Planetary nebulae are arguably the most well-liked of all deep-sky objects. The late-summer sky is a wealthy supply for harvesting these fairly, numerous and vibrant nebulae, with the territory of Cygnus, the Swan, main the way in which in vibrant targets.
Find out how to observe
Cygnus rides excessive at late-evening on nights in early September. The mix of this advantageous positioning and the return of darker skies (by the way the Moon is new round mid-month), is right for monitoring down a few of Cygnus’ plentiful planetaries.
NGC 6826: The Blinking Planetary
NGC 6826 (Caldwell 15), the curious ‘Blinking Planetary’ shining at magnitude +8.8, is Cygnus’ most well-known planetary. Underneath a typical UK sky, maybe a 150mm (six-inch) scope is a prudent option to see the way it’s gained its nickname.
Utilizing averted imaginative and prescient to look simply previous it, the planetary’s surrounding nebulosity will ‘pop’ into view. When wanting straight at it your view will likely be dominated by a vibrant inside shell and its magnitude +10.7 central star. By alternating between averted and direct imaginative and prescient, the nebula seems to blink, popping out and in of view. NGC 6826 lies simply over 5 levels north of magnitude +2.9 delta (δ) Cygni at RA 19h 44m 48s, Dec +50° 31’ 31”..
NGC 7008: the Foetus Nebula
NGC 7008 has gained the moniker of the Foetus Nebula from its hanging look in trendy deep-sky photographs. Mendacity over 12 levels east and barely north of the ‘Blinking Planetary’ (RA 21h 00m 33s, Dec +54° 32’ 32”), this magnitude +10.7 planetary is in vary of a 150mm telescope which might reveal its easy oval form. Upgrading to a 250-300mm (10- to 12-inch) ’scope with an O-III filter working at excessive magnification could reveal some mottling.
Better of the remaining
NGC 7026 is an eleventh-magnitude object planetary nebula spanning 27” x 11” that may be picked up in a 150mm telescope mendacity 12’ south of fifth-magnitude 63 Cygni (RA 21h 06m 18s, Dec +47° 51’ 08”). NGC 7048 is a unique beast, an annular planetary that seems virtually completely round. You made want the light-grasp and resolving energy of a 250mm (10-inch) telescope to snare it mendacity about midway between the North American Nebula and Messier 39 (RA 21h 14m 15s, Dec +46° 17’ 15”). In an analogous vein to NGC 7048, imagers will enjoy knowledge from ring-shaped NGC 6894, which is situated six levels east of the Veil Nebula (RA 20h 16m 24s, Dec +30° 33’ 51”).
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