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Cosmic Challenge: M1, the Crab Nebula

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#26 Special Ed

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Posted 31 January 2025 - 10:34 AM

Getting back to Phil's challenge, it took me 3 tries using my 12x36 IS binoculars before I was finally successful Tuesday night.  It was clear and transparent but very windy which affected the seeing.

 

I had to wait 15 or 20 minutes to get dark adapted, so one of the objects I would look at to pass the time was the Orion Nebula--fascinating as always.  I also looked at M35. (I would not look at Jupiter--that would have killed my night vision, lol). 

 

There is a mag 8.7 star near the Crab that Sasa mentioned that I was having trouble detecting, probably because of the poor seeing.  My 12x36's are usually good down to about mag 10.  M1 is mag 8.4 and it is an extended object so that magnitude number is deceptive. 

 

Finally, last night after my eyes adjusted I was able to see the 8.7 star pop in and out with direct vision.  I could hold it even better with averted vision.  When I moved over to M1, I could see it *just* at the threshold of visibility with direct vision--and better with averted vision.  Challenge met--thanks, Phil!

 

Because I was out right after the end of astronomical twilight (around 7 PM local), the satellite traffic overhead was busy--about one every minute going through my FOV.


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#27 zizzapnia

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Posted 03 February 2025 - 06:13 PM

Thanks Phil!

 

I was able to see M1 with my Meade 10x56 MasterClass Pro ED binocular on Feb. 1, a Bortle 5-6 night with M1 about 70 degrees up but with a 3 day old crescent Moon up about 10 degrees in the west. Transparency was about 7/10. M1 was just a faint spot in averted vision.

 

Switching to my Garrett Optical Signature 15x70s (same as Oberwerk Ultra) I got the same impression only a bit easier to see. I couldn't make out an elongation with either binocular. With both I was using my Bino Body Mount lying in a zero g recliner.


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#28 Rasputin2012

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Posted 04 February 2025 - 10:29 AM

https://astrob.in/ji2aup/0/

 

This is a link to an afocal image that I took this past Sunday using an iPhone 15 Pro attached to a Televue 27 mm Panoptic eyepiece by a Turing smartphone adapter.  Shot with NightCap in long-exposure mode (average of 30, 1-sec exposures; ISO 50000) and post-processed in Lightroom.  The telescope that I used is a Meade LXD 75 8 in SCT.  



#29 Dave Mitsky

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Posted 10 February 2025 - 03:28 PM

El Nath, Elnath or β Tauri and M1 are close to the galactic anticenter.

 

https://stardate.org...st/2024-02-07-2

https://earthsky.org...star/?offset=-2

https://freestarcharts.com/messier-1

Attached Thumbnails

  • El Nath Galactic Anticenter.jpg
  • M1 Finder Chart.png



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