NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula.
The kidney-bean shape in the center is a shell of gas ejected by a massive, hot central star. The shell of gas hits a surrounding molecular cloud (the faint outer shells), and the radiation from the central star causes everything to glow. Litebox 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 13mm LVW eyepiece (147x) + OIII filter. Anza-Borrego desert, CA. 2008-10-31.
Messier 57, the Ring Nebula.
Another of the great planetary nebula and a favorite object for summertime stargazers. Litebox 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 8mm LVW eyepiece (240x) + UHC filter. Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA. 2008-09-27.
Messier 76, the Little Dumbbell Nebula.
This is another planetary nebula, the remains of a dying star. 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 8mm LVW eyepiece (240x) + UHC filter. Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA. 2008-09-27.
NGC 7662, the Blue Snowball Nebula.
Like its relative, the Blue Racquetball, the Blue Snowball also shows off its blue-green glow due to the color of ionized oxygen. Here you can see the outer shell of gas expended by the dying star (not visible) in the center. 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 5mm LVW eyepiece (380x). Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA. 2008-09-27.
NGC 6781, Planetary Nebula.
An enigmatic object. Shifting view under averted vision. 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 8mm LVW eyepiece (240x) + UHC filter. Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA. 2008-09-27.
NGC 6818, the Little Gem Nebula.
Litebox 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 5mm LVW eyepiece (380x). Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA. 2008-09-27.
NGC 6826, the Blinking Planetary.
This planetary nebula is known for the optical illusion it creates. Stare directly at it, and the nebula disappears; only the star at the center is visible. Look off to one side, the nebula reappears. The optical illusion occurs because the light falls on different cells in our retinas. Some are sensitive to light; the others are sensitive to color. 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 5mm LVW eyepiece (380x) + UHC filter. Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA. 2008-09-27.
NGC 6369, the Little Ghost Nebula.
Litebox 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 8mm LVW eyepiece (240x) + UHC filter. Lake Sonoma Recreation Area, CA. 2008-08-30.
NGC 6309, the Box Nebula.
Litebox 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 8mm LVW eyepiece (240x) + UHC filter. Lake Sonoma Recreation Area, CA. 2008-08-30.
NGC 6572, the Blue Racquetball Nebula.
Planetary nebulae, the remains of dying stars, glow primarily by the light of energized oxygen, which is in the green part of the spectrum. That gives this bright, concentrated nebula its striking blue-aqua glow. It is rare for the human eye to see color of celestial objects other than planets in the telescope; this one is a real treat. 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 8mm LVW eyepiece (240x). Lake Sonoma Recreation Area, CA. 2008-08-30.
Messier 17, the Swan Nebula.
This is one of the sky's most beautiful emission nebulae, a site of star birth. Litebox 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 13mm LVW eyepiece (147x) + OIII filter. Lake Sonoma Recreation Area, CA. 2008-08-30.
Messier 27, the Dumbbell Nebula.
This is one of the closest planetary nebulae to Earth, at a distance of about 1360 light years. A planetary nebula (no relation to planets) is the shell of gas expelled by a dying star as it burns up the last remains of the hydrogen and helium in its core. The gas is lit by the hot core of the dying star. 15" F/5 Dobsonian, 13mm LVW eyepiece (147x) + OIII filter. Lake Sonoma Recreation Area, CA. 2008-08-30.
NGC 7293 Helix Nebula PN 10-06-2007
Back to the Helix Nebula after 4 years, this time in a wide-field small aperture refractor. Montebello Open Space Preserve, CA. 9:10-9:27pm PDT. Megrez 80 II FD w/22mm Lanthanum wide-angle (25x) and an O-III filter. Seeing 6/10, Transparency 4/10 (light-polluted region of sky).
NGC 6826, Planetary nebula 07-22-2006
Cygnus. The "Blinking Planetary", since it seems to disappear when you look directly at it, but reappears when viewing with averted vision.
NGC 6888, Emission Nebula 07-22-2006
Cygnus. The Crescent Nebula. First time for seeing this nebula, which was easy to see with UHC filter but nearly invisible without.
M 97, Planetary Nebula 06-17-2006
Ursa Major. The "Owl Nebula", but a disappointing view due to bad skies. I've seen more detail from a darker site with my 10-inch homebuilt reflector.
NGC 7009 Saturn Nebula PN 11-06-2004
Bright bluish-green, more blue than green. Egg shaped. Lobes just visible, extending NE-SW. Faint halo around nebula is visible. A great fall object.
NGC 7293 Helix Nebula PN 11-22-2003
No filter. Visible only as a slight darkening of the background sky. Averted vision begins to reveal helical structure, lobed appearance.
NGC 7293 Helix Nebula PN 11-22-2003
Orion Skyglow filter. Contrast against sky background is not as high as with UHC or O-III. More diffuse, helix lobes not as visible.
NGC 7293 Helix Nebula PN 11-22-2003
UHC filter. Central star visible with averted vision. Not so with O-III filter. Lobed structure still quite noticeable.
NGC 7293 Helix Nebula PN 11-22-2003
O-III filter. Best view of nebula. Lobed structure present. Interior hollow is visible, hints of finer structure as seeing allowed. Central star is not visible in this view.
NGC 40 planetary nebula 11-22-2003
no filter. Some arc-shaped lobes are visible, but overall less structure than UHC or Skyglow views. Very similar to Skyglow view.
NGC 40 planetary nebula 11-22-2003
Orion skyglow filter. Hints of structure visible with averted vision, not nearly as much as with UHC.
NGC 40 planetary nebula 11-22-2003
UHC filter. UHC provided the best view, with the most structure visible. Arcs around the edges of the nebula were most obvious in this view. More and more nebular detail became available as I increased the power to 240x.
NGC 40 planetary nebula 11-22-2003
O-III filter. Much less detail compared to UHC. Central star is much less visible.
NGC 246 planetary nebula 11-22-2003
no filter. Much less detail visible as compared to O-III. No longer round, just features in north and west still visible. Central star is much more prominent.
NGC 246 planetary nebula 11-22-2003
O-III filter. Appears fully round, with a brighter rim to north and west and a cloudy part in the middle to the northeast. Several stars are visible within the nebula, including the central star.