I have seen the Horsehead visually only once and it was with a Meade 8" SCT about 25 years ago. That was long before I could afford any filters. The location was in the mountains near Fish Lake, Utah and the elevation was pretty high, somewhere around 7000 to 8000 feet during late October. An observing buddy also saw it. Sky transparency and darkness were among the best I've ever experienced. I've never seen it again, even with significantly larger instruments. Fred -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of erikhansen@thebluezone.net Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 10:10 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Flat Earth Society
The horsehead has a number of challenges. 1st, the star near it will ruin your night vision, the times I have seen it it was found by someone else, dark adaption is the key. Sky conditions are also important, probably important not to have plaque (or was that plague) in your arteries as well.
My 6" f5 refractor frames the N American better than any scope I have looked trough. I have encountered people that mistake the "oak tree" very near by, for the horsehead. Erik It was a home-made 8" and it was on the very EDGE of detectability. As I
said, I'm thanking young eyes. I was what, maybe 16 at the time? And
I needed Steve Jacobs there to confirm it.
It was Steve Jacobs who claimed to have seen the Horsehead in his 6" Dynascope, but it wasn't at the same time as when we saw it in the 8". I'd definitely invoke Paul Bunyan on that one and I think I did at the time.
Erik and I have both seen the North American Nebula with the naked-eye
at SPOC, just a few years ago. It was actually easy at the time.
I think atmospheric clarity might have a lot to do with it, and a total lack of any auroral activity.
On Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 10:30 PM, <jcarman6@q.com> wrote:
I wasi going to ask who had seen the horsehead in the smallest scope,
but Chuck, you blew me away - REALLY???? an 8" dynascope without filter? Should I be calling an exceeding of the Paul B unyan limit o n this one? I've heard some tall telescope tales in my time, but they often turn out to be true . Now my memory is in gear and I remember seeing the North American Nebula at Little Mountain through Dave Chamberlin's scope after a public star party. Think his scope was a 10" home made. Your not supposed to see that in a scope either - at least that is what I was told when I first got in to observing same as being told the horsehead was a photographic only object.
The horse head is tough, even with filters. I would never have tried
it without a filter. Visual observance of the horsehead is a rare feat, cudos to all who have pulled it off.
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