Flame Nebula (NGC2024): have others any luck?

As others have stated, the key to success lies with a dark, transparent sky.. High contrast optics are also beneficial.

That being said, I'll share one of my best visual experiences with the Flame Nebula:

This story begins with my first successful attempt at visually observing and sketching B33 (the Horsehead Nebula). In preparation I wore red goggles indoors, taking them off only after stepping outside to a magnitude 6.5 or better rural Montana sky. I set up a 13cm (5-inch) f/6 apo refractor (dubbed "Excalibur" by yours truly) without using even a dim red light - relying only on ambient starlight and natural skyglow to see by. I had memorized B33's location as well as the expected telescopic star field prior to going outside. A magnification of 110x was used -- without any filters.

Soon I acquired the FOV I had memorized, but it took a while longer before I began to suspect B33. In due time I was able to remove all doubt about seeing the Horsehead. Using the dimmest red light that I could still work by I completed my sketch. Upon returning to the eyepiece B33 was gone - until my observing eye had time to re-adjust. . .

After I was finished with the Horsehead I decided to take a 'quick' look at the nearby Flame (I prefer "Tank Track" but "Flame" is shorter to type). I was amazed! I had never before seen such a wealth of detail in the Flame! Apparently there's dark adaptation and there's "DARK ADAPTATION". I felt a strong erge to sketch the Flame Nebula, but I was just too tired after all the effort expended just to see the Horsehead. I didn't feel capable of expending the time and energy that would be needed to do justice to the amazingly detailed view I was seeing.

Reluctantly, I succumbed to the inevitable and forced myself to look away from the Flame and began packing up Excalibur, tripod and mount.

I'll never forget that view of the Flame Nebula. The combination of a dark, transparent sky; high contrast optics, a relatively high magnification and an enhanced level of dark adaptation all came together to transform a small, faint, fuzzy nebula into a large, bright, amazingly detailed celestial showpiece.

Tips:

Be patient. If you don't instantly see the Flame give yourself more time. Take some deep breaths. Eyes like oxygen. Allow your observing eye plenty of time to fully dark adapt. Don't allow your eye to see any light other than that of somewhat dim stars for at least 30 minutes. Use averted vision.

Looking at other posts: Naglers, while perhaps not the best (for light transmission) are certainly OK. The observations I mentioned above were made using a 7mm Nagler.

Experience and a dark sky can be difficult or even impossible to make up for. My first Flame sighting was made with an old Dynamax 8 SCT over 30 years ago. At first I thought I was seeing the Horsehead. With more experience and better charts things become easier to see and identify.

If all else fails, try attending a darksky starparty. You may have to observe the Flame in the early morning hours depending on the date, but that's better than not seeing it at all.

It's sad that our skies tend to only grow brighter . . .

Sketcher,
To sketch is to see.

On Saturday, March 1, 1997 JAB wrote:
Hello,

A recent article in Sky & Telescope (March 1997: "Observer's Page")
prompted me to take another look for the Flame Nebula (NGC2024)
in Orion. Over the past two weeks, I have had the scope out looking
for this nebula, and have yet to catch a glimpse of it.

I'm using my old trusty (not rusty ;-) orange c-8 and every combination
of eyepieces from 4mm-50mm in the attempt. I've even used my LPR
filter in the hopes that the added contrast would allow me the
sight. Still...no luck.

T. Polakis of the S&T article states that he can see it in his 11x80's.
I was wondering if others have spotted this as easily, and if there
are any "tips" to this object??

Clear skies,
John

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