McNeil's New Nebula

Clear skies for the first time in over a week here, allowed me to
observe Jay McNeil's new cometary reflection nebula this evening
with 36" RC at 200x at George Observatory south of Houston, Tx.

I estimate it is visually around 13th magnitude. This object is very
small,
requiring fairly high power. It is definitely elongated. No sign of
imbedded
illuminating star as my limiting visual magnitude was only 15.1.

B Wilson

Thanks for this info Barbara. Iv'e been wondering how bright this
object is. Do you think it could be seen with an 18 inch in light
polluted skies? I'll relay this info to my buddies at WSP.




"Barbara Wilson" wrote in message link.net...
Clear skies for the first time in over a week here, allowed me to
observe Jay McNeil's new cometary reflection nebula this evening
with 36" RC at 200x at George Observatory south of Houston, Tx.

I estimate it is visually around 13th magnitude. This object is very
small,
requiring fairly high power. It is definitely elongated. No sign of
imbedded
illuminating star as my limiting visual magnitude was only 15.1.

B Wilson

Thanks for this info Barbara. Iv'e been wondering how bright this
object is. Do you think it could be seen with an 18 inch in light
polluted skies? I'll relay this info to my buddies at WSP.




"Barbara Wilson" wrote in message link.net...
Clear skies for the first time in over a week here, allowed me to
observe Jay McNeil's new cometary reflection nebula this evening
with 36" RC at 200x at George Observatory south of Houston, Tx.

I estimate it is visually around 13th magnitude. This object is very
small,
requiring fairly high power. It is definitely elongated. No sign of
imbedded
illuminating star as my limiting visual magnitude was only 15.1.

B Wilson

Darren:
Think so, if they work at it slowly and carefully. The observational
clincher for me was seeing both components of the double star adjacent
to Jay's nebula, because there are lots of bits and pieces of nebulosity
in the area. No filter used or required, WSP skies are not much
brighter than the skies at rural location of the George observatory.
Barbara

"Darren Drake" wrote in message
om...
Thanks for this info Barbara. Iv'e been wondering how bright this
object is. Do you think it could be seen with an 18 inch in light
polluted skies? I'll relay this info to my buddies at WSP.




"Barbara Wilson" bwilson2 at ix.netcom.com wrote in message

Clear skies for the first time in over a week here, allowed me to
observe Jay McNeil's new cometary reflection nebula this evening
with 36" RC at 200x at George Observatory south of Houston, Tx.

I estimate it is visually around 13th magnitude. This object is
very
small,
requiring fairly high power. It is definitely elongated. No sign
of
imbedded
illuminating star as my limiting visual magnitude was only 15.1.

B Wilson

Darren:
Think so, if they work at it slowly and carefully. The observational
clincher for me was seeing both components of the double star adjacent
to Jay's nebula, because there are lots of bits and pieces of nebulosity
in the area. No filter used or required, WSP skies are not much
brighter than the skies at rural location of the George observatory.
Barbara

"Darren Drake" wrote in message
om...
Thanks for this info Barbara. Iv'e been wondering how bright this
object is. Do you think it could be seen with an 18 inch in light
polluted skies? I'll relay this info to my buddies at WSP.




"Barbara Wilson" bwilson2 at ix.netcom.com wrote in message

Clear skies for the first time in over a week here, allowed me to
observe Jay McNeil's new cometary reflection nebula this evening
with 36" RC at 200x at George Observatory south of Houston, Tx.

I estimate it is visually around 13th magnitude. This object is
very
small,
requiring fairly high power. It is definitely elongated. No sign
of
imbedded
illuminating star as my limiting visual magnitude was only 15.1.

B Wilson

Tried for the nebula with a 24" f/4.5 at 228X. View nebula near postion , but
belive it may have been seen the stars near the nebula, sky condition were not
the best.

John D. Sabia

Tried for the nebula with a 24" f/4.5 at 228X. View nebula near postion , but
belive it may have been seen the stars near the nebula, sky condition were not
the best.

John D. Sabia

Last night in a 25" under decently dark skies (80 miles west of Austin) with
good transparency and average seeing, at 88x it was invisible, at 218x
discernible but difficult with direct vision, obvious with averted vision.
Not a whiff of the star. Just out of curiosity I dropped UHC and O-III
filters on it. As expected, they both wiped it out.

I'd skeptical about seeing it in an 18" except under very dark skies. I
guess we'll find out shortly, when reports from WSP start coming in.

Jim

"Darren Drake" wrote in message
om...
Thanks for this info Barbara. Iv'e been wondering how bright this
object is. Do you think it could be seen with an 18 inch in light
polluted skies? I'll relay this info to my buddies at WSP.




"Barbara Wilson" wrote in message
link.net...
Clear skies for the first time in over a week here, allowed me to
observe Jay McNeil's new cometary reflection nebula this evening
with 36" RC at 200x at George Observatory south of Houston, Tx.

I estimate it is visually around 13th magnitude. This object is very
small,
requiring fairly high power. It is definitely elongated. No sign of
imbedded
illuminating star as my limiting visual magnitude was only 15.1.

B Wilson

Last night in a 25" under decently dark skies (80 miles west of Austin) with
good transparency and average seeing, at 88x it was invisible, at 218x
discernible but difficult with direct vision, obvious with averted vision.
Not a whiff of the star. Just out of curiosity I dropped UHC and O-III
filters on it. As expected, they both wiped it out.

I'd skeptical about seeing it in an 18" except under very dark skies. I
guess we'll find out shortly, when reports from WSP start coming in.

Jim

"Darren Drake" wrote in message
om...
Thanks for this info Barbara. Iv'e been wondering how bright this
object is. Do you think it could be seen with an 18 inch in light
polluted skies? I'll relay this info to my buddies at WSP.




"Barbara Wilson" wrote in message
link.net...
Clear skies for the first time in over a week here, allowed me to
observe Jay McNeil's new cometary reflection nebula this evening
with 36" RC at 200x at George Observatory south of Houston, Tx.

I estimate it is visually around 13th magnitude. This object is very
small,
requiring fairly high power. It is definitely elongated. No sign of
imbedded
illuminating star as my limiting visual magnitude was only 15.1.

B Wilson

Second try at this nebula with 24" scope under greatly improved skies on Feb
15, 2004 EST. Transparency best I' ve seen in many months. Temp 6 degrees F, RH
77 %.

l stiIl question if it was glimpsed with averted vision at 228X.

John D. Sabia