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HTT-Skyguide 2012   -   Part 4:  Deep Sky / Details
  Information  CZ / E / D



Observation hints  +  finder charts


The milky way in Cygnus, also caleld the Northern cross, is the most intersting area of our galaxis for northern observers. The reasons therefore are the large horizon distance and the great amount of different objects in that area. We present a selection of the finest deep sky objects during our sky guide session.   inverted map.



Dark nebula B 168  +  Cocoon nebula


        Photograph taken at 10th HTT   © Ralf Hofner.                                                 Map graphic (all maps):  Andreas Schnabel.   inverted version


The dark nebula Barnard 168 is an easy object for each kind of binoculars, if you have a very dark sky. B168 looks like a Chinese ink stroke in the sky. In telescopes using low and intermediate magnification you see the dark area embedded in giant amounts of glitter stars. At it's eastern edge you find a very different object:
                  The Cocoon Nebula IC 5146: it is a reflection-/emission nebula which I never saw in a pair of binoculars. I try to see it with such an instrument during the HTT's skyguide session this year. With a telescope you should try the use of nebula filters. They may enhance the contrast between the nebula and the background.

The HTT attendee Jirka Los took a very beautiful image of the Cocoon nebula. Easy to see is the mixture between blue (reflected) and red (emitted) light. This nebula is in a similar physical condition as NGC 1977 in Orion.     -     a photo comparison:   Astronomy Picture of the Day - 27. Aug. 2008 - Cocoon Nebula (NASA).



2. Crescent nebula

        Finder chart for the Crescent nebula. Click at the image for an inverted version.

The Crescent nebula NGC 6888 is observed too less because of it's neighborhoud to other magnificient nebulae. With the help of a nebula filter it can be seen in the smallest telescope. If you have a really dark sky and use at least an instrument of moderate aperture you can sketch many hours to catch all the details. If you change the magnification you see even more details...


3. The region around the Cirrus nebula

        Please click at the image for an inverted version..

        © Ralf Hofner

The Cirrus nebula, also known als Veil nebula, consists of two large parts: NGC 6992/6995 (left the Eastern Veil) and NGC 6960 (at right edge Witch's Broom). These are the brightes parts of this old supernova remnant. For more info please look at the Wikipedia article. These brightes part are visible in a pair of binoculairs if the sky condition is excellent. The total spread is more than three degrees. Large instruments show much more details, esprecially if they are equipped with a nebula filter. Out of this world ist the view through the 42" Dobsonian at the HTT. With larger telescopes it is not possible to see the complex at once.
A real good sky shows Pickering's whisp even in an instrument of moderate aperture. To find it: Go along the line Gamma - Epsilon Cygni to see the center of the complex (where the supernova explosion once happened). Or you point to 52 Cygni which lies in the center of which lies in the center of the western part of the nebula. If this bright star perturbs the observation you may mask it out with the help of an eyepiece shield at the eyepieces field stop. Westward of the Veil nebula you shout have a look ath the Open cluster NGC 6940 (in the right image at the bottom right corner).


4. North America- and Pelican nebulae

Please click into the image for an inverted version.

NGC 7000 (North Amerika nebula) and IC 5070 (Pelican nebula) are two emission nebulae in the northern part of the Cygnus constellation. They have their names because of their outline. Both nebula form an singular complex which is divided in parts by dark nebulae in front of them. The most opaque part of this dark nebula ist the "Golf of Mexico" region, To find it, an Orion like asterism is very useful. It's "Beteigeuze" is located at Florida's southern coast.
NGC 7000 could be glimpsed with the naked eye at the HTT, without the help of an nebula filter. But the bright star cluster cluster which superposes the nebula cannot be isolated from the nebula itself. With the help of an nebula filter it is easy to recognize NGC 7000 with naked eye. It is not hard to detect the nebula in a pair of binoculars if thy sky is transparent. A 4" refractor gives a great view and shows many details.
Both nebula can be photographed easily. CCD chips are much more sensitive to the nebulaes' red light as the human eye - 2 examples:


    NGC 7000:  shot with nonmodificated Canon camera!   © Markus Funke.
    IC 5070:   © Michael Möckel.
    The sky conditoons for both photographs were suboptimal: the 10th HTT-sky was slightly hazy.


The objects of the sky guide will be presented live at the 13th HTT. Newbies get help finding the objects and other observation hints. The night sky tour will be held by Uwe Pilz, as every year.
Please pay atention to the other links to the HTT 2012 skyguide:
Planets, asteroids, comets
Zodiacal light bridge + morning sky
DEEP SKY 1 (Overview)                                                                        ... And here back to Skyguide Overview 2012.
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