by Tom Campbell
| Observer | Tom Campbell |
|---|---|
| Location | Iola, Kansas (Long: 95 30' W Lat: 37 55' N) |
| Equipment | 8" Discovery DHQ dob |
| Eyepieces | 1.25" Plössls (25mm, 15mm, 10mm, 6.5mm, 4mm) |
| Filters | Lumicon O-III |
| Time | 10:15pm - 10:45pm CDT |
| Transparency | Mostly Clear |
| Seeing | Stable |
| Weather | Temperature in the lower 80s. There was a slight breeze. |
Today, I was pleasantly surprised to have a package in my mailbox when I came home for lunch. It was the new Lumicon O-III filter I had ordered a week ago. Even though the seeing conditions weren't nearly as good as last night, at least the clouds were staying away. I thought I'd take my new toy out for a test drive.
| Eastern Veil | Cygnus | Supernova Remnant | 10:15pm CDT |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 6992 | RA: 20 56.2 | Dec: +31 04 | Mag: ? |
| Using the O-III at 49X, this section of the supernova remnant forms an arc of about 90 degrees. The brightest parts of the nebulosity are at either end of the arc. One end of the nebula is rather smooth, while the other is a mottled mess. By taking away the filter, the nebula disappears completely. | |||
| Western Veil | Cygnus | Supernova Remnant | 10:20pm CDT |
| NGC 6960 | RA: 20 45.6 | Dec: +30 43 | Mag: ? |
| This section of the supernova remnant also shows up fairly well with the O-III filter. It is also arc-shaped, with one endpoint very close to the star 52 Cygni and the other endpoint close to a fainter star. At 49X, the nebula easily fits within the field of view. Again, without the filter, the nebulosity completely disappears. | |||
| Dumbbell Nebula (M 27) | Vulpecula | Planetary Nebula | 10:35pm CDT |
| NGC 6853 | RA: 19 59.6 | Dec: +22 43 | Mag: 8.1 |
| Unfiltered, the nebula's distinctive barbell or apple core shape can be discerned. With the O-III filter in place, the planetary has a roundish appearance rather than barbell. The dumbbell is still the brightest section, however. | |||
By this time, the seeing was really degrading terribly. A thin haze layer of clouds was overtaking the sky, blotting out the fainter stars and significantly dimming the brighter ones. My main purpose was to give my O-III filter a trial run, which proved to be successful. So I wasn't terribly disappointed about the sky conditions. There will be other days.