comparison and checking.

Steve Waldee,
San Jose, CA.

[Stephen Waldee]

Originally Posted by Stephen Waldee

I believe I've *possibly* acquired a visual sighting of the nebula, in the Santa Cruz mountain range south of San Jose at 3,400 feet elevation, between 11pm and 12 midnight, 19/20 December 2008, using my 10" f/4.7 Dobsonian reflector telescope. ...
I am not yet allowed to post the URL for my blog. So you may look up with Google the following phrase: Faint Fuzzies blog Waldee

Steve Waldee,
San Jose, CA.

I have just done the barest preliminary work to check my drawings, and so far I see no reason not to make a tentative publication of them -- though I insist that this is only PROVISIONAL! (I could be wrong, and would then have to recant.)

Throwing caution to the winds, I posted the sketches and my report in my Faint-Fuzzies blog. Until I make at least five posts here I am not allowed to cite the URL; so if you do the search with Google via the terms suggested above, that engine should bring up the URL to the latest blog post. If I happen to do a subsequent one that changes the topic, you may find the article(s) about McNeil's nebula in the "DESCRIPTIVE MENU" listed in the right hand side.

Steve Waldee (fingers crossed!)
San Jose, CA.

[star drop]

Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forum.

[admin]

Hi Stephen welcome to the forums
we would love to see your sketches and pictures

[Stephen Waldee]

Originally Posted by admin

Hi Stephen welcome to the forums
we would love to see your sketches and pictures

Thanks to Stardrp[ and the admin for your greetings.

I have done a lot more on my article, with assistance and research provided in part by Sue French (of SKY & TELESCOPE magazine); let's see if I am now allowed by your web editor to post the URL:

nope...that attempt did not work.

Best,
Steve Waldee

[Stephen Waldee]

Originally Posted by admin

Hi Stephen welcome to the forums
we would love to see your sketches and pictures

Thanks to Stardrop and the admin for your greetings.

I have done a lot more on my article, with assistance and research provided in part by Sue French (of SKY & TELESCOPE magazine); let's see if I am now allowed by your web editor to post the URL:

NO...still not allowed. I guess I give up.

Best,
Steve Waldee