Touring the NGC7000 North America Nebula and around through Binoculars

[j.gardavsky]

Hello friends of binocular astronomy,

the visibility of the NGC7000 North America Nebula is one of the frequently asked questions. In fact the star cloud below 63Cygni is easy to see with naked eyes on clear nights, and skilled observers have reported having seen the NGC7000 under the mountain night sky with unaided eyes.

The North America Nebula is the brightest emission nebula among the large nebulas in the northern hemisphere. It is also that sort of nebula, where the narrow-band OIII filters make the great show. I have enjoyed an amazing view with as small as 10.5x70 equipped with the Baader 8.5nm OIII filters. A mid-sized binocular, like the 15x85, adds some brightness variation.

The North America Nebula is separated from the Pelican Nebula by the Lynd's dark nebula LDN935, cutting the Golf of Mexico into the NGC7000. The LDN935 is centred on the "Little Orion Asterism".

The brightest part of the Pelican Nebula is the nicknamed the "Pelican's Head" IC5067, located between 56Cygni and 57Cygni. The "Pelican's Body" IC5070 is challenging to observe, I get here just a smudge. A bit brighter is the "Southern Arc" IC5068, below the North America and Pelican Nebulas. The Pelican and the "Southern Arc" require dark clear skies, the nebular filters do not help much on these nebulas.

The visibility of the North America Nebula is particularly enhanced by the surrounding dark nebulas. The most prominent dark nebulas are the "Dark Cross" LDN935 at west, and the Barnard's nebulas B352 and B356 at north.

Before leaving the North America Nebula - Pelican Complex, do not forget to fix the small open cluster NGC6997 in a rich star field. This cluster is challenging through 15x85, but easy through 25x100.

Below Xi Cygni, the planetary nebula the Magic Carpet NGC7027 reveals its colour contrast in binoculars. Blinking with the OIII filter against the blue-violet filter helps to fix this bright planetary nebula.

The Sharpless nebula Sh2-119, east of 68Cygni, is one of the brightest large Sharpless nebulas, not included in the NGC and IC catalogues. It shows an extended smudge in the 15x85, and it is also visible in smaller binoculars with large exit pupils.

On the way to Rho Cygni, the dark nebula B155 makes a nearly vertical dark streak.

The open clusters NGC7082 and M39 complete this tour.

The photographical star map has been derived from the astrophoto:
Your favourite image of the 2010

Wishing you clear skies

JG

[pluton]

Hello,
I guess it is easier to observe this nebula from dark skies and big eyes .. but you could compare the image of 15X and 25X NA, with what results?

[pluton]

It would be easier to see the nebula NA with more visual field that with higher magnification?

[JuanM]

JG,

Thanks for your touring reports. They are very good !

I'm still waiting for clouds to clear away and to replicate one of your proposed tours at least partially to the best of my limited skills with binoculars

Clear skies

[j.gardavsky]

Hello Pluton, hello Juan,

I have had a very good viewing on the NA with 8x40 wide field Olympus, many years ago, under clear dark skies. Even if faint, the NA nebula matched nicely with the surrounding star clouds and dark regions.

The best viewings at the NA nebula I have ever had, have been with 10.5x70 and 15x85, equipped with the narrow-band (8.5nm) OIII filters. In the both cases, the large NA nebula must be scanned across the field of view of these binoculars. Anyway, viewing the NA nebula this way is amazing, something you'll never forget.

Wishing you excellent observing sessions

JG

[mzu]

That is a very nice tour guide. Thanks for posting the info.

Clear skies,
Michael