16 replies to this topic

[Second Time Around]

I've had my OVNI night vision for over 6 months now but poor health has meant little observing.

However, I managed almost an hour tonight on the first really transparent moonless night since Xmas.

I used my 10 inch f/4.8 Dob at prime focus, both with and without a 7nm filter from my Bortle 4 sky.

With Orion high in the south it was a natural target.

Oh, my God! What a feast! M42 was spectacular. It was huge - so much bigger than I was used to!

I then spent the rest of the session just sweeping the area. Almost everywhere I looked there was nebulosity!

I carried on longer than I should have, but it was well worth it. Now I want more!

[Mazerski]

Now try M42 with 642IR (if you own it)... less nebulosity than with Ha (but still a lot) but with many more stars and it looks wicked.

[Second Time Around]

Now try M42 with 642IR (if you own it)... less nebulosity than with Ha (but still a lot) but with many more stars and it looks wicked.

 

I've come back down to earth now!  I'm going to have to take a look at my Bracken atlas to identify the various nebulae - it was disorientating with night vision as I've only ever used glass on that area.

 

The only other filter I have at the moment is an Optolong L-eNhance.  I'll certainly give it a go.

 

What filters would you guys recommend in Bortle 4?

[bobhen]

There are very few images that I find to be more immersive or impressive than the visual view of M42 with an intensifier.

 

Yes the nebula extends farther than expected and even the extended wisps are folded and cloud-like. But, for me, the real show is the core of the nebula. With its overlapping bright and dark nebula, words just cannot describe the 3-D like structure of the core.

 

With the intensifier, the core is so bright that it takes power well and the more magnification and image scale employed the more you become immersed in this caldron of star formation; next time try using a 2x Barlow with your 10" Dobsonian.

 

HERE is a link to an image of the core of M42, Roland Christen with his 10” Maksutov took the image. The image is close to the detail seen visually with my Mewlon 210 or C8. The image is sharper due to post but lacks the 3-D quality seen visually. 

 

Notice the 3 vertical bright stars at the bottom slightly to the right of center. Just above the top star is what appears to be a proto-star exiting the nebula “wall” leaving a trail behind it. That feature is seen with the intensifier and C8 and from my extremely light polluted, Bortle 8 location to boot.

 

Bob

[ButterFly]

I use a 15" under Bortle 5 skies at home.  You can throw lots of power at the Orion Nebula.  The 642 longpass is very nice for that.  It does great for dust in nebulae and galaxies.  Galaxy season is on us and there are quite a few dust lanes that work very well.

 

I was enjoying M46 with the 67PP today and 2438 was clear as day unfiltered.  The central star was apparent, but very close to the ring.  The 642 cleared that right up and the asymmetry was very apparent, at under 30x.  The 6nm h-alpha was too strong to do the pair justice.

 

Forgot to note: if you have visual uhc filters, OIII, or H-beta, try them as well.  They may have h-alpha passes, but more likely, IR long passes.  If it works, it works.

Edited by ButterFly, 07 March 2021 - 07:36 AM.

[Second Time Around]

There are very few images that I find to be more immersive or impressive than the visual view of M42 with an intensifier.

 

Yes the nebula extends farther than expected and even the extended wisps are folded and cloud-like. But, for me, the real show is the core of the nebula. With its overlapping bright and dark nebula, words just cannot describe the 3-D like structure of the core.

 

With the intensifier, the core is so bright that it takes power well and the more magnification and image scale employed the more you become immersed in this caldron of star formation; next time try using a 2x Barlow with your 10" Dobsonian.

 

HERE is a link to an image of the core of M42, Roland Christen with his 10” Maksutov took the image. The image is close to the detail seen visually with my Mewlon 210 or C8. The image is sharper due to post but lacks the 3-D quality seen visually. 

 

Notice the 3 vertical bright stars at the bottom slightly to the right of center. Just above the top star is what appears to be a proto-star exiting the nebula “wall” leaving a trail behind it. That feature is seen with the intensifier and C8 and from my extremely light polluted, Bortle 8 location to boot.

 

Bob

That's some photo.  I'll look out for the protostar next time - thanks.

[Second Time Around]

I use a 15" under Bortle 5 skies at home.  You can throw lots of power at the Orion Nebula.  The 642 longpass is very nice for that.  It does great for dust in nebulae and galaxies.  Galaxy season is on us and there are quite a few dust lanes that work very well.

 

I was enjoying M46 with the 67PP today and 2438 was clear as day unfiltered.  The central star was apparent, but very close to the ring.  The 642 cleared that right up and the asymmetry was very apparent, at under 30x.  The 6nm h-alpha was too strong to do the pair justice.

 

Forgot to note: if you have visual uhc filters, OIII, or H-beta, try them as well.  They may have h-alpha passes, but more likely, IR long passes.  If it works, it works.

 Thanks.  Yes, I've got both OIII and H-beta.  I'll give them a try.

[Mazerski]

As for other types of filters... a poster with the name of Vondragonnoggin had compiled a table of many filter types and how they performed with NV. I don’t have the thread handy but from what I recall, most or all did not perform well except for IR and Ha. 
 

Try a search or maybe someone with the table handy can post it. 

[Second Time Around]

As for other types of filters... a poster with the name of Vondragonnoggin had compiled a table of many filter types and how they performed with NV. I don’t have the thread handy but from what I recall, most or all did not perform well except for IR and Ha. 
 

Try a search or maybe someone with the table handy can post it. 

Many thanks.  I'll have a look tomorrow.

[hoof]

M42 is still my best and most awesome experience with NV I’ve had, and that’s amongst company like detailed horsehead and flame nebula viewing, seeing the bubble in the bubble nebula, seeing the monkey head nebula and having it actually look like a monkey head, exploring the gamma cygnus region, etc.

I’ve been a bit bummed this winter because literally the whole time Orion has been visible from my place there have been clouds or transparency issues. Oh well maybe next winter.

[Jim4321]

Looking at M42 thru my Mod 3 with a 7nm H-a filter and the C9.25, I sometimes almost expect to see movement in the gases...

 

Jim H.

[pwang99]

Under dark skies, do 1x or 3x with H-a to look at the entire sweep of Barnard’s Loop. The Angelfish around Meissa is very subtle but can be seen with NV under dark skies.

Also under dark skies, the Rosette has lovely dark nebulae running through it, and the contrast really pops under Bortle 2 or better.

Of course M42 is stunning, but don’t ignore M43. Under dark skies, you can use less aggressive filtering, and see a lot of subtle structure in it.

The Jellyfish in Gemini is also a very lovely sight in NV. It doesn’t require really dark skies, I think suburban skies will suffice. (I can’t see it from downtown Austin)

[ButterFly]

Jellyfish (IC 443) is gorgeous from Bortle 5.  It's clearly connected to IC 444 and friends in 6nm H-alpha.  The central donut hole is filled with that surrounding nebulosity and is brighter than general sky background.  There is a very unusual void around HD 43385 and another nearby double that only appeared with the h-alpha filter (edit: vs. the 642).

 

The sharp wall on the other side of Propus is very bright and should pierce through lots of light pollution.  The details on the Propus side are low contrast, faint, and right next to Propus.  That is a target I hope to catch under much darker skies, but the weather has been uncooperative for months.

Edited by ButterFly, 18 March 2021 - 07:49 PM.

[a__l]

Medusa (Abell 21, 16m) looks more interesting as opposed to IC 443 (11m). At least in terms of NV capabilities.

Edited by a__l, 18 March 2021 - 10:41 PM.

[ButterFly]

Medusa (Abell 21, 16m) looks more interesting as opposed to IC 443 (11m). At least in terms of NV capabilities.

Very nice stripes on that at 6nm.  The 642 gives me barely anything with that, not much different than the 30-40nm wide band of the Baader UHC-S.  12nm is not enough in my backyard.  It's a huge planetary where h-alpha is very helpful for me.

[a__l]

Abell 21 or IC443? Both Medusa (Jellyfish).

First opening ~ 1955 second 1892.

Edited by a__l, 19 March 2021 - 12:22 AM.

[Second Time Around]

Many thanks for all the suggestions, guys.