M8 – The Lagoon Nebula
Sketch by Sue French
Sue French produced this sketch of M8 as a composite of two separate observations during the summer of 1997. More of Sue’s sketches can be found in her book Celestial Sampler and at her website.
Category: emission
North America Nebula
NGC 7000 – The North America Nebula
Sketch and Details by Juha Ojanperä
Object name: NGC 7000, North America nebula
Object type: Bright nebula
Location: Parainen, Finland
Date: 9/10.10.2008
Instrument: Lens 80mm/400mm (3” lens)
Medium used: Graphite pencils and cottonwool sticks
Observing conditions: Dark, clear sky
Notes: Very large bright nebula. The distinct shape of the nebula is pretty easy to see, after some gazing and with aid of O III filter. In the North America, Mexico and the area around Gulf of Mexico are brightest, though the eastern coast is also considerably bright. The nebula gets fainter to the north and west. The Pelican nebula appeared as faint, nebulous patch a little bit to east from the eastern coast.
Bones of the Veil
NGC 6995
Sketch by Serge Vieillard
Serge Vieillard used a 60 cm telescope to observe the Veil Nebula on September 2 from Restefond. He notes that his drawing is really a pale reflection the extraordinary sight through the telescope, where the nebula was large, obvious and extremely detailed. Every detail was complex in structure, and evoked the sense of bones in three-dimensional relief. So that he could focus on observing and drawing the nebula, Serge used an astrophoto to generate the star field.
A Smoky Cascade
IC 1318(c)
Sketch and Details by Eric Graff
Object Name: IC 1318(c) (West Extension)
Also Known As: LBN 236, LBN 240, LBN 241, DWB 52, GAL 077.7+03.4
Object Type: Emission Nebula
Constellation: Cygnus
Right Ascension (2000.0): 20h 17.1m
Declination (2000.0): +40° 50′
Magnitude: —
Size: 40′ x 25′
Date/Time: 27 July 2008 • 05:45 to 07:00 UT
Location: Oakzanita Springs, San Diego Co., California, USA
Telescope: Parks Astrolight EQ6 • 6″ f/6 Newtonian Reflector
Eyepiece/Magnification: Parks 20mm Gold Series Plössl • 45x • 70′ FoV
Filters: Lumicon OIII
Conditions: Clear, Calm, 64°F
Seeing: Pickering 6-7
Transparency: NELM 6.4; TLM 14.2
This cascade of stars shrouded in smoky wisps of nebulosity caught my attention as I made the star hop from Gamma Cygni to IC 1318(b). The cascade ends at the sparse open cluster Collinder 419, whose brightest star is a close pair known as Struve 2666 (6.0, 8.2; 2.6″; 245°). Just northeast of this cluster the narrow stream of nebulosity blossoms into a hazy morass of delicate nebulosity – this is IC 1318(c). Fifth magnitude HD 193092 blazes with a reddish-orange light to the south.
Sketch Info: Nebulosity sketched with graphite applied with artist chamois and blending stump on 24# paper in 7½” circle. Stars with pencil and ink, cleaned up digitally (and colorized) in Microsoft Picture It!
Apochromatic Eagle
M16 – The Eagle Nebula
Sketch by Sue French
Sue French produced this sketch recently with the latest addition to her telescope family. More of Sue’s carefully crafted sketches (including an older sketch of M16) can be found in her book Celestial Sampler and at her website.
Luminous Lagoon
M8 – The Lagoon Nebula
Sketch and Details by Kiminori Ikebe
M8 (NGC 6523) Sgr diffuse nebula
Difficulty level 1
The Lagoon Nebula
Date of observation: 1998/05/27 03:20
Transparency/seeing/sky darkness: 3/3/4
Instruments: 32cm Dobsonian with XL21 at 70x and OIII Filter
Width of field: 0.9 degree
Complex structures are visible. There is the open cluster NGC 6530 near the center, which can be seen clearly even with the OIII filter. The brighter part of the nebula is divided into three regions. A triangular-shaped nebulosity in the southwest is the brightest with 9 Sgr (mag 6.1) shining at the center. There is a small, somewhat fainter region south of 9 Sgr. The second brightest region extend from the center to the south, which contains the open cluster NGC 6530. Between the brightest and next brightest regions lies a clear winding dark lane like a large river. The “banks of the river” is bright and a magnificent sight. At the southern end a sharp protrusion like a horn is visible. Although it is faint, the outline is sharp. North of the brightest region lies the third brightest region. It extends from the east to the west and the eastern half is bright providing a fine sight. With a close examination you can detect a faint nebulosity east of NGC 6530. It is large and looks like a very faint mist. In 10×42 binoculars, there are two bright spots side by side in the east-west direction within a narrow triangle. There is a double involving 7 Sgr at the western end of the triangle. There is a star near the center of the western part of the bright region. This star is 9 Sgr and the bright nebulosity surrounding it is clearly seen. The eastern part is rather elongated with the same orientation with NGC 6520. The globular cluster NGC 6544 is clearly seen in the southeast.
The Orion Nebula: A Two Season Field Sketch
M42 Field Sketch
Sketch and Details by Dave Riddle
A few months ago, I submitted a work-in-progress sketch of the Orion Nebula (and thanks again for all the kind comments from the ASOD community!).
I thought it might be of interest to submit one my field drawings used to make the (ahem) “finished” M42 portrait. This raw rendering has hastily scribbled notes around the border concerning aperture, magnification and weather conditions. I don’t see many rough draft drawings submitted to ASOD — you know, the ones with the ink smudged and the paper wrinkled by dew accompanied by bleary eyed late-night written notes that defy comprehension the next morning.
This composite drawing was made almost seven months apart from Panacea, Florida (with my 18″ reflector) and the Woodruff Boy Scout Camp outside of Blue Ridge, Georgia with the Atlanta Astronomy Club’s 24″ reflector. A series of drawings were made over two Orion “seasons” in an attempt to get a final, presentable drawing. And I feel I have a long way to go in knowing the remarkable nebula of Orion.
Dave Riddle
Milky Way Sights
Lagoon Nebula and Vicinity
Sketch and Details by Carlos Hernandez
My South Florida weather cleared temporarily on July 30, 2008 (04:00 U.T.) and allowed me to tour the Milky Way with my Oberwerk 11 x 56 binoculars. Many targets were visible but the Lagoon Nebula (M8) and Trifid Nebula (M20), as well as M21 and M28 caught my eye. The Lagoon Nebula (M8, NGC 6523) was visible as an elongated nebulosity which included clumps of stars (NGC 6530). The Trifid Nebula (M20, NGC 6514). The open cluster M21 was visible north of the Trifid Nebula and M28 towards the east (left).
A digital rendering made using Photoshop CS3.
Carlos
Riches of the Star Queen
M16 – The Eagle Nebula
Sketch and Details by Eric Graff
Object Name: Messier 16
Also Known As: NGC 6611, Cr 375, Mel 198, C1816-120, IC 4703, Sh2-49, Eagle Nebula, Star Queen Nebula
Object Type: Open Cluster + Emission Nebula + Dark Nebula
Constellation: Serpens (Cauda)
Right Ascension (2000.0): 18h 18m 45.0s
Declination (2000.0): –13° 47′ 54"
Magnitude: 6.0
Size: Cluster 21′; Nebula 35′ x 28′
NGC Description: Cl, at least 100 st L & S
Discovery: Philippe Loys de Chéseaux, 1746
Date/Time: 4 July 2008 • 04:20 to 06:45 UT
Location: Oakzanita Springs (4,010 ft. elevation), San Diego Co., California, USA
Telescope: Parks Astrolight EQ6 • 6" f/6 Newtonian Reflector
Eyepiece/Magnification: Parks 15mm Gold Series Plössl • 60x • 52′ FoV
Filters: Lumicon OIII
Conditions: Clear, calm, 62°F
Seeing: Pickering 4-5
Transparency: NELM 6.3; TLM 14.0
The Eagle Nebula (or the Star Queen Nebula, if you prefer) is one of the most spectacular "Great Nebulae" in the sky – in photographs, anyway. Unlike other emission nebulae on Messier’s list (M8, M17, M20, and M42-43), the Star Queen does not willingly yield her secrets to the visual observer. In fact, she puts up a rather tenacious fight.
The sky was not quite wholly dark when I centered my scope on M16 soaring above the brink of Oakzanita Peak. The nebulosity itself was not visible yet, but I immediately set to work sketching the visible members of the bright and easy open cluster invested in the nebula. By the time this task was completed the sky had darkened completely as the billowing clouds and star-studded reaches of the Milky Way cast their net above the entire eastern horizon. In the eyepiece gossamer veils of tenuous nebulosity draped lazily over the sparkling star cluster like a lumpy, disheveled cloak.
The best view in my scope occurs at 60x magnification with an OIII filter. The nebulosity is complex and the hazy morass dances with subtle possibilities, but getting that detail onto paper was challenging; the region around the famous "Pillars of Creation" was particularly difficult in this regard. Once I was satisfied that I had done all I could with the central portion of the nebula I was able to pick up faint, nearly featureless extensions on nearly every side by placing the cluster just outside the field of view and sweeping slowly from side to side (N-S or E-W; kind of like looking for the tail of a comet).
Omega Blossom
M17
Sketch by Serge Vieillard
Serge Vieillard worked on this detailed drawing of M17 over two nights while visiting Spain in 2007. He used a 46 cm Obsession telescope, a variety of magnifications and an OIII filter to prepare the drawing. He was not satisfied with the proportions of the first night’s sketch and so made use of an accurate, pre-plotted star field to concentrate on observing and redrawing the nebula on the second night.