Name this object

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?

ultralightbackpacker wrote:
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?

Good eye! That sounds like it must be M46, with planetary nebula NGC
2438 floating in the northern part of it. I seem to recall that more
recent studies suggest that NGC 2438 is a foreground object.

And yes, M46 is in Puppis, just across the border from both Monoceros
and Canis Minor.

Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.txt

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/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
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wrote:

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?

What a coincidence - just saw M46 yesterday for first time...
Looks nice, doesn't it? :-)

- Alex

wrote in message
...
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?

Congratulations on seeing the ring. I observed M46 several times without
ever seeing it till somebody said to me, "Did you know there's a planetary
in M46?" I guess sometimes we (I have a mouse in my pocket) only see what we
are looking for.

Thanks gentlemen,

What a real treat that was! Sometimes you never know what you'll find
out there. This is the type of goodiy that keeps me inspired.

ultralightbackpacker

M46 is a nice one, one of my favorites of the winter sky light pollution seems
to affect it more than some others.

About 1.3 degrees to the west is M47, another fine open cluster, the stars are
brighter but those tiny pin points of M46. Scan the region around m47 as there
are some interesting targets.

Another nice cluster, fainter than M46 but similar is NGC2360, its about 1/3
the way between M47 and Sirius on a direct line and just east of a 5.5
magnitude star.

Another favorite is M93, due 9 degrees due nearly due south of M46. And then 6
degrees west and a bit south is Tau Puppis which is surrounded by NGC 2362,
sometimes referred to as the Mexican Jumping Bean Cluster.

Lots of interesting clusters in the this region.

Recent I stumbled upon NGC 2467, a cluster with enveloped in a faint
nebulosity, it takes a moderately dark site to see the nebulosity.

NGC 2467 is 1.7 degrees south-south east of Xi Puppis, a magnitude 3.3 star
with a friend about 4 arc minutes away that make a nice multicolored guide post
for finding both NGC2467 and M93.

jon

On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 17:23:28 GMT,
"
wrote:

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?


Thanks gentlemen,

What a real treat that was! Sometimes you never know what you'll find
out there. This is the type of goodiy that keeps me inspired.

ultralightbackpacker