Quote:

---

I have just read a post in one forum and a guy said that “we can not see any colour even with a giant scope”. But I doubt if it is true or not. Some veteran observers say that it is possible to see nebula colour through huge scopes, even small scopes. One guy claimed that the M42 that he saw was greenish.

But I feel confused at this moment. As a student who studying Biology, I have a concept that we can’t see things with colour.

Is there anyone kind enough to tell me the truth?

---

Well, some color is visible in certain objects, but it is generally more pastel than vivid. To me, using my 10 inch without a filter, M42 appears almost sky-blue with just a hint of greenish towards the "Hygenian" region around the Trapezium. With the UHC filter, much of the nebula is an almost lime-green color. With my "funny" Lumicon OIII (with the "red leak" passband), there are faint reds visible in certain portions away from the brighter core region, although much of the nebula remains a bluish-green color. My old Lumicon H-Beta filter will also make portions of M42 appear reddish in color, although the nebula looks smaller than in any other filter. The only other deep-sky objects which I have seen red color in using only my 10 inch Newtonian are M8, IC 418 (the "Pink" planetary), and Campbell's Hydrogen star. Most of the brighter planetary nebulae have that bright bluish-green "planetary" color. Clear skies to you.

--------------------
David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info

Post Extras