rodelaet
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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The Veil Nebula in Cygnus can be a tricky object to observe, especially without an OIII filter.
This supernova remnant is a delicate complex of faint light that encompasses a 3° field. Starting point for this observation is Epsilon Cygni. From there, go 3° south to find 52 Cygni. A small pair of binoculars can show both Epsilon and 52 Cygni in the same field of view.
Now try to move both stars near the western border of the field in order to see the brightest part of the Veil (NGC 6992-6992) in the middle of the eyepieces. I had to use averted vision and a lot of patience to reveal that part of the nebula. The other section, NGC 6960, behind 52 Cygni was not visible at all. I believe that the bright 52 Cygni outshines the weak glow of that part of the Veil. I did have the impression that Simeis 229 or Pickering’s Triangular Wisp could be noted as a tenuous brightening of the sky. Or is it maybe the combined light of an unresolved group of stars at that spot? Detecting the Veil Complex is an interesting exercise, which I should repeat later on the year under darker skies. I do strongly recommend the use of a mount to go after the Veil Nebula. The steady view will allow your eyes to study the star field in greater detail.
Site : Bütgenbach, Belgium
Date : July 1, 2008
Time : around 23.15 UT
Binoculars : Bresser 8x56
FOV: 5.9°
Filter : none
Mount : Trico Machine Sky Window
Seeing : 3,5/5
Transp. : 4/5
Nelm : around 5.8
Sketch Orientation : N up, W right.
Digital sketch made with Photo Paint, based on a raw pencil sketch.
(Note: if the sketch does look too dark on your monitor, try to darken the room.)
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Rony
My Astronomy Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
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GlennLeDrew
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/18/08
Posts: 624
Loc: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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As usual, a very nice "simulation" of what to expect to see.
When my nelm is fainter than ~6.2, NGC6992-5 (the eastern half) is fairly easy in 7x35s. NGC6960 is barely there, but a 10x50 makes easier work of it. Pickering's Wisp for me requires an 80mm bino.
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Home-made 11X50 right angle bino, 8.1 deg. FOV
Modified 26X100 bino, 3.5 deg. FOV
Mediocre minds discuss people. Good minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.
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frank5817
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/13/06
Posts: 3041
Loc: Illinois
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Rony,
Very impressive what you can pull out with that binocular mount of yours. Well written description of what can be seen in the Veil Nebula.   
Frank 
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rodelaet
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Glenn and Frank, thanks for the kind words!
Frank, yes: that mirror mount works like magic! Besides, observing with both eyes is much, much easier to do.
Glenn, thanks for sharing your experiences. I did observe the same objects before with a 100mm scope under a 5.5 mag sky, and I did not see Pickering's. So it's probably starglow in the 8x56 at that spot.
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Rony
My Astronomy Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
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CarlosEH
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/19/05
Posts: 3115
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Rony,
Another outstanding observation of a difficult, but interesting object. The Veil Nebula (NGC 6960/6962/6979/6992/6995) is very difficult, as you point out, to observe unless using an oxygen III (OIII) filter and under dark skies. The fact that you have recorded it as such is a testament to your observing skill. I look forward to your future observations.
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_Loop
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/archive/aug1/NGC_6960.html
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2007/30/image/a/
Carlos
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rodelaet
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Carlos,
Thank you!!
The links that you included are much appreciated also.
I do believe that the mirror mount plays a major role when trying to go deep. The relaxed viewing position combined with the steady view allows the eye to get the best of a simple pair of bino's.
As we are just getting past the new moon, I look forward to your observations. Maybe some nice conjunctions are coming your way?
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Rony
My Astronomy Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
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rolandlinda3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 1622
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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Very nice catch Rony. Without the "window" it would be very hard. You are certainly optimizing its use for sketching since it permits wonderful and relaxed concentration on an area of the sky. Roland
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rodelaet
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Thank you, Roland.
With only 25 'Sky Window' observations in the pocket, it's odd to think of the years that I observed with one eye only.  The idea of observing with a binocular telescope in the future can't be chased out of my mind. 
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Rony
My Astronomy Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
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rolandlinda3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 1622
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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You might consider a binoviewer for a scope as an alternative. I have a Denk but have never tried to sketch with it. Many use it on relatively small scopes and have compared it to binocular use. I will try it on a smaller scope, now thast you have me thinking about it, and let you know what my experience is.
Clear skies.
Roland
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Jeff Young
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/04/05
Posts: 3169
Loc: Ireland
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Rony --
Superbly subtle sketch! Well done indeed.
-- Jeff.
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Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-100 / AP1200GTO Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO
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rodelaet
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Roland,
I'm a little worried about reaching focus with a Denk on a fast scope. Chances are that you need a barlow, and loose some true field of view. I might also have to consider a better mount to support the extra weight of the Denk and EP's. Which results in a budget equal of a nice Oberwerk binocular telescope.
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Rony
My Astronomy Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
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rodelaet
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Hey Jeff,
Thank you very much for the kind words!
Wish you lots of clear skies there in Ireland. 
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Rony
My Astronomy Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
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rolandlinda3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 1622
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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Yep, you are right about these things. I experimented with the Denks on the SV102ED (placed on an LXD75 mount). It works by putting one part of the optical correction system before the diagonal. The results were nice, but the magnification is still a little high for real wide field views (little less than 30x). Light gathering for each eye is about the same as a set of 70mm binoculars. The Denks work better on a C8 or our 12.5 Dob. We would use the Denks more for sketching but it eliminates doing things together and demands a lot of standing/sitting that is pushing limits for us.
By the way, do you have any suggestions for other candidate binoculars other than the one you use? I see the need for wider field/lower magnification than the Fujis that we have.
Roland
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rodelaet
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 2655
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Roland,
Sorry that I can't suggest any bino's to you. But you should have found the answers already in the bino forum.
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Rony
My Astronomy Sketches
My Binocular Sketches
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rolandlinda3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 1622
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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They have been helpful. I have some candidates to try if I can find them in the DC area. RB
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