Ultralightbackpacker posted:

Okay, viewing in So-Cal around 10pm or 11pm. I think I was around
Pupis but could be way off, I was very tired. Anyway looking at a
open cluster that I spotted with naked eyes (Faint fuzzy seeing about
6+), view binocs looked pretty sharp. Put the 8" SCT on her, and I
could see an VERY tight open cluster with a planetary nebula in it, it
didn't look like diffuse nebula but I am no expert. Anybody know what
object this is?

The cluster is M46, which is rich (probably around 100 members or so), but I
might not exactly call it "very tight", as it is about half a degree across
(unless you were viewing it at a very low power). The planetary nebula is NGC
2438, and looks like a smaller and fainter version of the Ring Nebula in Lyra.
The planetary may seem to have a central star, but in fact, that star is one
of the cluster members, as the actual central star is magnitude 17.7. The
planetary nebula itself is located between us and the star cluster. The
bright open cluster M47 is located only about 1.3 degrees east and a bit north
of M46, and is also worth a look. Another bright planetary in the area is NGC
2440, located about 3.4 degrees straight south of M46, and it is also worht a
look. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

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